Falling Free

-Nineteen-

Niamh was crouched down behind the back of the sofa, the cold metal of the gun feeling like a heavy weight in the palm of her trembling hand. The door burst open, coming right off of its hinges and she screamed, cocking the gun and getting ready to shoot, just as she had been told to, when she heard his frantic voice shouting her name.

"Alfie," she croaked, trying to stand but her legs were like jelly. "Alfie, I'm here."

Heavy boot steps sounded all around the house as Alfie's men began to search the property thoroughly, and Alfie dropped to his knees in front of Niamh when he saw that she was completely unharmed. The gun in her hand fell to the floor with a clang and she wrapped her arms around his neck, gripping on to him for dear life as his own hands touched every part of her, almost as though he couldn't quite believe she really was alive and well.

"What the hell is going on, Alfie?" she begged.

Alfie let out a shaky breath. He couldn't speak for a moment; he just had to hold her. He was barely aware of the shouts from his men, proclaiming that the house was clear. All he could think about at that moment was Niamh and the relief that she was fine. But when she repeated her question, with a little more force this time, Alfie realised that he didn't want to tell her the truth. Not while there was no apparent immediate danger in the house and not before he had a chance to formulate a plan with his men moving forward. The problem was that he didn't want to lie to Niamh either. But how could he tell her the truth without revealing that he had planned to fuck over her family? How could he do that and risk ruining what they had? So Alfie did what he didn't want to, and he lied to her.

"I'm sorry for scarin' you, love," he murmured, taking her face in his hand. "That fucker Sabini's been playin' silly buggers with me and I fell for it hook, line and sinker."

"What?" Niamh frowned.

"Told me he had someone sniffin' around inside the house to scare me, didn't he?" he forced out a huff of a laugh. "Look like a right fuckin' wally now stormin' in here like that. And I bloody frightened you, didn't I?"

"Why would he do that?" she eyed him warily. "Things with him have been fine since we got married. He's too frightened to do anything now that you and my family are allied through marriage. Why would he suddenly start something now?"

"Just tryin' to flex his muscles, love," Alfie muttered. "Tryin' to remind imself and me that them little raisins danglin' between his legs are actually balls. Honest love, it's nothin'. I'll send a couple of lads into his territory to rough up a few of his men and he'll get back in his place, alright?"

"Maybe we should call Tommy and let him know? Perhaps he could send some Blinders down here; show of unity, you know?"

"No," Alfie answered hurriedly, taking Niamh's hands and bringing them to his lips. "Your brother's got enough on with the impendin' arrival of his baby and all that, aint he? Aint no need to bother him with anythin' so silly. I'll mention it when he visits next and we can have a little laugh or somethin' but no need to call him and worry him for nothin'."

"I suppose," Niamh agreed, her brow furrowed and she was unable to shake the feeling that Alfie wasn't being completely transparent with her.

"Good girl," he winked, pulling her into his arms where she could feel his heart beating hard and fast against her cheek.

"Alfie, you promise you're telling me the truth, aren't you?" she looked up at him, not even noticing or caring about the men who were lingering out in the hallway awaiting orders from Alfie.

"Course I am," he frowned, stroking her cheek gently. "I just overreacted to somethin' that I should have known was Sabini tryin' to wind me up, but all I could think about was you, you know. You're enough to make me lose my senses, woman."