Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 132791 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 664(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132791 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 664(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 443(@300wpm)
“Your sob story didn’t give you the right to rape my wife.” I choked back a roar, keeping my voice flat and even. “We’re all fucked up in the head. You’re nothing special.”
A text message popped on the screen.
Tierney: I gave him a thirty minute head start. Where’s the joy of the hunt if the prey just sits there, waiting for slaughter?
Tierney: Cute baby, btw. <3 <3 <3
“I—I didn’t know she’d turn out to be your wife!” Fintan whined. “Not t-to mention that you’d catch feelings for her. I thought it would be the f-first and last time I’d ever see her. And you know what they said about her!” he spluttered. “That she was severely mentally d-delayed. Too dumb to know what’s ha-happening around her.” He hiccuped.
Keys jangled. Dropped to the floor. Being picked up again.
I said nothing.
“Please, please believe me when I say I never meant for anything to happen this way.”
“You had seven months to come clean to me. Why didn’t you?”
Silence. I was nearing Da and Fintan’s mansion.
“I thought I could take care of it in another way.”
“But you didn’t. You should be halfway across the ocean by now. Why did you stay?”
“I—I kind of figured it could…that I would…I mean, if the baby wouldn’t have come out with red hair…” He swallowed audibly. “He could’ve come out blond. Or, with brown hair. Or, I don’t know…” Another pause. “It doesn’t have to change anything between us. This all happened before you got together. I haven’t touched her since and never, ever will. And she doesn’t even remember.” He choked out that last word, breaking into a fresh bout of sobs. “I swear, Tiernan, I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. It was just harmless fun. And I was plastered. I mean, completely drunk. Had I known you were going to wed her…fall in love with her… Christ, I’d never.” He sounded on the brink of vomiting. “You’re my brother. I love you. You’ve always been my number one. Please. There’s no need for anyone to know this. I certainly won’t tell. And…and…Lila!” he exclaimed. “Think about her and the baby, how crushed they’d be if they found out. We’re getting along so nicely. She trusts me.”
That, she did.
I thought about all the times I left her with him again.
I’d punch my own face if I wasn’t driving.
“And I’ll do whatever you want me to. Go to rehab. Move away if need be.” A wet snort escaped him. I couldn’t believe I carried the same DNA as this pile of shite. “We can pretend it never happened. As far as the entire world knows—it never did. Only me, Tierney, and you know.”
“The accident in which she almost lost the baby…” I said, leaving the rest of it hanging in the air.
Fintan understood what I meant. “I…I sent people to do it. But I told them not to kill her, just the baby,” he lamented. “I swear it.”
“Who?” I demanded. They were as good as dead now.
“The loan sharks I used to owe money to.” Pause. “I told them if they managed to kill the baby, I’d pay them five million.”
I stopped in front of the Tudor-style, white-bricked mansion and killed the engine. Closed my eyes.
He is your brother.
He picked up your pieces when you found your way home.
Taught you English.
Saved you from offing yourself when you didn’t think life was worth living.
Taught you how to find joy in the life you have left.
If it wasn’t for him, you’d have killed yourself after killing Igor. You wouldn’t have Lila. Or Nero. This life.
“Please.” I heard him again. I opened my eyes and looked out the window to the second floor, immediately finding him peering from behind the curtain of his bedroom.
“Tiernan, forgive me. I would’ve never touched a girlfriend of yours. Let alone your wife. Anyone who’s important to you. I’d never done anything like it before. Not ever. I was feeling wild that night. And drunk. So fucking drunk. I was livid with the Camorra for taking out your eye and having the audacity to invite us as guests. I knew the Ferrantes only issued the invitation to show off what they’d done to you. Like you were a circus monkey or something.”
This was likely true. I’d shown up anyway, not too proud to give up on the chance to squash my beef with Tate Blackthorn. He’d been meddling in my legal business for months before that.
“It was my fuck you to them for what they did to my little brother. A one-off. An only-off. You have to believe me.”
I didn’t utter one damn word.
“You forgave Alex Rasputin for what his father’s done. You spared his life. I’m sure you have it in your heart to forgive another brother. I’ll get better. I’ll get sober. I’ll repent this sin. I swear to you. I will. And I’ll be the best damn uncle in the entire world.”