Chapter 17
If Rory hit on my mom one more time, I was going to chop one of his balls off.
“And he was too drunk off his arse to feel the glue I’d put in his ball. So he had a personal meeting with the pins at the end of the alley that night.”
The entire group broke out into laughter, even Vinni.
“It’s true. I was there. The vision of Arch gliding down the alley is one of my favorite memories since showing up to the island,” Vinni added.
“You were there?” I asked.
She shrugged. “I might like bowling too. Just because I don’t always want to go with you lot doesn’t mean a girl can’t get a few frames in.”
I shook my head. We were gathered in the living room of our rental. We wouldn’t be coming back here after our operation was finished for fear it would be compromised by the time our work was done in the club. It was rather cramped with Dom, Rory, my mom, sisters, and Vinni, but cozy with family was better than cozy with enemies.
“I would have loved to see Arch flying down the lane like that,” Daphne said. “Did you video it by chance?”
“We wish! We even tried to ask Bert for a copy of the security footage, but he refused. I am not the only one who thinks our boy over there bribed him,” Rory complained.
“Oh, he most definitely did. Not with money, but with favors,” Dom added.
“Ah, he’s still doing that, then?” Mom interjected.
“What do you mean, still?” Vinni asked. We’d been conversing for hours since returning from the alley, and the sun had set a few hours ago, which meant our time to leave was coming up. I had wanted to take her somewhere private so we could discuss what had happened to her, but I hadn’t seen my mate this light and free since I’d met her. I didn’t want to ruin that for my own selfish need to learn how slowly I’d have to kill my brother and father for the torment she experienced under their care.
“He was always running around as a kid, trading in favors and gossip with the house staff.” Mom looked at me with a look that said she’d known all along what I’d really been up to.
“Yeah, but mostly to know where Daddy and Thatcher were so he could hide us around the house,” Simone said, adding a hint of reality to the terrifying situation we’d grown up in.
The room got quiet at the admission.
I had been protecting my mom before my sisters were born and continued after they arrived with more gusto. It had become a full-time job.
I’d learned quickly how you can capture more flies with honey than vinegar. I’d sweet-talked my way through every staff member’s personality, so I was always kept in the know about my father and brother’s movements or if they had a particularly horrible plan in mind for my sisters. Most of the time, this came at the expense of my mom, but she was the one who taught me what she knew.
She always protected us.
No matter what.
“Yes, a very charming boy,” my mom added. “Looks like he kept on all my lessons if he was able to get Vinni here to join him on this mission.”
“Hah!” Rory said. “You know she would have punched him right in the dick if he tried to keep her away from this action.”
“It was actually Vinni’s idea to start this work up again.”
“Was it really?” Dom asked. He was quieter than usual on this trip. I knew being away from town, a.k.a. Gioia, kept his mind occupied with worry. I was thankful he agreed to come so we could escape quickly tonight after recovering the wolf pup.
“I mostly wanted to open the borders up for my club,” Vinni said, minimizing her desire to help others.
“That was the excuse you used,” I corrected her. “I saw your eyes light up at the prospect of helping new residents migrate here. Don’t deny it.”
She stared daggers at me, and her eyes shifted from green to orange.
“Easy there, girl,” Rory said, slapping her on the shoulder. Vinni shifted her rage toward him, thankfully. Rory winked at me before pretending like nothing had happened. “No need to rage out in this tiny flat here.”
“Speaking of…” Mom stood up. “We should probably head out. We all know the plan.”
“Oh yes, we do.” Rory bit his lip and looked between Vinni and me.
“Keep it in your pants, Casanova,” Mom said, shoving his shoulder. “At least until we get there.” Then she winked at him.
“Jesus H. Christ, Mom.” I sighed heavily.
“Oh, give me a break, Archer. I am finally a single female and have been surrounded by the fae and witches in Ireland since we left. I can flirt if I want to.”
“Save me,” I muttered.
That had been another development I’d learned. My mom and sisters had been traveling a bit and trying to help Anya’s network of folks across the globe, but their home base was the coven Patrick’s brothers went to after they were free from Orla. Patrick had tried to convince them to stay in Haven Pass, but that had gone over as well as someone trying to convince Patrick to do something he didn’t want to do that wasn’t Cliona.
“Yeah, Archer, give yer mumsie a break.” The big Scottish bastard grinned to show all his teeth. I gritted my own until I felt soft fingertips at the base of my neck playing with my hair.
“Are you going to be okay with this?” Vinni asked as the others filed out of the room, giving us a small moment of privacy.
“Okay with what exactly?”
“You know exactly what.” She raised one eyebrow at me in challenge before looking down at her trench coat. I wasn’t sure what exactly she wore beneath, but I knew the role she was playing tonight and could only imagine how sinfully delicious she looked. My cock woke in response to the innuendo before leading her out the door.