Part Four
Thirty-Five
Past
Aidan Sr.
As I finally settled Lena intobed, I held her tight to me as she sobbed against my chest.
It had been a long fucking day, and I knew it would be a long fucking night.
It was right what they said—there was no rest for the wicked.
I hadn’t earned my rest, and in seeking atonement, I’d caused my wife, the love of my life, to commit the worst sin of all, earning damnation for us both if I couldn’t get her to church for confession.
Pressing my lips to her forehead, I rocked her against me.
I’d doped her up with a couple Valium, and she was drowsing against me, however I was in no rush. Michael was downstairs, but he could wait until the heavens and the earth started burning for all I cared.
When her silent sobs ceased and she rested, I closed my eyes. “You’ll be safe, my darling. You’ll be safe. I’ll make sure of it.”
Guilt lashed at me like a whip, and as I let go of her and rolled off the bed, I felt every single one of my years as I straightened.
Peering down at her, seeing that she was resting, I heaved a sigh and headed out of the room.
The ECD and I had a fragile understanding.
I stayed out of their business, they stayed out of mine, and together, we worked toward a unified Ireland.
So far, I’d only been in their debt to a certain extent. There were Five Pointers who werecheiles, and one of them guarded my wife. That was about as much as I owed.
But the scales had just tipped out of my favor.
As I trudged downstairs, I headed into the living room where Michael was sitting. He had his feet up against the coffee table and, beside his shiny leather Oxfords, there was a bottle of my finest whiskey.
That immediately set the tone.
I didn’t like it, but I didn’t have a choice.
He smiled at me, a smile that set my teeth on edge and had my top lip snarling up with distaste.
“Spit it out,” I snapped. “What do you want?”
“That’s a loaded question if ever there was one,” Michael drawled as he dragged out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. “I mean, what do I want? I suppose it all depends on what you’re willing to do to make sure I keep Lena’s secret.”
I narrowed my eyes upon him. “She’ll never see the inside of a jail cell. No matter what you fucking do or say.”
He shrugged. “I like Lena. I’ve always liked her. She’s good people.”
She was. That was the kicker. She’d been good people when I dragged her into this marriage. She’d been good people when she whacked me on the head with a rolling pin. That had only changed when the Aryans had gotten to her. And whose goddamn fault was that?
Mine.
Mine for giving a boy a man’s job.
Grinding my teeth, I snagged the bottle beside his feet and pressed it to my lips.
Swallowing a big gulp down, I let the fire consume me. “What do you want, Michael?”