Chapter 54 Ian
The rest of the drive was spent in silence until we pulled up at the farm.
When we arrived, Lucas came out to stand in front of the barn. His expression didn’t give me any indication of his thoughts.
Lucas was probably pissed, but I had a way to deal with that. A present for Collette.
“Who is that with you, Holdt?”
He came over to the car, eyeing Erin carefully.
“She came with us after helping deal with Sergi.”
I wasn’t sure that I should mention who she was or not.
Lucas frowned at me. “You seem to have a bad habit of taking things that aren’t yours, Holdt.”
“Luckily, I have an offer for you. Five million dollars. I want Edmond Kelly to have the last party of his life.”
Lukas raised an eyebrow, his lips quirking into a half-smile. “Five million, huh? That’s tempting… but you do know what happened to the last poor bastard who threw a party for Kelly, don’t you?”
I nodded, my jaw tightening. “I’ve heard the stories. That’s why I’m asking you. You’re not ‘some poor bastard.’ You’ve got the connections, the charm. If anyone can pull it off, it’s you. And you have a way in, and you’re all set up for it.”
Lukas rubbed his jaw, thinking. Finally, he sighed. “And why, exactly, does this party matter so much to you now that she’s out?”
I hesitated. I hadn’t planned on sharing more than necessary, but the clock was ticking, and Collette needed help now.
“Because Collette’s hurt,”
I said finally. “He carved words on her back and sent me the recording of him doing it. She needs medical attention. She needs payback too, and this is the best gift I can give her while she recovers.”
Lukas nodded and waited.
“Ten million,”
I said, cutting through the silence. “You make it bigger. Flashier. A party Edmond Kelly won’t forget. And there’s one more thing—I want a hat from the party. Or gloves. Something unmistakable of his, so Collette knows he’s dead and can never hurt her again.”
Lukas tilted his head, giving me a level look. “Payable on delivery?”
“Yes.”
My tone left no room for argument.
He studied me for a long moment, then finally shrugged, a sly grin creeping across his face. “Alright, Ian Holdt. Ten million, and I’ll throw Kelly the party of his life. You’ll get your hat.”
“Deal.”
A few hours later back to Dubin. There was a lot of pressure on the police in the area, and Lucas didn’t want that kind of scrutiny on his little farmhouse.
They’d made sure that we could all travel safely before they put us on the plane. Colette was drowsy from the painkillers she’d been given, and I held her as we travelled. Rossi hovered over both of us.
She wasn’t awake enough to understand the words I murmured. “Hold on, love. I’ll see he pays for this and noone ever hurts you again. You’re mine, and I’ll see that you’re healed and there’s nothing of him on your body to remind you of what happened.”
Collette stirred in my arms, her breathing soft and even as she snuggled her head into my chest. My heart hurt at how pale she was. The angry and infected wounds on her back had been cleaned and dressed by a doctor at the farmhouse, but the image of the carved verse still haunted me.
I held her tighter, pressing a kiss to her temple. “I’ll fix this,”
I whispered, though the words were as much a promise to myself as to her. “Everything will be better from now on.”
Her eyes slitted open hazy with the drugs. “Are you trying to say something, Ian?”
She was right. I was saying it a million different ways without actually stating the words. “ I love you, Colette. I love your sassy mouth, your spirit, the way you choose to submit to me. I wanted to die when I realized they had you. I’m going to see the bastard who hurt you dead. I’ll kill anyone who hurts you”
She laughed, a tiny sound, her body still relaxed against mine. “I love you, Ian.
The package showed up the next day. Packed in with Edmond Kelly’s head was a file with Ian’s photo, and the orders to kill him. A sticky note read, ‘The file is an extra. Hope the Lady is feeling better. Will contact you with bank transfer information later today.’
After that I made a few phone calls, and we were back in my condo the next day resting. She has a plastic surgery consultation scheduled next week with the best surgeon I could find.
Being a billionaire meant I didn’t have to sweat the details I didn’t want to..
I kissed Collette’s cheek.
“Good morning, lovely.”
“Not lovely, just sleepy,.”
she mumbled.
Her bruises on the inside were going to take a lot longer to heal. I would wait as long as it took. I was just glad that she was alive.
I curled back into her. Enjoying this quiet moment with her. These were the best of moments.
This was how things were supposed to be.
Colette turning so she could hold me in her arms made all the ugliness of the world fade away. I would have to deal with it all another day.
Love made this life worth struggling and hurting for, even at its worst.