Chapter 15 Declan
DECLAN
Idrive too fast on the way to the family estate, pushing my Ferrari hard around corners, the engine's growl matching my mood. I can still taste her, smell her, feel the way she trembled against me.
Fuck.
I shouldn't have walked away. But I couldn't stay either.
Not without taking everything she offered, even if she offered it for all the wrong reasons.
And when I was in that moment, I didn't want it like that.
Which I'll admit surprised me a little, but some things to do with her have been confusing me lately.
The gates to the Killaney estate open automatically as I approach, the guard waving me in. The sprawling property sits like a fortress on the outskirts of Boston, where old and new money mingle. I park beside Keira's Bentley and nod to her driver.
I also notice Callum's Aston Martin is already here.
Father summoning the whole family mid-day like this means it can't be good.
My phone buzzes and I take it out, hoping.
Shit, just Shane confirming our shipment from Jersey is on schedule. I put my phone back in my pocket and head inside, the heavy oak door swinging open silently beneath my hand.
The sound of voices drifts from the study. Keira's light laugh, Callum's deeper tones. I walk in and find them both seated in the plush leather chairs that face Dad's massive oak desk.
"What's the crisis?" I ask, leaning against one of the empty chairs instead of sitting in it. "We finally letting me run the family bars?"
Keira sits on the edge of her seat, already rolling her eyes. "Maybe he's calling an intervention for your underground fights."
"My fights or your shopping sprees," I shoot back, winking at her.
Callum doesn't smile. He looks too serious, even for him. Suppose a lot's been pushed on his plate.
I decide to sit and look around. "Where's Dad?" I ask.
The door behind me opens, and I turn, expecting to see our father stride in with that purposeful walk that's made grown men piss themselves. Instead, the sound of wheels on hardwood fills the silence.
A nurse I've never seen before pushes our father into the room.
All words die in my throat.
He's in a fucking wheelchair. Darragh Killaney, the man who once beat three rivals unconscious with his bare hands when they tried to muscle in on our territory.
The man who taught me to shoot when I was nine, his hand steady on my shoulder.
The man who's always, always stood tall, proud, now looks diminished.
He's thinner than I remember from just a few weeks ago.
Keira rises immediately, crossing to him and placing a kiss on his weathered cheek. "Daddy," she says softly, and I hear the careful control in her voice. She's hiding her shock better than I am. "You should've told us."
He waves it off and the nurse wheels him behind the desk. "Leave us for a moment," he orders, and she disappears silently, closing the door behind her.
No one speaks. We wait, as we've always waited, for him to begin.
Dad looks at each of us in turn, his gaze lingering on me a moment longer, as if gauging my reaction. Then he folds his hands on the desk.
"I won't drag it out, so here it is," he says, voice gravelly but composed.
"The sickness has the upper hand right now.
And if I want any shot at beating it, the doctors say rest. No stress.
Your mother, bless her sharp tongue, told me the other night I was either being arrogant or scared. Too scared to hand over the reins."
His eyes shift to Callum, who sits straight-backed in his chair.
"So I'm stepping back. Callum will run things day-to-day. Weeks, maybe months. I pray it's shorter rather than longer. But I need to live."
The word hangs in the air between us. Live. As if he might not otherwise.
"Where's Mom?" Keira asks.
Dad's eyes soften slightly at the mention of her. "She went ahead to Ireland to get the cottage ready. Going to fly out in the morning and stay there for a bit. I'll be alright." His gaze hardens again as he looks between Keira and me. "Don't fuck up things and listen to your brother. Both of you."
The nurse reappears as if summoned, though none of us called for her. Dad gives a slight nod, and she wheels him out, leaving the three of us alone in the suddenly too-quiet study.
I stare at the empty doorway for a moment, then turn back.
I clap slowly. Half-sarcastic. Half not.
"So. Big brother finally gets the helm. Officially."
Callum nods. "One of those things you dread taking because when it comes, you know what it means. But," he says and stands, "been groomed for it since we were kids so here we go." He says evenly. "But it's not just me. I want both of you beside me. We're doing this together."
Keira and I look at one another and then at Callum. "Of course. Anything for the family," we both say in almost unison.
Callum's expression shifts. "On that note, we've had two more routes hit since your ship went up in flames."
My jaw tightens. "I know. And I still don't know who's responsible."
Callum reaches into his pocket and tosses something small onto the desk between us. It clinks against the polished wood. A broken silver chain with a pendant.
"One of our guys found that at one of the sites," he says, watching us. "They didn't take anything. Just destroyed everything."
I reach for it, turning it over in my palm. My gut drops, a cold sensation spreading through my chest.
"A feather," I say.
Keira leans forward. "Wait. What?"
I meet Callum's gaze, and I know it's time to come clean. Keeping things to myself might do more harm than good now.
"It wasn't just him," I say, clearing my throat. "One of my fighters was killed with one in his mouth," I admit. "On the ship that burned, someone spray-painted a black feather on the hull. And now this."
Callum's eyes narrow. "Dec, are you fucking serious? Why didn't you say anything?"
I toss the pendant back onto the desk. "Because it sounded stupid. Some low-level gang tagging their kills. I figured one would slip, grab, and I'd find out, but no one's taking credit for any of this. And they don't seem to be stealing anything, just destroying things."
Keira brushes her red hair out of her face. "Fucking us over more like it, and that feather, it's like some type of calling card."
"I'll look into this with our guys. Hard," Callum says, his voice dropping. "Maybe check with the other families. Someone has to know something."
I nod. "I'll continue to monitor on my end. I have a few things in the works."
Keira shifts in her seat and shrugs. "And I'll monitor the philanthropy side, though I don't think I'll be of use." She pauses. "But you get some of the wives or mistresses talking at the events and you'd be surprised what slips after two glasses of prosecco."
Callum nods, signaling the end of the meeting. "Keep me updated. On everything. And Dec, don't think anything is too small. The three of us in the know is better than one, okay?" he says, looking at me.
"Yes, boss," I say with a salute.
Callum stays and Keira and I walk out.
Outside, she stops by my car and turns to look me over. Her eyes catch on my knuckles.
"Are those new cuts on your hands? When are you gonna stop fighting underground, Dec?"
I smile, flexing my fingers. "What? It's fun. Keeps me sharp."
Keira scoffs. "Bullshit. You've always got bruises on bruises. You're built like a goddamn Maserati and treat yourself like a rental."
I shrug, leaning against the car. "I've got a nurse on payroll now. I'm good."
Keira squints at me, her lips curving into a knowing smile. "Wait. Don't tell me. It's that girl. The ghost medic or whatever they used to call her?"
I grin without answering, which is answer enough.
She smacks my arm, hard. "You idiot. She was deep with the Albanians. What if she still is? You don't think they'd use a woman to get to us?"
"She's not like that," I say. "And weren't you the one telling me to go easy on her because of what she's been through?"
"Yeah, but I didn't mean stick your dick in it and hope for the best."
I laugh. "So poetic, sis."
She glares. "Just don't be stupid. You don't fuck the lightning rod while you're already standing in the storm."
I blink at her. "What the hell did you just say?"
She smiles and shrugs. "What, you've never heard Dad say that? Anyway, I'm heading to Chicago tomorrow. Gonna visit Calli before the charity circuit starts up again."
I nod. "Tell Calli I said hi. And the rest of the Kastaris family."
Keira hugs me and then walks toward her car, her driver opening the door for her.
She pauses before getting in.
"And Dec?"
"Yeah?"
"If that girl breaks your heart, don't say I didn't warn you."
I smile. "If anyone breaks anything, it'll be me."
She rolls her eyes and gets into the car.
But maybe she is right. I feel reckless when I'm around her or when she crosses my mind.
A smarter man would probably sever ties and walk away, but what's life without touching the fire every now and then? Besides, I've never had much luck playing it safe, especially when the fire feels this good.