Chapter 33
THIRTY-THREE
The utter look of betrayal on Bailey’s face drives a knife deep into my chest. It lodges deeper than I was expecting, and suddenly, all I want to do is take it all back.
My father and Seamus wanted to alter the plan, but we couldn’t.
We need the information on the senator, and taking Bailey with us after we obtain it would lead to suspicion.
This way, Crowe believes we are on his side.
But now… now I want nothing more than to hold her in my arms and tell her exactly how I feel.
He will no doubt discipline her, but she is his daughter.
He will see her as misled and try to point her back in the right direction.
But it won’t matter, because once everything is out about him, we will come back for her. When it is all over, she will be ours.
Bailey is going to hate me for this, but I will make her see it is for her own good.
“Kavanaugh,” the senator greets me coldly.
“Senator.” Bailey’s hand grips my wrist tightly, her gaze wide-eyed and frantic as she looks up at me.
“It seems you have a few things of mine.” His gaze turns to Bailey, who shrinks into my side as if I will save her. But I am not her savior.
“Here.” I reach into the inner pocket of my jacket and toss him a drive that is nearly identical to the one Bailey has given me.
The only difference is that the information on it has nothing to do with what Bailey managed to steal from the laptop.
There is still incriminating evidence on it, but nothing compared to what Bailey dug up.
“On it is everything she has managed to dig up on you over the last year or so,” I tell him casually.
“And how is it that my daughter came to you?” he wonders.
I smirk. “She thought we had a vested interest in seeing you in prison,” I lie. “Bailey approached us last week, stating that she had information that would lead to a conviction no dirty judge would be able to look past.”
“No, they—” Bailey starts, but I keep going.
“You can even check her car’s GPS logs,” I add. “She was with us up until the time she returned to your doorstep. We wanted to make sure she was serious about turning over the information before contacting you about it.”
“And what do you have to gain, Kavanaugh?” Crowe spits. “This is some sudden camaraderie you are showing when all your family has ever expressed is distaste.”
My eyes darken. We are about to see how good my acting skills truly are.
“My brother and I are set to take over my father’s empire in less than a year,” I tell him.
That is the truth. My father is set to retire soon, and Seamus and I will take his place.
“For years, we have turned down deals that could have projected our family into better and more lucrative means, but every time, we are forced to turn them down due to our father’s… moral compass.”
“And you think I can help you with that?” he asks. “I am a senator and—”
“Yes, we are all well aware of your title,” I scoff. “We are also aware of the underground flesh trade you have going with the late Elias Ward, and we want in.”
“Your father will have objections to this.”
“My father will no longer be a problem soon,” I assure him, ignoring Bailey’s mild gasp from next to me. “As soon as he hands over the reins, he is taking a nice long trip to Ireland. He won’t be a problem.”
The senator nods his head once, seemingly appeased.
“I am sure we can work something out, then,” he glances at my lapel. “I see you will be bidding at the auction.”
I nod. “My brother and I are looking for something to share.”
Crowe chuckles. “Then we can discuss business there,” he assures me. “Hammer out all the details.” He glances at Bailey, and the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. “I won’t be bidding, but I have a nice piece being put up on the auction block.”
“I will be sure to keep my eyes open.”
Crowe smirks.
“You do that.”
“Wait—” Bailey tugs at my sleeve, tears welling in her eyes. “Please don’t—”
I brush her off before she can finish. She stumbles back, her heel catching on the hem of her dress.
With a small cry, she lands on the tiled floor in a heap, tears streaming down her face.
I have to keep myself from flinching when her father’s men tug her up from the floor and proceed to drag her toward the door.
“Wait, Kiernan. You don’t understand!” She cries as they drag her from the room, her father following closely behind. “Kiernan, please. Let me go! Kiernan, don’t let him take me away. He isn’t who he—”
Silence falls as the doors slam shut behind them.
The room suddenly feels cavernous and lonely. My chest stings, a sharp ache spreading through me as I struggle to maintain the little composure I have left. I take a cleansing breath, my head tilting toward the ceiling, eyes closed as I tense and relax my muscles.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and for a moment, I consider not answering it. Until I remember that it could be important.
“Yeah?” I answer without bothering to look at the caller ID.
“Kiernan.” Bridgett’s voice is urgent. “Please tell me you haven’t done the trade yet.”
“They just took her away,” I tell her. “Why?”
“I have been doing all the digging I could on Toph Eriksen’s missing daughter,” she rushes. “And you are not going to believe what I stumbled on to.”
My hand clenches around the phone.
“What?”
“Bailey Jameson is Toph Eriksen’s missing daughter,” Bridgett tells me. “Richard Crowe kidnapped her when she was only three years old.”
No. That can’t be true.
“I am running a DNA analysis just to be sure, but everything I have gathered points to her.”
Motherfucker.
What have I done?