Tears stream down her cheeks as she looks at me as if I have the answer.
I want to offer her comfort, but nothing I say will fill the void that Stephen has left behind. So, I give her the only thing that I know I would want to hear if I were in her position.
“I need you to know something. Stephen talked about you and the twins all the time, about how proud he was to have you as his wife. He was loyal and brave, and in his last moments, he made me promise to take care of you.Allof you.”
Tamara looks up at me, her eyes red and raw. “He made you promise?”
I nod. “He knew what mattered most.”
“I can’t believe he’s gone.”
“I meant what I said, Tamara. I’ll make sure you and the twins are looked after. Anything you need, whether it’s money, security, or help with the house, it’s taken care of.”
Her lip trembles as more tears stream down her cheeks.
“You don’t have to?—”
“I do. Because I gave Stephen my word.”
Tamara swallows hard and nods. “Thank you, Ronan.”
“I’ll be in touch soon.” I rise to my feet. “And Cormac will be around for the next few days just in case you need anything.”
She nods again, almost mechanically now, as if her grief has shifted into shock.
We leave her sitting on the couch, staring at the pictures on the mantel as the soft whimper of one of the twins comes through the monitor on the coffee table.
The moment I step outside, I exhale slowly as another weight is added to my shoulders. But this one I’ll carry, for Stephen’s sake and for Tamara’s.
Cormac pullsinto the forgotten industrial strip where one of our warehouses is located. “Are you sure you don’t need my help?”
Kieran’s car is parked a few yards away behind an old shipping container, the sleek black exterior looking out of place among all the rust and debris.
“I want to handle this one myself.”
Cormac nods. “Give him hell, Ronan.”
Two of my men are waiting at the entrance to the warehouse, and I give both of them a curt nod before stalking inside.
The place reeks of sweat and blood, but the smell helps to clear my head as I make my way down the damp corridor toward Finn’s cell.
As much as I want to open fire on the bastard who’s been giving me hell for the last few months, I need to be strategic.
Finn has information that I want, and I’ll be damned if he takes it with him to the grave.
The door to Finn’s cell is open, and when I enter, I find him strapped to a chair in the center with Kieran circling him like a vulture. From the bloody knife in my brother’s hand, I know he’s had a head start.
I nod at Kieran and then focus on Finn. “Ready to talk?”
Finn scowls at me. “Why would I? I don’t work for you.”
Under the dim overhead lighting, his face looks drawn and pale. His hair is matted with a mixture of dirt and blood, and he’s sporting an impressive black eye, which must be courtesy of my brother too.
Kieran steps forward and presses the tip of his knife into Finn’s cheek. “Watch your fucking mouth.”
Finn’s eyes flicker.
Even when the kid worked for our family, I never got the impression that Finn was particularly intimidated by me. Kieran, on the other hand, had him practically pissing his pants any time he dared look his way, which isexactlywhy I left Finn in his charge overnight.
