“I came to apologize.”
“For?”
He looks at C. “Do you want to talk first, C?”
“No. Say what you came to say,” C says.
I give Aiden my attention. “Whatever’s up, be concise. It was a long flight, and my wife’s waiting.”
He nods, his expression grim. “There was an incident that I think might’ve been triggered by something I did. About a week ago, a little Latina girl with ties to the Sosa gang lured your sisters into a Sosa-dominated neighborhood.”
For a second, my heart stops, but then my mind immediately catches up. I’ve had a couple texts from Kath and the baby. They’re safe. They’re in Ireland in fact and coming back tomorrow.
“They’re both fine, Trick. You know that, right? C said they’d send an email?”
“I know that, yeah. I haven’t heard why you need to apologize yet.”
“I think they were targeted because the Sosa guys thought Ash was my girlfriend.” His cheeks are ruddy from the wind and embarrassment.
“Why?”
“The thing is Jack Murphy was being an asshole. I can get into that another time. Or not. He was talking shit, claiming,among other things, that no one from Boston got an invite to your wedding. I’d had enough. You said not to post pictures, and I didn’t. But there was a group shot that got sent to Murphy. Never said it was at your wedding or anything, but Ashling was in the picture in her dress. Me and Liam in our suits. You could see the table with the big flower arrangement behind us. Anyway, I guess Murphy forwarded it to his niece, and she posted it. The Sosa girl is at their school and follows Ash and Fiona Murphy on Instagram. I had no idea. I had a run-in with the Sosas last month. A bloody one. They would very much like to get a piece of me.”
I wait silently, anger brewing. Aiden Callahan should know better than to circulate a picture of anyone in my family. Ash is allowed to have an Instagram with the stipulation that she never tags me. I have a social media account under a false name, and I post nothing personal. It exists solely for me to lurk and to create false narratives that I want out there to protect C Crue.
“Anyway, I wanted to come in person to apologize. I offered to help make sure your girls were secure, whether in Boston or Coynston, but C and Kathleen decided it was best if they all went on a vacation until you were back. I’d like to have paid for their tickets, but, well, that wasn’t an option. So I’m here to report that I’ve done jack all so far to make amends, but I’d like to. I did get that picture taken down, and I’ve been promised any digital copies have been destroyed.” He shrugs and frowns. “I’m ready to do whatever else needs to be done. I already told Joe Sullivan I’m first through the door any time he wants to hit the Sosa gang hard, but I wanted to tell you personally. Anywhere, anytime, just say the word, Trick.”
“All right.”
Callahan stays standing with us for a moment, then seems to catch sight of C stepping forward and spots his cue to leave. “I’ll head out then. Good to see you.” With that, he walks away.
“You think he’s right?” I ask C, watching Callahan turn the corner of the hangar as he heads in the direction of the parking lot. “You think Ash was a target because of a wedding picture with him?”
“I do. We’ve looked into things. C Crue’s had no beef with the Sosas or vice versa. I can’t find a reason they’d grab your sisters and Zoe, other than that they’d like to retaliate against the Callahans and thought Ashling was the way to do it.”
“Zoe, too?” I say grimly. “Was it a bad scene? The girls must have been scared if they grabbed my mom and flew across the Atlantic to hide.”
“No, they’re all right. I was going to bring them to Coynston, so our crue could keep watch until you got back, but in that case, I would’ve told you. They were adamant that they did not want your honeymoon ruined. We agreed if they went to Ireland, they’d be safe, and we could wait until you got back to tell you what happened.”
“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me straight off.” I glance absently at the plane.
“Did you have a good time?”
“The best.”
“So then, I’m not here to apologize.”
“Is there anything in Boston that can’t wait?”
“No.”
“Then I’ll take Laurelyn home first, and then come by the castle to hear the whole story.”
“The story’s a week old. There’s no rush.”
“I don’t think that’s an argument you want to make right now, C.”
He chuckles. “Fair enough.”
