Chapter 27
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Ken
Ken couldn’t stop bouncing his leg, his nerves stretched to the breaking point.
At least Dewi wasn’t hovering. She’d asked one time, just after takeoff, if he needed her help staying calm. He’d gently refused, and she said the offer remained open.
He was close to accepting now.
He hadn’t slept at all during the trip, despite the well-apportioned private jet being a nice touch.
Despite everything, it was the final point that hammered home in his brain that they were…
Well, rich.
A charter plane across the continental US, okay.
But for some reason, a luxury corporate jet crossing the Atlantic slapped harder.
It was a rental, but still, it was… something.
They even had flight attendants and an unexpectedly broad menu to choose from—freshly prepared.
Upon boarding, Dewi had a quick and friendly Prime chat with the full flight crew that they wouldn’t hear or remember any of their private conversations and just go about their business as usual.
Meaning they didn’t even have to watch what they said.
Lyssa was asleep in her carrier, strapped into the airplane seat. Her first trip across the ocean, to meet…
Her great-grandparents.
On the same trip he was meeting his grandparents for the first time.
“I hope Tam’s okay,” Carl said from across the aisle. Like Ken, he hadn’t slept on the way over. At one point the two of them joined Hamish at one of the small tables toward the front of the cabin and played several rounds of cards with a deck they had on board.
“Tamsin will be okay,” Ken confidently said. “Between Brianna, Nami, and Duncan pitching in, they won’t have any trouble. I understand why she didn’t want to come. She’s not ready to return to the house yet, and she doesn’t want to be in the same country as her mother. A lot of trauma there.”
“No, I get why she didn’t come,” Carl said. “I just worry. I feel protective of her.”
“Same,” Hamish said. “I hope Callum and Bryn don’t hate her just because of who her father was.”
“When they meet her they’ll love her,” Mateo said. “Just because Donnel turned out to be a psychopath doesn’t mean they’ll blame Tamsin for anything when she was as much of a victim as everyone else.”
“I wonder if Aisling will fly home with us?” Carl asked.
“I think so,” Ken said. “She wants to get back to Tam, and they really don’t need her over there now. Her part’s done.”
“Holy cow, I still can’t believe they didn’t lose anyone!” Carl said, shaking his head. “I mean, I’m glad, but that’s just wild.”
Mateo laughed. “Yeah, I know. I have to not only quit giving her a hard time, but I also need to respect her. I mean, I already respected her.” He laughed harder.
“But she put her money where her mouth was. I am impressed and completely in awe. I owe her an apology for all the shit I thought about her.”
“You sure Trent can’t put Ray’s head back together?” Carl grumbled.
“No,” Dewi said without taking off her sleep mask. “But Trent’s looking into how to claim his body without raising suspicion. Probably need a Prime to go in and charm a few people and get the case closed as an accidental death.”
Carl barked a laugh. “He accidentally decapitated himself and left himself in a location, sans head and hands. That’s a good one.”
“As long as the cops close the case,” Dewi said, “that’s all I care about.”
“Save me enough to pee on,” Ken said. “If I can’t disembowel Faegan, at least give me that.”
“Good thing we’re the good guys,” Dewi joked.
It was funny, but also…
It wasn’t.
Yes, in this case their ends absolutely justified the means, and Ken knew that. Still, it was a shocking revelation to him that, a couple of years ago, he would’ve been horrified even despite the mitigating circumstances.
Now?
He wanted to be the one doing the killing, in some cases. Legitimate reasons and completely justified, though.
But…
They had money and literal power, not even counting the mundane influence their money provided.
How easily that could be corrupted in the wrong hands.
How easily it had been corrupted by others. Faegan, Ray Dorland, and whoever the fuckers were behind creating the lab in the first place. Anyone helping them, because the mercenaries employed to kidnap people had to know what they were doing was wrong.
The people who worked in and ran the lab.
He hated to admit he was glad they eliminated all of the facility’s personnel. Probably in ways too easy for them to die, considering the tortures their prisoners had endured.
Their flight landed without incident. It was ironic that it was him instead of Dewi who wasn’t excited about the landscape. He’d already been here before.
Although this time would be, in many ways, far less stressful and far more fulfilling.
“It’s pretty here,” Dewi said as the helicopter that met them at the airport whisked them to the estate.
“It is,” he agreed.
“It’d be a lot prettier if it wasn’t so thoroughly soaked in blood,” Hamish grimly noted. “I mean, speaking familially, not historically in general.”
“Sorry,” Dewi said. “I wasn’t thinking of it like that.”
Hamish offered her a wan smile. “I know. But there will be more blood being shed in short order, I’m certain. Rightfully so. I cannot imagine Callum and Bryn allowing Donnel to live any longer than necessary.”
“Have they been told yet?” Ken asked.
“No,” Dewi said. “They will be kept in the dark, for now.”
When they landed at the estate, Trevor’s men swarmed the helo to get their bags. Ken took the baby carrier from Dewi and headed inside. Peyton met them at the back door Ken was now familiar with, hugging first him, then Dewi, and the others.
Then Badger emerged from somewhere. “Hiya,” he said. “They’re ready an’ waitin’. Ye want any food?”
“Yes, please,” Dewi said. “But first a bathroom.”
Badger chuckled. “Closest is the powder room just off the living room. Hall on the right, first door on the left.”
“Thank you!”
Ken took the diaper bag from her as she hurried on ahead.
“Ye ready, Ken?” Badger asked.
He nodded. “Now, please?”
“Of course. Top floor, the largest rooms at the end of the east wing, on the right. Need me to show ye?”
“Nope. I’ve been here before.” Ken headed for the staircase, remembering the house’s layout, while Peyton took Carl and Mateo and led them away.
Hamish set off after Ken. When Badger started to follow, Ken said, “Maybe hang back to bring Dewi up?”
“Oh, aye. That’s right. She’s never been here.”
Ken fought the urge to run, even while carrying the baby. He unerringly made his way upstairs and down the hall. When he arrived at the open doorway, they were just standing up from where they’d been sitting on the couch.
Even if he hadn’t seen the pictures Peyton sent him, he’d recognize Bryn. She strongly resembled his mom—or his mom had strongly resembled her.
He’d started to set the baby’s carrier down, but Hamish took it from him. Then Ken nearly tackled Bryn, who’d already been hurrying toward him.
Speechless, except for his tears, he closed his eyes and held her, never wanting to let her go. She was about the same height as his mom, and while she didn’t look a fraction as old as he knew she was, he suspected his mother would’ve looked like she did now, had she lived.
Callum stood and slowly made his way over, joining their hug. Ken felt a slight tingle of Prime energy from Callum, but that wasn’t why Ken felt overwhelmed and emotional.
These were his grandparents, people he didn’t believe existed, didn’t even know existed, until just a couple of days ago.
“It’s okay, lad,” Callum hoarsely said. “We’re happy to meet you, too.”
Ken wordlessly sobbed against Bryn’s shoulder, holding her tightly with Callum’s large arms wrapping around both of them.
Ken was vaguely aware of Dewi and Badger finally entering the room, but Ken didn’t open his eyes or release Bryn. He didn’t want to move.
He’d lost too much in his life; he would damned sure take as much time as he wanted savoring this bittersweet moment.
When he finally released her and Callum ended their group embrace, Dewi was there pressing tissues into his hand. Badger now held the baby, who’d been taken out of her carrier at some point.
Ken laugh-sobbed. “Sorry I sort of hogged the moment, Hamish. I know you want to hug them, too.”
“Not at all,” Hamish said. “Yma o hyd,” he said to Bryn.
Bryn smiled. “Yes, we are still here.” She hugged him tightly. “Hello, you old corpse.”
Hamish laughed. “Goddess, I’ve missed you, sister. I’m so sorry I—”
“No,” Callum said. “No apologies. You’re here, and according to Peyton and Trevor, they might not have found out what happened if it hadn’t been for you.”
Hamish blew out a breath, released Bryn, and then hugged Callum. “Where do we go from here?” Hamish asked.
“First, I want to meet Dewi and this adorable one,” Bryn said, smiling as she reached for Dewi.
Dewi, who was also crying, Ken was a little surprised to note, strongly hugged Bryn. “Welcome to the family,” she said. “When we get you guys to Florida, you’ll be living with us, at first. As long as you want or need to.”
“Thank you,” Callum said. Dewi released Bryn and hugged Callum.
“Don’t need to thank us,” Dewi said. “I know you’re not technically my grandparents, but I’m adopting you,” she tried to joke, her voice sounding thick with emotion. “I grew up without any, and now in the space of less than two years I end up with three of you. That’s not a complaint,” she added.
Badger handed Lyssa to Bryn, who was also crying. “Hi there, little one.”
Callum draped his arm around Bryn’s shoulders, smiling down at the baby and stroking her hand with a finger. “She’s beautiful.”
“I brought pictures,” Ken said. “She looks a lot like Mom looked at that age.”
Bryn closed her eyes and tipped her head against Callum.
“I’ll have the kitchen make ye all lunch and bring it up here,” Badger said as he headed for the door.
“Thank you,” Hamish said.