40. Shiny
Chapter forty
Shiny
Eoghan
“ R emember, boyo-” My father glared at me. “We are there to reassure them that we remain united, even in grief. We take care of our own at Green Fields Enterprises.”
I didn’t need the fucking lecture. I didn’t need someone to tell me what bollocks this all was, either. My father did this as a show of power. He was the Mafia godfather at a wedding, there to bestow his sacred blessing and to show his presence, not because he gave a fig about the family.
Relief swept through me when Aoibheann came out, with Kira’s hand in hers. They were both wearing black, but while the color made Aoibheann look ethereally sick, it made my wife seem sophisticated and sleek. Her hair was in a bun, the only color adorning her was the green ring I had placed on her finger.
The relief was so overwhelming that I almost fell to my knees. But I didn’t. Not with the eyes of my father burning into the side of my head.
The two women walked down the stairs, meeting us in the parlor near the entrance.
I saw Aoibheann squeeze Kira’s hand, before the two separated - her to stand by my father, and Kira to come to me. I didn’t hesitate to grab her by the wrist. Not hard, but just to reassure myself that she was her. Her pulse was fast, beating against the tender flesh on the inside of her wrist.
My father huffed out, opening the front door and marching to the waiting car, with my stepmum following close behind him.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered as I brought her hand up to my face, kissing her delicate palm. Then I kissed the fluttering pulse, the green vein beneath the skin undulating at a fast rhythm.
I meant to soothe her. I wanted to reassure her of my love and devotion, hoping that it would be enough to get us through today, then tomorrow, then the day after that.
I didn’t want her to hate me.
But if I had to choose between her love or hate, I knew I would choose whichever of the two kept her safe. I would do whatever it took to keep her alive.
Alive was always better. Alive meant that whatever was between us could be mended, eventually.
My heart skipped a beat, when she said nothing, so I pushed. “Do you forgive me?”
I stared into her face, looking for any hint of the ice thawing in her veins. But she gave me nothing but the briefest nod.
I would take it.
It would have to be enough.
I didn’t let go of her hand, as I led her to the car, opening the door for her and helping her in. I walked around to my side, climbing in, and grabbing her hand again, holding the back of it against my lips, just to reassure myself that she was still there. Even in the silence, she was still with me. I would get her back.
We arrived at the Flanagan’s red-brick house, surrounded by a similar red-brick wall with a white stripe that ran across the top. There were black, iron spikes, sculpted to look like thorns peeking over the top. Cars lined the massive lawn, and some of our men directed traffic in their Prada shoes to line us up. Of course, my father and I would not be one of those, as our parking spot was up front.
I glanced around the house, as was my habit, to look at the security situation.
My eyes landed on a blue coupe parked off the side of the kitchen entrance. Strange, as I had not seen it there before. It wasn’t Siobhan’s car. The youngest Flanagan girl was still too young to drive.
Does that mean…
I shook my head as we came to a stop behind my father’s car right beside the front porch, where an aggrieved Blaine Flanagan somberly stood, his hands clasped before him. I got out of the car, before opening my wife’s door. She didn’t hesitate to take my hand as she climbed out, which made my heart soar, even though it shouldn’t.
She couldn’t hate me if she still touched me, could she?
We walked up the steps behind Aoibheann and my father, matching them in pace, and sobriety. The only difference was that I held Kira’s hand in mine.
When it was my turn to give Blaine my condolences, I shook his hand, giving his daughter, Sibby a small nod.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” I said, then added, “Should you, or Sibby need anything, then I’ll…”
A strange figure stood behind him. A figure I barely recognized. Short blonde hair, and somber features. There were bags under her eyes, as she wore a black pants suit that looked like it came from an outlet mall. It was ill-fitted and awkward, like the woman wearing it.
“Shiny?” I said the name like a whisper.
Crystal blue eyes looked back at me with a cold indifference.
“Oh, yes,” Blaine said, filling in the stretching awkward silence. “It seems that my prodigal child has returned to mourn the loss of my beloved wife.”
Flanagan stepped to the side to give me an unobstructed view of the strange woman.
I hardly recognized her.
I don’t know what I expected - that she’d look the same as she had seven years ago? That she’d be unchanged by time, and whatever she had done while out of the influence of Green Fields Enterprises? That she’d be the same little girl that had been like a little sister to me?
I didn’t know.
A thousand questions swam through my head. Where have you been? Why did you run away? Why didn’t you talk to me?
“Welcome back to Green Fields Enterprises,” I pushed through my clenched teeth.
I wasn’t mad at her. I couldn’t be, really. Not when the loss of her had been so soon after my mother’s passing. She had been a good friend through those times, right up until the day before her wedding when she vanished without a word.
A sudden flash of anger lit up her eyes, before she quashed it with a blink. “I won’t be staying.”
I clenched my jaw, wanting to let a thousand questions spill out. But I couldn’t. Not here. I’d corner her later.
I felt a tug on my hand, as though my wife was trying to pull from my grasp, but I instinctively clamped down.
“Have you met my wife?” I asked, coolly, bringing our joined hands up to flash my wife’s green emerald ring.
I knew that Sinead “Shiny” Flanagan would recognize it. She had admired the ring a million times over on my mum’s hand, having taken the position as the sister I never had growing up.
She barely glanced at it, but I did see the small flicker and the slight flare of her nose as she must have understood its meaning. Mine was not an arranged marriage, like hers had been. Kira was my choice.
Why did I want Shiny to know that? I don’t know. Because Shiny reminded me of my mother in a thousand different ways. My mum had loved the Flanagan girls like her own, and that doubled the betrayal of Shiny’s disappearance.
Shiny looked at my wife, the corners of her lips typing downwards. “Congratulations.”
Kira didn’t say anything. Instead, she turned to Blaine Flanagan, and offered her free hand.
“I’m so sorry for your loss.” She stepped away from me for a moment, extending her hand palm down. “On behalf of the family, I hope you know that we’re here to help in any way we can.”
Flanagan shook it, with a slight bow, accepting her rehearsed words. Had Aoibheann told her to say that?
It was our cue to move on from this morbid reception line.
I caught one last glance at Sinead, narrowing my eyes when she wouldn’t meet my gaze a second time. What was she doing here? What was she up to? I’d corner her later to find out.
Now, to mingle, wish condolences, and offer support, on behalf of the family.