CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR #4
In a hurry, she left, holding her head high and moving as gracefully as ever toward the door.
Without a second glance in my direction, she opened the door and left the room.
I listened as her footsteps joined the persistent ticking of the grandfather clock until all that reached my ears was that monotonous tick-tick-tick, and then the sound of her heels vanished.
I hoped that, someday, the ache in my chest would vanish with them.
This wasn’t the end of our story though. I’d made her a promise in that library long, long ago, and I’d made another one in that gazebo, and, dammit, I was going to keep them. This time, I wouldn’t fail her.
I just needed her to hang on until then … and I needed to stay alive long enough to make good on the promises I was determined to keep.
Beside me, Ike released a sigh, the first peep he’d made since entering this room, and I turned to see him shake his head as he dropped onto the leather sofa behind us.
“Holy shit, the drama,” he groaned, leaning his head back to lie against the bolster. “Princess. Fuckin’ gag me, man. Holy shit. And what the fuck is that Jekyll and Hyde shit about? She has nothin’ better to call you?”
Shawn nudged my ribs, and I turned my head to glance in his direction.
“Are you okay?” he asked in a whisper.
“Is he okay?” Ike replied, too loud for my taste. “Were you sleeping through that lovely little presentation? That fuckin’ cunt is the reason we’re all here. Of course he’s not okay. Fuck, Shawn, be fuckin’ for real, man.”
Shawn’s mask was as expressionless as mine. But I knew he was looking at me, and I knew he was questioning and doubting as much as I was. Because Shawn was the smart one—even Gerald knew it—and he knew bullshit when he saw it.
I knew we would talk later.
“But he will be because, shit, dodged a fuckin’ bullet there, getting away from that psycho bitch,” he added, and with that, I knew the secrets between me and my youngest brother would grow because I wasn’t sure he could ever know the truth.
Will I ever know what’s really going on here? What if I’m wrong in trusting her?
There was much of this situation I still didn’t know about, many questions that still hadn’t been answered.
I supposed the pictures were evidence enough to know that she’d at the very least played a part in the manipulation that led me—us—to this point, and for that reason, I knew Ike was at least partially right.
But as Gerald returned to the room, carrying an envelope that undoubtedly contained my—our—next assignment and closed the door behind him, I couldn’t help but wonder about the secrets that had yet to be uncovered …
and how the fuck I was supposed to find my way back to the woman who had managed to take a cold, dead heart and bring it back to life with just one kiss.
How was I supposed to fix this when I barely knew what was going on?
But with the help of my brothers, while wearing the masks of those who led the dearly departed from this world into the unknown, I had every intention of uncovering the mysteries of Seint Manor … and I hoped we’d stay alive long enough to succeed.
Filled with determination, I crossed my arms over my chest and watched as Gerald took a seat beside Ike and reached out to clap a hand against his knee.
This time, I noticed my brother didn’t scold him or shake him off.
“All right, boys,” Gerald announced with glee. “Finally, we’re all together, like a happy little family. Love the masks, by the way. It’s a nice touch. Very … matchy-matchy.”
Slowly, Shawn turned his head to glance at me, and I knew he was rolling his eyes.
Maybe this mask thing won’t be such a problem after all.
“Now, let’s get down to business.” He lifted the envelope in his hand to our suspicious eyes. “And I think you’ll be very interested in this one.”
“I doubt it,” I muttered.
He smirked and held the large envelope out to me. “Have a look for yourself.”
I reached over, snatched the envelope from his hand, and ripped it open. Then I pulled out the sheet of paper to find a picture of the next man I was being paid to kill.
“James O’Keefe,” Gerald said. “He’s been dealing drugs for the Seint family for a long, long time, but recently, some money …” He spread his fingers out. “It vanished, poof, like it never existed. Bad, bad man. Been fondling the kiddies for about as long as the three of you have been alive.”
Seeing his face now was akin to seeing a ghost.
He was older, sure. But I’d know his fat, bald head anywhere.
Jim.
This one’s for you, Anna, I thought, looking into his cold, beady eyes printed on the page. Tonight, I’ll make good on that first promise.
As for the second one, well …
I’d figure it out.
I always did.
TO BE CONTINUED …