Ronan made another face. "Or I can punch him in the goddamn face," he muttered with some heat, leaving the bags lined up against the wall. Again, Adam was right, and Ronan didn't like it one bit. Being under Declan's rules was already grating and he'd only been there for about ten minutes. It made him sick. Angry. It was tempting to punch the wall, break open the skin on his knuckles and relish the way the wound would throb—but he resisted, not wanting Adam to see him like that.
He'd get drunk later. That usually worked.
The maids stepped inside, still whispering to each other, and Ronan stepped over to the edge of the loft again. With a crisp, clear voice that was not to be argued with, he said, "I'll be staying here, in the loft, for the foreseeable future. Adam will oversee everything that needs to be done. You'll listen to him or you'll hear from me. And believe me, you don't want to hear from me."
The girls quieted, eyes wide as saucers at how intimidating the young master had become. Quickly, they nodded, hands folded in front of their skirts and eyes demurely facing down.
"I think you know what I want," he said, softly, for Adam's ears only.
Ronan gave Adam one last glance before sliding down the ladder, shoes crunching beneath scattered hay. The maids jumped at his sudden drop but otherwise stayed quiet.
"I'm going to step outside," he said, looking up, "to see the flowers. When you're done directing them, Adam, meet me there." He wouldn't stay and breathe over Adam's shoulder as he directed the girls as to what they were to do. He trusted Adam, and he wanted Adam to have a taste of that power without him there. So with one final nod at the maids he stepped out of the barn and around back to the little garden of flowers. They were more beautiful than he remembered.
no subject
He'd get drunk later. That usually worked.
The maids stepped inside, still whispering to each other, and Ronan stepped over to the edge of the loft again. With a crisp, clear voice that was not to be argued with, he said, "I'll be staying here, in the loft, for the foreseeable future. Adam will oversee everything that needs to be done. You'll listen to him or you'll hear from me. And believe me, you don't want to hear from me."
The girls quieted, eyes wide as saucers at how intimidating the young master had become. Quickly, they nodded, hands folded in front of their skirts and eyes demurely facing down.
"I think you know what I want," he said, softly, for Adam's ears only.
Ronan gave Adam one last glance before sliding down the ladder, shoes crunching beneath scattered hay. The maids jumped at his sudden drop but otherwise stayed quiet.
"I'm going to step outside," he said, looking up, "to see the flowers. When you're done directing them, Adam, meet me there." He wouldn't stay and breathe over Adam's shoulder as he directed the girls as to what they were to do. He trusted Adam, and he wanted Adam to have a taste of that power without him there. So with one final nod at the maids he stepped out of the barn and around back to the little garden of flowers. They were more beautiful than he remembered.