“I found her body this morning at the breakfast table. There wasn’t any blood, so I think she did it with sleeping pills.” Her tone’s calm, almost neutral. Distant.
Shock twists through me. Mama’s dead? No, that doesn’t make any sense, I just saw her yesterday.
Devastation settles like a heavy weight on my chest. She’s gone. She took her own life. I try to wrap my head around this information, but it doesn’t seem real.
Mama’s free now, like me, why would she do this to herself—to us? Both of our parents dead in one night?
Alarm flashes through me, my grip tightens on the phone. “Elle,” I say carefully, “are you all right?”
The idea of her being alone in the house with our deceased mother twists my gut. I need to get her out of there, but I can’t go anywhere until I’m certain that neither the Irish nor my own people want me dead. Or to use me for leverage against one or the other.
“I’m fine.” Her voice drops to a whisper. “I don’t know why but right now I don’t feel a thing. It’s like there are no emotions left in my body. I’m just numb.”
“You’re in shock, Elle. Just hold on. I’m going to send our cousins to get you out of there.” I can’t lose her too. It’s all too much.
“No. I don’t want to leave. It’s safer in here than it is out there. Please don’t make me leave.Please.” She whimpers.
“Shh, hun. You just stay right there. Okay?”
“O-okay.”
With a heavy heart, I hang up. My emotions twist and swirl through me at a nauseating speed. I’m so relieved that Papa can never hurt me again, but Mama… Yes her last act toward me wasunforgivable. But I don’t feel the same hatred toward her that I do for my father.
She was his victim just as much I was. Now she’s gone from our lives forever.
I need to get Elena out of there.
I call my cousin Sophia. She answers on the first ring.
“Soph, I need you to go get Elena. I’m sure you’ve heard that my father’s dead. Mama killed herself this morning and Elle found her body.” Those words still seem unreal. “She’s in shock. I don’t want her to be alone. But I can’t go to her right now.”
Thankfully Sophia doesn’t press for more details or further explanation.
“Oh my god. Of course. We’ll go there now.”
“Thank you. Text me when she’s with you and safe.”
“I will.” She hangs up.
I blow out a long, slow breath. Even though I’m Cian’s wife, I don’t dare leave the safety of this room until he returns. I’m sure all the Celts out there are just waiting to rip me to pieces, given half the chance. Cian may have forgiven me, but will they? Or do they still think I’m a threat to them? I won’t risk it.
With a sigh, I settle in for a long day of worrying and waiting. And trying to process everything that’s happened. There’s nothing left that I can do except hope and pray.
CHAPTER 21
Cian
Behind Davide Pontrelli stand two men, bodyguards. His brother Lorenzo has been dead for less than twenty-four hours, so I imagine the Italian’s are scrambling to reorganize where their leader is concerned. Has Davide even appointed an underboss yet? A consigliere? I’m guessing not since he’s here without either. Which is fine with me. I’d rather negotiate with one man, rather than three.
I also brought two bodyguards, leaving Wolfe on the compound in case things go south. This meeting includes just us six men in a private room atSpadesrestaurant this morning. No show of power by either of us having too many men at our side. Weapons were left at the door, of course, though we both know the other is secretly packing. It’s simply the way of our world.
“What’s this matter you need to speak with me about so urgently?” he asks from across the table. “I’m a busy man. In case you haven’t heard, my brother was murdered last night.”
“Yes. I’ve heard. The late don Lorenzo is why I’m here. I?—”
“Everybody out.” He motions to his guards in dismissal. “We’ll speak in private.”
I watch his security detail leave the room before nodding to my men, indicating they should also go.
