I see a drip of sweat fall off his temple and nod. “Maybe if you did, the family would actually be prospering. The O’Brien clan is making moves while the Bruno family is stuck in the past.” I rub my chin. “You know, I’ve always been curious. What did she give you in exchange for me?”
The man snorts, smiling slightly. It’s deranged, full of evil, and I shudder. Another bead of sweat falls off his chin. “I had you up for sale.”
I try not to wince. I knew that—or logically, I knew it was coming. The last guy who touched me, let it slip, buttoning his clothes, still wet with my sweat. He wanted to buy me—see how far he could push my limits. Just the idea of someone like that getting me makes my palms sweat.
I was aging out and Senior saw a chance to be rid of the lasting reminder of my mother. Only, I got free before he could make a profit.
“She paid the fee?”
“She fucking doubled it.” He laughs. “That little bitch came into my house, threw a duffle bag of money on to my floor and said you were now an O’Brien. Barely five feet tall and she threatened me to leave you alone.” My father shakes his head. “She’s always been a pain in my ass but to threaten me?No.”
Leaning forward, I watch him rub his eyes, coughing slightly. “What did you do, Dad?”
He exhales harshly. “Sent Junior after her.”
Smirking, I say, “I assume he failed.”
“That girl is a psycho.” He shudders, and I watch the color in his face drain away. “I don’t blame Roman for failing to kill her. If Michael couldn’t get her to break, my inept son wouldn’t. But he did get a good few hits in.” He taps his chest, seemingly to look for something. “She survived and I only assume because Hell didn’t want her.”
He’s probably right about that.
Glancing up to me, he waves his hand around, a slight tremble to his fingers. “Why are you even here?”
The blue tinge of his lips tells me my plan is working.
“I’m going to be second of the O’Brien clan,” I inform him, smugly. “And I’m here to watch my target die.”
He laughs, a wet hacking cough racking his body.This is who I’m afraid of?
“How? You’re nowhere near me.” He taps the glass, the other white knuckling the phone. “It figures. My son defects and then gets in bed with the enemy? Over his own family.”
“Family?” I snort. “You were nothing but a bleak existence wrapped in horror. I did what I needed to do in order to survive. Including aligning myself with Ace and becoming this.”
Everything I did was to survive. And I’m not sorry for who I’ve become.
I have a family. A fiancée. A life. I never had that with Senior.
The man inhales, breaths coming too quick. I nod slowly—it won’t be long now.
He seems to understand, mouth flapping open. He pats his chest, his belly. He’s trying to figure out how I got to him.
“It’s amazing what happens when you belong to a clan where people actually give a shit.” I shrug. “Especially when the little brother of the Captain finds out you tried to hurt her and take his other sister in a marriage deal.”
His eyes widen. He didn’t know I knew about that.Oh well.It’s a little late now.
I wince as he coughs again.
“Arsenic, if you’re wondering.” I can’t help but smirk. “Tasteless. Odorless. Applied in food and can be rubbed on the skin.”
“I have testers.”
“Yeah, they’re probably not doing so great either.” I wink. “Consider this my formal fuck you to the family, Dad.”
When I move to hang up, Senior sputters, “They record this.”
Laughing, I hang up. “Do they? Or does the hacker have the lines already disconnected, tapes erased, and cameras cleaned?” Tapping on the glass, I smile wide. “I hope wherever you go, my mother finally finds rest for all you did to us.”
With that, I turn on my heel, leaving the prison before he collapses. I’m only a few minutes from the mansion before Briar shoots me a text.
