Chapter 20 #2
Sean's name flashes, followed by a screenshot that snaps the last thread of calm in my body.
Liam: You two. My place. One hour. No excuses.
I groan.
Valentina comes out of the bathroom in her robe and winces. "Bad?"
"It's Liam. Sean and I were just summoned."
Worry fills her expression. She looks away, and guilt claws at me. I step closer. "This isn't your fault."
She turns toward me and shrugs. "This was always going to happen, wasn't it?"
I sigh. "Probably."
Silence fills the space between us.
I add, "I'm taking you to Sean's. You can visit with Zara and the babies."
Her mouth curves into the faintest smile. "Okay."
I grab my keys and point toward the hallway. "Get dressed and get your shoes."
She bites her lip.
"What?"
"I think they're still in Pompei."
"Shit." I glance around, then grab her and toss her over my shoulder.
She shrieks. "Brax!"
I slap her ass. "I can carry you out!"
She laughs.
I swing her around my body.
She puts her arms around my shoulders. "We're going to look ridiculous."
I shrug. "I don't care."
Within minutes, we're in the parking garage. We get into my Mustang and I speed onto the street toward Sean's penthouse. I turn down four blocks, accelerate down two more streets, and pull up to the curb. I get out and open Valentina's door.
She wrinkles her nose. "This is embarrassing."
"You love it," I tease, then slide my arms under her and pick her up. I carry her through the building, nodding at security, and into the elevator. I press my hand on the screen, and it moves toward the penthouse.
Zara meets us in the foyer. Her hair's piled into a messy knot, River's strapped to her chest, and Willow's tucked into her arm.
I whistle. "Damn. You're talented."
She waves her hand in front of her face. "Nah. Piece of cake." She skims over us and states, "Well, this is a dramatic entrance."
Valentina snickers. "My clothes and shoes are in Pompei. You can put me down now," she says, looking at me.
"Can I?" I tease.
"You can."
I carefully put her down.
She reaches for Willow and coos, "Come here, my favorite girl." She kisses her on the cheek.
Willow's fingers curl around Valentina's hair. She cuddles against her.
Warmth spreads in my chest until my pulse changes its rhythm.
Zara offers, "Want to borrow some clothes?"
"That would be great. Thanks," Valentina replies.
Sean steps into the foyer. In a doomsday voice, he announces, "You're here. Can't wait for this one."
"Yeah. Finn busted through my door this morning." I admit.
"Shit," Sean mutters, and the room goes silent.
Zara cringes. "You two look like you're on your way to a sentencing."
"Pretty close," I mumble.
Zara clears her throat. She orders, "Go before Liam decides to show up here and demand explanations."
I give Valentina a quick kiss. "Stay here until I'm back, Minx."
"Okay."
Sean kisses Zara and the babies, and we leave. We drive to Liam's house in silence. When we enter, the entire front room is full of O'Malleys.
Killian's on the couch next to Nolan. Declan stands near the window, arms locked behind his back. Finn sits in the armchair, his scowl running deeper than before. And Liam stands in front of the mantle, his arms crossed tight across his chest.
"Sit," he snarls, pointing to the empty couch.
Sean and I take our seats.
Liam starts, "You two have chosen an interesting week to lose your goddamn minds."
We don't speak or move.
Liam rehashes the obvious. "You missed the morning meeting. Both of you. Again."
I clench my jaw, my pulse hammering in my head. Guilt flows freely, and I can't turn it off.
"Gee, don't both of you talk at once," Killian snarks.
Neither Sean nor I look at him. We keep our focus on Liam.
He turns his attention to me. "So it's true? You married Valentina Abruzzo?"
Heat slices through my chest. I lift my chin. "I did."
His voice rises. "Why in God's name would you do such a stupid thing?"
I continue to remain silent, unable to tell them the truth.
"Well, say something! Tell us you love her! Tell us you'd die if you couldn't marry her! Tell us something for Christ's sake!" Nolan roars.
My heart hammers harder. I finally say, "You wouldn't understand, so there's no point discussing it."
"No point discussing it!" Liam fumes.
I stare at the ceiling.
Sean interjects, "Fiona married Kirill, and everyone's okay with him, now. You'll see that Valentina is a good person, too."
"Don't you dare try to act like this is okay! You're in the doghouse as much as Brax!" Liam booms.
Sean breathes through his nose.
Liam's voice sharpens. "You both have vanished. And you don't get to vanish. Not when you hold responsibilities that affect this entire family."
Sean argues, "We weren't trying to disrespect anyone."
Liam lifts a hand. "Stop. I don't want a speech. I want the truth. What the fuck is going on? And don't give me your 'I can't tell you' story. I'm sick of hearing it. I know you're somehow wrapped up in whatever shit your father started. I want to know the truth and now!"
Sean closes his mouth.
I meet Liam's stare head-on. "We can't tell you anything. Not yet."
Liam's jaw ticks with quiet fury. "Not yet? You two don't get to decide what this family deserves to know. If you've stepped into something dangerous, the family should be prepared."
Sean carefully states, "We aren't dragging you into it. We're trying to protect you."
Liam snarls, "Protect us? By disappearing? By dodging calls?"
We stay quiet.
He turns toward me, adding, "By letting Finn believe you were dead in a ditch? By letting Brenna panic?"
More guilt eats me. I glance at Finn. He wears the same hardened expression as when I came in. It only makes me feel worse. I quietly say, "I'm sorry."
He doesn't flinch.
Liam steps closer and lowers his voice. "I've run this family for years. And I do not run it blind."
I try, "Liam, we're not betraying you."
"We would never," Sean reiterates.
His voice cuts sharp as glass. "Then show me. Because until you do, neither of you is stepping foot into O'Malley operations."
Sean stiffens. "What does that mean?"
"It means you're suspended."
"You can't do that," Sean argues.
Liam grunts. "I just did. No pay for six months. No privileges. No access to O'Malley resources. You will handle nothing related to family operations until I trust your judgment again."
Anger rises beneath my ribs, but I clamp it down. "You're cutting us off?"
He shakes his head. "No. I'm giving you consequences. You don't get to choose loyalty only when it's convenient."
"We aren't choosing convenience," Sean says quietly.
"I'll never be disloyal to the O'Malleys," I vow, feeling like my world's being stripped away from me.
Liam's stare doesn't waver. "Then you won't mind the next part. You're both on grave duty."
Nolan shifts in his seat. Declan smirks like he's already planning the rotation schedule. Killian cracks his knuckles. Finn just sits there, not moving.
Sean's jaw ticks. "Grave duty?"
"Yes." Liam nods toward Declan. "Report to him at dawn. Midnight watch, cleanup assignments, cemetery patrol. The jobs nobody wants and everyone needs if they plan to pledge their loyalty to the clan."
"We already did our rounds of grave duty. We've proven our loyalty over the years," Sean reminds him.
Liam's eyes narrow. He warns, "You're lucky you're still on grave duty."
My gut drops. I open my mouth.
"Don't," Liam warns.
I shut my mouth and look at the ceiling again.
Liam's voice turns final. "If you vanish again, if either of you misses a call, if you fail to show up to a shift, you're out. Permanently. I will not tolerate half-loyal men in our clan."
A long, heavy silence fills the room.
Liam studies us one by one before giving a single clipped motion toward the door. "Get your shit together. Now get out before I change my mind and mark you as traitors."
"We aren't traitors," Sean seethes.
I look at Finn, but he's not budging.
"Go!" Liam roars, pointing at the door.
Sean and I exchange a glance, then leave.
We get in my car before we speak.
Sean booms, "What the fuck."
I shake my head, speechless.
"This is..." Sean stares at me.
I start the engine, drive past the gates, then pull over. I turn, seething, "I never wanted to be part of your father's fucked-up, twisted cult."
His jaw twitches.
"If I get kicked out of the clan—"
"We won't! Just take a breath. We'll do our grave duty and be back in their good graces before we know it," he assures.
I clear my throat. "I don't think Finn is ever going to talk to me again."
Sean runs his hand through his hair. "He will. He needs a minute."
I tap the steering wheel, shaking my head.
"Brax—"
"How did you ever expect this to work long term, Sean? Tell me," I demand.
He goes silent.
I say the truth that neither of us knows how to change. "This doesn't work, and you know it."
He closes his eyes, takes a deep inhale, then pins them on me. "If I had a solution, I'd give it to you."
I stare at him for several minutes, then assert, "Well, we're going to need to figure one out." I veer onto the road and gun the Mustang, angry, guilty, and hating the predicament I'm in more than ever.