My Pulse

Chapter 7: Cian O'Shea

One Day Earlier

I curled my hand around the beer bottle, almost breaking the glass with my bare hand. There were three men in my Mo Cuishle's apartment. I wondered how she would react to having them there when she arrived. Would she be happy or annoyed to see Rory abusing his house privileges? I anxiously waited as she twisted the doorknob to head inside. To my annoyance, the presence of the men on her couch didn't bother her one bit.

I, on the other hand, was about to throw my beer across the room. I couldn't show her this side of me, the side that had rage consuming my every nerve until I saw black. As black and dark as the day I died. The bomb that killed my mother had killed me right with it. I was as empty as I had ever felt, and deep down, I knew I could never be saved. The hole of darkness that was ruthlessly taken without my consent could never truly be closed. I looked back at the monitor when I heard Quinn laugh, and a small weight lifted off my chest. She was beautiful, and all my thoughts quickly moved to her.

The way she leaned her head back to laugh and how she playfully fit in with the guys in her own way. Quinn was most certainly a tomboy, but she was incredibly feminine too. She had an athletic body. It wasn't like I hadn't noticed, but it was more like a gymnast. Her body was thin, and she had a taller neck that showcased her delicate collarbone. My pants were suddenly uncomfortably tight as I thought about how I longed to kiss that neck and lick every inch of her. I pulled out my cock to start relieving the pressure rising in me when I heard a crash.

I jumped out of my chair and tucked my dick back into my pants. What the hell was going on? Oh, Aiden and James were just fighting. Fuck, they could hurt Quinn if they ran into her, I thought worriedly. Should I go there? No, obviously not. It would probably freak them all out and, of course, ruin my master plan. Just calm down, I told myself and forced myself to sit back down on the couch.

What's this? Was she going out? I thought with a smile. Yes, I knew where Murphy's was; everyone did. My heart leaped in my chest, knowing I would get to see her again, sooner than I had planned. With a dirty gleam in my eye, I rushed to go clean up and saw Quinn walking into her bedroom to do the same.

My heart stopped as I turned and stared, taking in the vision on my laptop. Quinn, oh god. She walked out of her bedroom in a sleek black dress. I remembered watching her buy this particular dress at H&M after that night out with Jillian. She was mouthwatering, and I had never been at a loss for words like this. I saw I wasn't the only one, however, as I stared in rage at all three of her supposed friends gawking at what was mine. I slammed my fist on the coffee table so hard my water cup fell off and crashed onto the rug. Mother fucker, I couldn't wait a minute longer to see her.

Why the fuck was she wearing that dress? I had never seen her in one except that one time at the club. Then I paused, and a dark smile stretched across my face. I wondered... could it be... for me? I pondered. You bet your ass it was for me because I would kill anyone who touched her or so much as looked at her too long tonight. Rory handed Quinn his jacket on the way out. I couldn't help but think my life would look a lot brighter without Rory in it. I didn't want her wearing another man's clothing. It wasn't acceptable.

I discreetly followed them to Murphy's and slipped in the door before them, finding a quiet corner to perch in. I lay in wait for my prize when she walked through the door, automatically scanning the crowd. A warmth rose in my chest when her face fell like she was sad after not seeing who she was looking for. Rory ushered Quinn toward the bar as he said hi to a few passing people. Many people, especially men, also greeted Quinn, but all my attention was focused on her.

I didn't give a fuck about anyone else, and I hadn't for some time now. Rory was noticeably more annoying tonight, looming over Quinn like she was in some sort of mortal danger. It was like he felt there was a lion in the room, which there was, I thought, mildly amused. Mother fucker, I didn't think he was ever going to let Quinn out of his sight tonight, and I ran my hand through my hair exasperated.