He's right. I do know that. But knowing it doesn't ease the rage or erase the image of Maeve's blood soaking through that bandage.
"Sean!"
I hear Maeve's voice, small and frightened, from behind me.
I turn, and she's standing in the doorway, watching me with those wide blue eyes, and I can see the fear in them.
Fear ofme.
I release Eddie, stepping back. "You're fired. Both of you. Pack your things and be gone within the hour."
"Mr. Flannery—" Davis starts.
"That's final." I don't look away from Maeve. "New security detail starts tonight. I don't trust anyone who was here today."
I stride past Maeve, back into the house, and hear her soft protest behind me. "Sean, wait?—"
But I can't stop—can't stand there and see that look in her eyes.
I can't face the reality that I'm something she should be afraid of, just as much as anyone else.
—
I'm backin the study, trying to get my rage under control, when Jack appears.
"You can't just fire your entire security detail," he says without preamble, clearly unafraid of me. It partially pisses me off, but the part of my brain that’s still functioning tells me that it’s good to have someone who will tell me things as they are, not suck up to me out of fear. "You need those men."
My jaw clenches. "I need men I can trust. Men who won't let my wife get shot."
"It wasn't their fault, and you know it." Jack holds his ground. "You're angry. I get it. But taking it out on them won't help."
“Fuck that.” I glare at him. “You think I shouldn’t be angry?”
He shakes his head. “Of course not. That girl was nearly killed today. You have every right to be angry. But nothing’s going to be accomplished by getting rid of good men.”
I let out a sharp breath. “And if I let them stay, then what? How the fuck can I trust them after I’ve tried to fire them? There’ll be resentment there. Not to mention that I will have gone back on an order, so how the fuck will they ever take me seriously after that?”
“I’ll talk to them,” Jack says evenly. “Smooth things over. There won’t be any fallout from this, I swear.”
I suck in a breath, contemplating my options for a moment. Then I release it, nodding.
“Fine. But if there’s so much of a hint of dissidence after this, it’s gonna be your ass.”
“Fair enough.” Jack leaves, and I follow shortly behind, wanting to check on Maeve now that Dr. Lewis should be here to look at her.
She’s in the sitting room, and Dr. Lewis is there, examining Maeve's arm. "Ah, Sean." He doesn't look up as he hears me enter. "Your wife is very lucky. Another inch to the left and this would be a much different conversation."
I grit my teeth together. "I know."
"The wound is clean. No permanent damage. She'll have a scar, but it should fade with time." He finishes rebandaging it, then looks at Maeve. "You're in shock. That's normal after a trauma like this. Rest, fluids, and I'd recommend speaking with someone. A therapist, perhaps." He pauses. “I’ll come back to check on your healing, but as long as you keep it clean and rest, there shouldn’t be any infection or complications.”
Maeve nods mutely.
Dr. Lewis packs up his supplies and leaves, nodding to me as he walks past, and suddenly it's just her and me in this too-large room.
"I'm sorry," I say finally.
She looks up, her face still pale. "For what?"
