To Love A Wild Irishman

Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

"So what are ya really back for, Seamus? Do you intend on killin' me or are ya hopin' to win Cassandra's heart?" Finnegan questioned once the two men were alone. He couldn't explain that boiling in his blood or the twist in his gut at the thought of his brother wooing Cassandra.

"I'm back because I want my damn money, Finnegan. I have no interest in having Cassandra as any more than a friend."

"Well why not?" Finnegan questioned with a frown. "She certainly seemed smitten with ya."

"My reasons are my own," Seamus replied simply without meeting his eyes.

"Where are your men then? Ya know the ones that like to hit me upon the head with heavy objects?" Finnegan asked as he sat down on the edge of the bed. He should know better than to allow himself to relax around Seamus but he was too emotionally confused just now to keep a guard up.

Cassandra... .Little Cass... Even bedding another woman hadn't done away with the budding feelings he was beginning to have for her. Feelings he couldn't allow himself to have! He would only hurt her. He was no good for a woman like Cassandra.

"Gone," Seamus replied, snapping Finnegan from his thoughts. "I sent them away a few days ago when I realized you had Cassandra with you. I wasn't going to cause you harm right there before her eyes. Why are you traveling together? Her father can't be happy about that."

"Whether he is or he isn't, I can't be for certain. She ran away in the night with me in search of an adventure," Finnegan replied. He wasn't about to tell a man he owed so much money to that he was following a treasure map to a lost shipment of gold—even if that man was his brother.

"You haven't taken her innocence have you?"

Finnegan glared at the judgmental tone in his brother's voice, "Honestly, Dear Seamus, if you're having so much trouble with the ladies I happen to know a few in town who would be happy to help ya out. There'll be no need for ya to worry about me any longer."

"This isn't about you, Finnegan. Cassandra is a good girl and deserves better than the likes of you. You are no different than that bastard that raised us and you'll hurt her just the same as he hurt our mother."

Finnegan felt his temper flare. He stood up, jerked his shirt on and shrugged on his vest. With more gusto than necessary he yanked on his boots before grabbing up his gun belt, "That bastard was our father and whether you want to admit it or not he did the best he could just the same as I do."

"Ha! If that's your best then I would hate to see you putting forth no effort!" Seamus bellowed with laughter.

Finnegan just shook his head, cinched on his gun belt and headed for the door, "If I put forth too much effort, Dear Seamus, I would make the rest of you men appear to be standin' still."

"Where are you going? I want my damn money, Finnegan." Seamus grumbled.

Finnegan grinned, despite the anger boiling in his blood and shrugged a shoulder, "Me thinks it quite clear by now that I have no money. Perhaps if ya follow me 'round enough I may drop a coin or two for you to sniff out."

"Where are you going?" Seamus asked again as he followed Finnegan into the hallway.

"To find whiskey," Finnegan lied.

"Whiskey? Truly? You bring an innocent girl like Cassandra to a place like this and then you simply let her wonder the streets alone?"

"Cassandra is no girl and she's tougher than ya give her credit for," Finnegan argued, leaping down the staircase and avoiding more than half the steps. Of course he was going to go check on Cassandra. He might be immature and a bit wild but he wasn't completely insensitive and without common sense. He knew this town could pose a threat to Cassandra and he had every intention of protecting her. He would not allow any harm to come to the woman.