Chapter 2
Two
Hayden
Killian’s office always smelled like leather and a hint of blood. Not fresh blood though, but the old stench of it that is in the cracks of his wooden floors from the countless of lives he’s taken.
The way you can never be free of this life just like the blood never fully leaves from the cracks.
Killian pours glasses of scotch and slides one across the desk to me before leaning back in his chair like he has all the time in the world.
“Someone’s stealing from me,” he says, sounding so sure of himself.
Most of the time he is.
Lately I’ve been helping him with some things.
He’s been preoccupied with Luna and because her grandparents passed, he’s taken full responsibility over her.
And because of that he asked me to help him with some things for money.
I’m not hurting for cash or anything because I still have my fighting career, I simply am helping him so that I can have some time to myself. Being in a house filled with noise and kids is draining sometimes.
I love Jaclyn, God I do.
But sometimes I just need a break just like Jaclyn needs her breaks to write or have some quiet time to herself.
I told her a while ago I was done with this Mafia bullshit especially since we have River now, a baby still.
So I should be thinking of my family and what’s best for them but deep down, there is a part of me that still wants to have some sort of adrenaline rush. Fighting used to give me that but ever since I started helping Killian, I need more.
“You sure?” I raise an eyebrow at Killian.
Killian gives me a look as if I asked him if water’s wet. “The warehouse off of bay 14. Last three shipments came up short, not by much, but enough to make me think someone thinks I’m not paying attention.”
I take a slow sip of the scotch. “What are you thinking?”
He shrugs, looking calm as always. “Inside job possibly. This isn’t an amateur move, it’s subtle, calculated. Someone’s bleeding me slowly.”
He stands and walks towards his massive wall of windows that overlooks his backyard.
“You want me to dig into it?” I ask, already knowing the answer.
“I want names, faces, motives and I want you to handle it before I have to.”
I run a hand down my jaw.
Jaclyn’s going to kill me.
She told me not to be involved in this shit and here I am disobeying her, going against her word and potentially putting my family at risk.
I should know better but I don’t.
“You think it’s someone close?”
“I think,” he says, turning back towards me, “that if it is, I need to know now before Luna gets caught in the crossfire.”
Killian mentioning his daughter isn’t accidental. He plays chess, not checkers.
I nod. “Okay, I’ll start with the warehouse manager and move from there.” I finish my drink and rise to my feet.
“You’re the only one I trust to do this clean,” Killian says. “Rowan will meet with you to help out. Said something about brother bonding time.”
I roll my eyes because Rowan has been wanting to catch up for a while but I’ve been pushing him away since I don’t want to add another person on my list telling me what I should and shouldn’t do.
I leave Killian’s office and check the time on my phone.
I have about three hours before I’ve got to be home by dinner.
I can make it.
The house is dark when I walk in but I know better than to think everyone would be sleeping. Sure enough, the faint glow of a laptop screen glows in the dark of the living room.
I drop my keys onto the counter and kick off my shoes before heading down the hallway.
Jaclyn lays on the couch, her hair in a loose ponytail, her blue light glasses sliding down her nose as she types on her keyboard like her words might vanish from her mind.
She doesn’t look up as I walk in.
I lean against the wall across from her, waiting to hear it.
“You missed dinner.”
“I know.” My voice comes out lower than I expected.
She closes the laptop slowly and takes off her glasses before looking at me.
She doesn’t look angry, it’s worse.
She looks disappointed. “Again. This isn’t the first time, Hayden.”
“Got held up.”
“Doing what?” She furrows her eyebrows at me, questioning me.
I meet her eyes and feel a knot in my chest tighten. “Stuff with Killian.” I kind of tell the truth and she knows it too.
I know she knows that I’m not going to the gym or just hanging out with Rowan and Killian, I’m helping them.
I walk towards the couch and kneel in front of her. She looks down at me, with that same disappointed look in her eyes that is mixed with a little bit of sadness. “I’m sorry. I know I haven’t been there for you or the kids a lot lately. I’ve just been really busy.”
“There’s no such thing as busy when you have a wife at home, constantly worrying about you and missing you and then three kids who are wondering if their father is coming home that night or even ever.”
“Let me make it up to you.”
Her eyebrows lift. “How?”
“Let me take you out tomorrow night. Just us. No kids, no distractions. Just you and me.”
She studies me, her walls still high. “You’re avoiding the conversation.”
“I’m asking for one night to make this right,” I say quietly. “Please.”
Her lips part, like she’s about to argue but then sighs. “Fine. But we’re still having this conversation. Don’t think it’s over.”
I blow out a mental breath, glad that this is the end for now. I lean in and press a kiss to her neck. “I wouldn’t dream of it, princess.”
She doesn’t smile but she doesn’t push me away either.
Which in our world, counts as progress.