Chapter 22
CONALL
Sloan leaned back into the sink as my fingers carded through his hair with the running water, washing out the bleach that remained in his strands with shampoo and conditioner for the second time.
The brilliant white blond that I loved was back, and while I didn’t mind seeing his natural brown with streaks of gray coming through—silver was a sexy look for him—he hated it.
“Gorgeous,” I murmured, leaning down to lay an upside-down kiss on his forehead. “Fucking gorgeous.”
“Language,” Sloan grumbled, the corner of his mouth curving as he sat up. I took a towel to his hair, rubbing aggressively to dry the wet locks.
I ignored him as I drew the towel away and took a good look at his messy appearance, amused by how much his hair was sticking up in all directions. He would be caught dead before anyone other than me and his stylist caught him like this. I thought he looked adorable.
“So damn cute.” I pinched his nose, and he swiped at my hand. Laughing, I plopped a kiss on his lips.
“Only you would call me cute, Pet.” Sloan shook his head, exasperation flooding his expression, but I didn’t miss the fondness that joined as he stared up at me with my favorite sea blue eyes. His gaze was warm, and that look was only for me. His pet. No, not only that, but his fiancé.
The stench of the bleach made me scrunch my nose as I finished off drying his hair. I always hated when Sloan bleached because day one was the worst, but this was the first time I’d helped him do his hair. The chemicals burned my nostrils and I didn’t enjoy it at all.
“How’s your knee?” I asked because I couldn’t stop myself.
I felt partly responsible for the attack.
If I hadn’t left, Sloan wouldn’t have been so set on reconstructing the greenhouse to the point he’d let himself be vulnerable.
We joked that I was his weakness, but there was truth to our teasing.
If anyone wanted to destroy Sloan, all they’d have to do was aim for me.
Sloan raised an eyebrow at me, and I shrugged. I wasn’t going to be sorry for asking the question even if he hated it. Goodheart told him there would be days where he’d need to rely fully on his cane, but others that he might be able to handle without it.
If he was going to reply, he didn’t get the chance because a resounding knock came from the door of our bedroom.
“Come in,” Sloan said gruffly. “We’re in the bathroom.”
The creak of the door met my ears before Fionn appeared in the threshold of the bathroom, a piece of paper clutched in his hands. His eyebrows furrowed in concern and he switched his weight between his feet like a kid who was up to no good and finally got caught.
Sloan sat up straighter in the chair in front of the sink. “What’s wrong?”
Fionn hesitated, brown eyes flicking to me. His hair was mussed as though he’d been running his hand through it and his tie knot was looser than usual. “Uncle, I—” He flinched. “I did something that I thought was strategic while you were in Rikers.”
Sloan tensed, his spine going ramrod straight. He glanced at me, but I cocked my head because I wasn’t sure what Fionn was talking about. As far as I knew, we talked to each other about everything happening in the business.
“What did you do?” Sloan’s controlled voice sent a shiver of fear through me.
I swallowed and shifted closer to Fionn. He was young and still made stupid mistakes. While Sloan had been unforgiving at times, he’d made an effort to be more patient with his nephew after his accident. But that’d been before jail.
Sloan’s anger was a thin thread since he was released. Especially after the greenhouse incident. I wasn’t sure what he was capable of. The man I knew and loved would never have been so impulsive.
Fionn massaged the back of his neck. “When you first went into Rikers, I received a call from Giordano. Carmine. He offered his concerns about you being arrested, and I assured him that his interests and alliance with us was safe. But he didn’t believe me. He wanted a stronger attachment to us.”
My stomach folded over in on itself, unease snaking up into my chest and constricting my lungs. I had a feeling I wasn’t going to like what he was about to tell us.
Sloan’s eyes darkened and the mood in the room dropped until the air dripped with ice.
Fionn took a deep breath. “He suggested we create a family. Together. His son marries one of our loyal men.” He licked his lips and squeezed the back of his neck harder.
“There was a conversation about who could tie us together. He wanted someone important, and at the time, I couldn’t lose any of our best. We needed every one of them, and I didn’t know how long you’d be in jail.
Carmine didn’t give me much time for a decision and this alliance is important, for our company and for the safety of Vail.
Lor saw me stressing and asked me about the issue, and I told him.
You said you wanted him to be my heir, so I filled him on what was happening.
He said he’d marry Carmine’s son, if only to keep Vail safe. ”
“What?” Sloan’s tone leaked with poison and anger.
“I didn’t force him,” Fionn continued quickly.
“He was worried about Vail! Lor doesn’t know the entire truth about who he is to us, but neither does Carmine.
Lor volunteered. You know how he is about Vail.
” He pursed his lips, his face paler than usual.
“I forgot all about it until this came.” He held up the papers in his hand.
“A contract. If we go back on our word, it’ll undo all the work we already put in protecting Vail.
Plus, then there will be the insult to their family. It might end up as a war.”
“Our word?” Sloan stood, his posture dangerous and his muscles locked. I didn’t miss the wince of pain—it was fleeting, but there. He tried his best to hide it.
“My word.” Fionn exhaled and closed his eyes for a long moment before staring at Sloan again. “Lor offered.”
“Lor was manipulated by you.” Sloan stepped forward, and I moved with him, prepared to get between them if I had to—or save Sloan from collapsing if his injured knee gave out.
I didn’t think Sloan would hurt Fionn. At least, I hoped he wouldn’t.
“His cousin. A man he’s supposed to trust. You didn’t give him the entire story, which makes the situation even worse.
What happens if Carmine finds out the truth?
What if he believes the rumors about Lorcan being my half brother?
What if this is a bid to control the next heir to the Killough Company?
You put yourself in the crosshairs if word gets out.
What right did you have to make this decision? ”
“You,” Fionn snapped, raising his chin. “I am your apprentice and you gave me control of the Company while you were away. I did the best I could to protect our interests. You’re angry, but you’ll realize we needed to do this.”
“You’re right.” Sloan grabbed his face between his fingers, and I tensed as he moved in close so their noses were nearly touching. “That was my mistake. You’re not mature enough to run my empire. Why didn’t you discuss this with Conall?”
“Sloan,” I warned in a low voice. The hair on my arms rose as anxiety spiked through me. I laid a hand on his shoulder. “We can handle this.”
“Can we?” He shot me a chilly look. “Because my nephew is right. We can’t back out now and the rumors are circulating about Lorcan. Now Lor must marry the enemy. Carmine may suspect he’s my nephew.” His gaze slid back to Fionn. “All because of a little boy’s jealousy.”
“It wasn’t—”
“Don’t lie to me, Fionn. You know I hate liars.” Sloan stepped back and shook his head, baring his teeth. Another flinch of agony. He wobbled but held up a palm to me when I went to help him. “I had faith in you to do things the way I would’ve, but instead you failed on your first test.”
“What would you have done?” Fionn rubbed his face, hurt in his eyes.
“Called them on their bluff.” Sloan’s voice rose slightly, the fury in his tone seeping through and infecting his words.
I’d never heard him so angry, the tight, controlled man I’d fallen in love with was breaking apart.
What had Rikers really done to him? “Instead, you let them fuck you. And not only you, you used your cousin as a whore.”
“Sloan,” I yelled sharply, surprised and horrified by the venom. I gaped at him. “Stop. This isn’t helping.”
“Did you know?” He whipped around to look at me. “Did you help him?”
“Of course not.” I shifted away as though he’d physically hit me. It felt like he had with that accusation. “I wouldn’t make that kind of decision without you and the fact that you asked me is insulting.”
This wasn’t helping Fionn get out of Sloan’s line of fire.
I shook my head and moved between them. “I’m not saying what Fionn did was right, but it’s done and now we need to handle it.
Can you talk to Carmine? They’re a homophobic bunch.
Why would they want their pride and joy to marry another man?
Even if he did know Lor was your nephew, which I doubt, it doesn’t make sense. ”
“My thoughts exactly,” Sloan growled. He brushed his palms over his face. “Damn it, Fionn.”
Fionn dropped his chin when I glanced toward him. “I thought that by being my heir, he had a duty to the Company. He volunteered himself. Maybe I messed up and I do feel horrible for it. But I didn’t manipulate him. He made that choice. Not me.”
A realization hit me. “Is that why he shaved his head?”
Fionn shrugged, pain lancing over his face. “Possibly. He hasn’t talked to me much since we made the agreement.”
“And what would you have done if he didn’t agree?” Sloan asked with a somewhat controlled tone. He’d pulled himself together, which I was grateful for.
“I would have found someone. I didn’t expect him to offer himself up as a sacrifice. I don’t know him very well, do I?” Fionn set his jaw tightly, the confidence solution to the problem reminding me of Sloan even more. “It was my job to make business decisions. I learned from the best.”
“Clearly, you haven’t learned a thing,” Sloan drawled. He snatched the paper from Fionn and waved his hand impatiently. “Get out. I don’t want to see your face right now.”
Fionn’s eyes widened and despite bowing his head and doing what Sloan asked, I couldn’t help but notice that he walked out of the bathroom like a puppy that’d been kicked. While I didn’t agree with what he’d done, I also felt sorry for him, too.
Sloan groaned and laid the contract on the counter before falling back onto the chair near the sink. He dropped his face into his hands. “Every time I think he’s learning, he does something stupid.”
I didn’t think Fionn’s decision was set in stone yet.
Maybe we could rescue some part of this situation.
It wasn’t like Sloan to sink into anger instead of problem solve, but he’d been off since he was released from Rikers.
There was a wildness about him I wasn’t used to seeing.
His control wasn’t as locked down. I laid a hand on Sloan’s head and scraped my nails over his wet scalp.
He shivered, and I reveled in the reaction I dragged from him. “Should we talk to Lor?”
“No.” Sloan placed his hands together with his elbows on his knees—careful of his injured one—and pressed his lips to fingertips in thought.
“We let this play out. See what Carmine’s up to.
We can’t let Lor know the truth. Not now.
We keep an eye on things, make sure Carmine’s son treats Lor with respect, and we watch, wait, and be patient.
If the Italians step out of line, we have a reason to bring him home. ”
“Shouldn’t Lor know what he’s getting himself into?” I frowned as I went to my knees in front of Sloan, stroking his thigh to calm him down. “It’s not fair to him. And if Vail finds out—”
“You can blame Fionn.” Sloan grunted. “For now, we go through with the wedding.”
Fuck. Could Lor handle marrying a stranger?