But it forced me to put on my mask. The mask I didn't have to wear around Aidan—fuck, I wanted him to be home—and I demanded, "I want to see where Aidan is."
Conor shrugged then waved a hand at a screen behind him. "I told you; he isn't there yet."
I pointed at his left ear which had an earpiece in. "Can he hear us?"
"No, I put him on mute. I don't want to distract him unless I have information for him."
"The hardware malfunction with your computer—does it affect what you have to do tonight?"
"No. I just underestimated the power of Star's gift, that's all."
"Her gift?" I asked warily.
"Yes. She gave me a worm."
My mouth rounded. "Shegaveyou a worm."
"A powerful one." His lips twisted. "I'm pretty sure she wanted access to my files again but it’s all good. It helped me out."
Brow furrowing, I asked, "When she was here last, did she take anything?"
"You asked me that before. And no. Nothing."
"Why didn't she leave the worm before?"
He jerked a shoulder. "Why does Star do anything?"
"True."
Movement behind him drew my attention, and spying Brennan's car pulling through some gates had me jerking away from Conor and rushing over to the screen.
I heard footsteps behind me, heavy set ones, and I knew it was Paddy.
"Are you all right?"
"No. But I will be once this is over with." I cast him a quick glance. "Is it true that it took Aidan Sr. two years to consolidate his position?"
If it took Aidan that long, I might need to schedule my nervous breakdown for five years in the future and not ten.
"It is," Paddy murmured. "The men didn't like him. Didn't trust him. They were partially right, of course. He was a headcase back then. Marriage settled him down in some ways if you can believe it."
My eyes bugged at that. "No, I really can't."
His chuckle was dark. "There's a reason he spent so much time on his knees in church, Savannah.
"Our da used to beat him for having the devil in him," he said thoughtfully. "Aidan heard it so often that he came to believe it."
"If he didn't like him, why didn't he pass on the Points to you or Frank?"
"Frank liked women too much to be the leader, and me? I'm a follower." He hitched a shoulder. "I don't mind admitting that. Aidan was the only one with the balls to do what had to be done. Da knew that."
"Junior is terrified that he's like his father," I rasped under my breath as I watched Aidan clamber out of the SUV.
He spoke with Brennan before heading over to Declan's car where he kicked Anthony in one of his injured knees then dragged him over to the factory entrance by his necktie.
"He certainly has his ingenuity," Paddy muttered as he cast me a look. "You aren't scared of him?"
"Was Lena scared of Senior?"