“You’re so impatient. That’s part of your problem.” His index finger goes back to tapping on the armrest. “I hired someone to take out your family and set it up to look like it was my father’s plan. Left a digital paper trail and all. Even fucked with Callahan Holdings’ financials.”
“The person who killed my mother—”
Ben smiles. “My guy. You were supposed to die, too.”
I growl, about to launch out of my chair, but Zach grabs my shoulder and holds me back, then glares at Ben. “Then why is he still breathing?”
Ben sighs, the sound full of annoyance. “Because Connor’s innocent husband got caught up in this shit. And Veronica would never forgive me. She has a soft spot for the guy. Not sure how she knows him.”
Me neither.
And I sure as fuck intend to find out.
My lips press into a tight line. “I’ve heard enough bullshit for the day.”
Ben holds his hand up. “Don’t think I can’t frame you along with my father. You both have motive.”
“Are you threatening me, you fucking piece of shit?”
Ben rolls his eyes. “I’m not scared of you, Walsh. And what Iamdoing is offering you a solution to your problem. I already set up all the pieces for my parents to go down. Take it.”
Jackson leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You also just blackmailed him. Hell, blackmailed our friends at his house.”
Ben reaches under his sweatshirt and pulls out a manila envelope. “Inside is information you can hold over me.” He holds it out for me to take. “What I’m offering serves both of us. It's the only reason I came here.”
I take it and hand it to Zach because I’m not done with this little fuckling yet. “How the fuck does it serve you?”
A muscle near his jaw tics, nostrils flaring. “Damien.”
I sit straighter. “He hurt her?”
Ben nods.
I glance at Zach. His eyebrows shoot up as he looks over whatever is in the envelope, then he nods at me.
“Zach will give you Petrov’s number. Whatever your plan is, it goes through Alexei. Fuck us over and I’ll come after you. But right now, I’m going to check on my husband.”
I get up and walk over to the nurse’s station. They’d better let me see Ryan now, because if they don’t, I’m tearing the goddamn door off its hinges to get into that recovery room. No one’s keeping me from my husband a second longer.
Chapter 33
Ryan
The cursor blinks at me from my laptop screen as I review the last problem on my intermediate accounting assignment. I double-check my calculations, then submit. I close the laptop and lean back in my desk chair—well, the new gaming chair Viktor had ordered—careful not to jar my left shoulder.
The sling is annoying as hell. But not nearly as bad as my husband. I can’t even pee without him hovering.
Kinda why I’m glad he’s not here right now.
He had to meet with his grandfather, who stepped in as CEO of the family company. Just hope he’s not trying to drag Connor into the business. My husband’s made it clear he wants nothing to do with it.
Plus, Connor has enough on his plate with the media hounding him, calling his parents’ murders a “revenge killing” by James Callahan, who apparently snapped when the failed merger cost his company billions. Don't know where they gotthat from.
Maybe Mrs. Novotny.
I don’t ask too much. Connor doesn't offer either. Not knowing actually made it easier when the police asked me questions.
I just want things to settle at this point. I've had enough of getting drugged, or kidnapped, for the rest of my damn life. Though I’m pretty sure Novotny gave me too many pain meds yesterday. He had that smirk the entire time, the one that means he's up to something. Probably took a video of me passed out and drooling.
