Declan shook his head, his jaw tensed. “This is shit.”
“Declan—” Neal started.
“Don’t. This is your fucking wife’s fault. How the fuck do know that she wasn't the one who tipped him off?! We’ve been telling you for years she was fucking trash and you were too blinded by her goddamn pussy—”
“Fuck you! You don’t know shit! You no good—”
“Enough.” I snapped. “There is only one man responsible for this and we will have our retribution. Until then, don’t cock up dad’s last moments before we bury him by acting like five year olds because I won't have it. I will kill the both of you before I allow you to fuck this up,” I said before walking to the car where my mother was seated. I would’ve gone with Mel, but I needed a moment alone with my mother. When I got in, she was curled up and asleep again. Coraline stepped out and I took her place.
MELODY
I turned my attention to Fedel, and filled him in while he held the door open for me. As I sat down, I placed Ethan into his car seat before I put a blanket over him. Fedel sat up front while Jinx took the passenger’s seat.
“I’m getting updates on Monte’s status. He’s alive, but they had to amputate his left leg,” I told Fedel and he nodded. “I need you here and focused, Fedel.”
“Of course, ma’am. What do you need?” he asked.
“Has the family been notified?”
“Yes, the news has spread and families are already leaving gifts and flowers outside the gates,” he answered while searching through the photos on his phone.
“What about the press?”
“They’re all focused on the new terrorists, Rsamas. They are actually saying the group is behind the sniper shooting,” Jinx answered and I stared at the back of his head.
“How many people know about Rsamas?” The only way that this would work was if fewer people knew about what’s really going on.
“The family, the agent, Kain, Monte, Jinx, and myself,” Fedel replied, as he stopped at the red light.
Olivia was dead, and I’d taken care of her body with the aid of a vat of acid. The agent would be dead soon enough. The family was behind us, which only left the four of them.
“Let’s keep it that way. Make sure to cover it up if any one starts to speculate. Am I clear?”
“Yes, ma’am,” they both answered.
“I asked for details about the funeral, where are they?”
Jinx handed me the tablet, allowing me to sift through as fast as possible.
“No red roses. Evelyn likes the white ones. If she likes it, it means that Sedric liked them as well. The memorial won’t be held at the manor. We’ll have it near the Illinois River, I believe it’s called LaRue Pine. We can have it on the cliffs, which will remind them of the ones in Ireland. It’s the best we can do.
“Have tables, chairs, and a bar set up for at least two hundred people. I want heavy-duty protection in the trees and down below. Where did you find this caterer?”
“I, and a few of the men, including the Irish, have gone to their place. She’s good, ma’am, trust me,” Fedel replied.
“Fine, it will do, but have them send me a sample tonight. If it tastes like shit, it will be on your head.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I inhaled deeply before I leaned back. I watched as Ethan spoke gibberish, and laughed as he tried to hit the window.
“Boss?”
“Jinx?”
“Should we worry about Olivia?” he asked, and I was reminded of the fact that no else knew what had happened.
“She’s no longer an issue.”
LIAM
PAST
“Dad, I don’t want to marry her,” I told him as I entered his office.
“That’s unfortunate, because you will one day,” he said, not bothering to glance up at me from his desk.
Muttering under my breath, I moved to his couch and threw myself on it.
“Feet down, I’m not going to be yelled at by your mother again for ruining her furniture.”
I groaned. “Dad, that’s what I’m talking about, you’re so whipped.”
“Whipped? Were you listening outside our door again last night?”
“Ugh, Dad!” I gagged as he sat there laughing at me. “That mental picture is going to be stuck in my head forever. You’re scaring me here!”
“You brought it up. When are you heading back to school?” he said as he laughed at me while stapling documents together.
“Are you trying to get rid of me?” I stretched to look at him.
“Yes, so I can get back to being whipped.”
“Stop it. The joke is dead! Can we focus on me for a moment here?”
“You’re eighteen. I thought that meant I could stop focusing on you!”
I glared as I sat up and waited.
“Silence, finally. I thought I would never rest with you all back in the house.” He smirked.
“I’m not marrying her. I don’t need a babysitter once you kick the bucket—”
“Who said anything about a fucking bucket?” he snapped at me.
He hated it when I teased him about getting old. Once, I pointed out some of his gray hairs, and in response to my wily observation, he threw a vase at my head.
He froze before giving me his attention. “Are you planning on having me killed, son?”
Rolling my eyes, I rose. “Yeah, sure, old man, that’s what I’m planning. Seeing as you eat like…well, me. I wouldn’t be surprised if you collapsed tomorrow. Wasn’t mom yelling about your heart the other day?”
“I’m fine, I made a deal,” he replied.
“With whom, God or the Devil?” I grinned, as I trailed towards his brandy.
“Don’t you dare. Your mother almost killed me when she found out that I let you drink.”
“She’s out shopping with Neal’s new girlfriend, Olivia Colemen,” I told him.
I paused as he thought about it for a moment before nodding. I poured him a drink as well.
“What do you think of her?” he asked me.
“She’s…pretty. In a manufactured sort of way.”
He rolled his eyes. “Go deeper than that, Liam, what do you really think of her?”
We’d only had a few dinners with her, but I wasn’t sure.
“She talks a lot, and she likes the camera. I think she has the potential to be a stage five clinger. She’s not stupid, but she not very bright either. All in all, I can’t trust her until I get to know her better. Why? Don’t you like her?”
“She’s…she’s not the type of woman I wanted for Neal.” He paused to think. “He needs a woman that can keep him grounded and bring out the best in him.”
“Wait, so you’ve thought all about the type of woman that Neal needs, and me you’re just throwing to the Italians?”
“You sound jealous, Liam,” he said with a snicker. “I don’t have any favorites.”
“Liar,” I muttered. “If he likes Olivia, whatever. She looks like she makes him happy, but then again, couldn’t a puppy do that?”
“Hey.” He frowned at me.