“I ordered the hit,” I say between numb lips. “He killed our parents.”
“How could you have done that!” Elana shrieks, “He’s our uncle.”
“Yeah, and the same uncle who was trying to marry you off to the oldest son from a fentanyl cartel out of Columbia! Are you forgetting that part?”
Zed’s pacing, running his hands through his hair, repeatedly. “Jesus Christ. Do you understand what you’ve done, Aria? If the underbosses find out- Wait. How do you know he killed Mom and Dad?”
“I didn’t trust him,” I say coldly, “I’d heard him fighting with Dad more and more before they died. I bugged Uncle William’s office and hacked into his computer. He ordered the hit and sent the men information on where our parents would be that day. It was the Boucher Brotherhood. There’s a ten-million-dollar payment sent from his personal account the day before their murder and another fifty million transferred the day after.”
“This should have been my decision!” Zed shouts. Lachlan is leaning against my desk, arms folded and thankfully, silent. Buthis brows draw together as my brother keeps yelling at me. “You arenotthe head of this family.”
“Neither were you!” I suck in a deep breath, trying to control my frustration. They’re both looking at me with shock and disgust. “Ourdearuncle was planning on killing you next and marrying off Elana and me. There would have been no one left to stop him.”
“You don’t know that,” Zed is shocked, staring at me like I’m a stranger. Both are, it’s almost funny. If I thought that horror mixed with disbelief, disgust, and shock was funny. Which I don’t. So, it’s not funny at all.
“I do. I have the audio for you if you want to hear it.”
“I can’t believe you did this,” Elana can’t get over this key point. “You ordered a hit. You may as well have murdered him yourself. I don’t even know you anymore.”
“Yes. I did kill him. And I have to live with that forever but better that, than losing the two of you,” I retort. “I kept you both out of this so there would be plausible deniability. I did it to protect you.”
“Don’t lay this on us,” Zed snarls. “You did it because you’ve always thought you knew better than anyone else. It was selfish and it could be suicidal, depending on who finds out.”
“Hold off now, both of you.” Lachlan’s voice is sharp. “Ya’ dinna know because your sister chose the smartest, quickest way to handle your uncle. There’s plenty of audio and financial records to sift through to prove what Uncle Bastard was up to. Stop blaming Aria for having the courage to protect you.”
“You don’t know anything about our family!” Zed shouts. “Just because you somehow got my sister to marry you doesn’t mean you have a place here.”
“Everyone, please just stop.” My head is throbbing like a frantic drumbeat and I need them all to be quiet. Just shut up for a moment and let me…
“Nighean milis,sweet girl,” Lachlan’s voice is calm and quiet. “Come sit down. Take a breath. You need a painkiller, aye?”
“I took some ibuprofen earlier,” I murmur, “it’ll kick in soon.” Still, it’s very nice to sit down and close my eyes for a second. I feel Lachlan’s steady, warm bulk as he stays next to me.
“Ya’ can’t expect me to treat you like the head of the family when you’re acting like a child,” he says to Zed. “Look at the intel before ya’ bluster on. Your sister took a huge risk to protect ya’ both.”
I jump a little as the door slams shut. Opening my eyes, I see Zed settle behind the desk, scrolling through the pictures and bank statements.
“Elana stormed out of the room, slammin’ the door like a brat,” Lachlan says disapprovingly. “Give her some time.”
“She’s not a brat,” I sigh, closing my eyes again. “This is all overwhelming.”
“She’s what- twenty-three? You were finishing your Master’s degree and handling all the marketing for the legitimate side of the King Syndicate by then, aye?” His dark gaze is drilling into mine. “Stop makin’ excuses for her. Elana has to grow up.”
Zed should be saying those words, not Lachlan. But my brother’s ignoring us both, deep into the damning information I compiled.
“She’s the youngest,” I sigh, “losing Dad and Mom was the most terrible thing that’s ever happened to her. She needs some time, that’s all.”
“I’m taking you upstairs.” Lachlan slides his arms under me and stands up, holding me as if I’m no heavier than one of the throw pillows.
“Don’t!” I whisper, “I can walk. Don’t make me look weak.” Turning to Zed, I suck in a deep breath. He won’t meet my eyes, pretending he’s immersed in the information. “Take some time. We’ll talk when you’re ready.”
As Lachlan escorts me out of the study, he murmurs, “Your brother has the most punchable face.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
In which apparently, two gun battles are just not enough.
Lachlan…
