He grumbled when I pulled my hand away, but finally fell into the seat with a sigh. I swore I heard him mutter, “Just so I can get out of this hellhole.”
Vail pushed Fallon slowly out of the room and I carried his bag, much to his irritation. There wasn’t anything he could say about it, since he had no choice. Too bad that didn’t stop him from grumbling the whole way out.
When we got him to Cillian’s Expedition—which he’d shockingly let me drive because he and Rowen had stayed at home waiting for visitors—Vail helped Fallon into the front seat while I packed his stuff into the back. Once we had the wheelchair returned to the hospital and everyone was in the SUV, we headed off with me behind the steering wheel.
“So, what happened while I was being Sleeping Beauty?” Fallon asked with a grin. “If we already talked about this, I don’t remember. Anyone try to kiss me awake? A blowjob might’ve worked better, I always wake up for them.”
“I don’t think the nurses would have been impressed with someone giving you a blowjob,” Vail said with a laugh. “Especially considering the catheter you had in. Oh look, is that a new bookstore?”
I ignored them both as they talked. The conversation jumped from one topic to another at dizzying speeds. Fallon easily kept up with Vail, but we’d all learned how to accommodate his fast mind and wandering attention, and it had become common for us to talk about ten different things in the span of a few minutes.
“You happy I’m here?” Fallon gave me big blue eyes, but I merely hummed. He knew I was happy. I didn’t know why he needed to hear it verbally. I didn’t miss the slump of his shoulders when I didn’t give him the answer he wanted, though, and he turned back to Vail.
Fallon didn’t ask me any more questions, and I tuned them out again. By the time we got onto our street in Westhampton Beach, Fallon was yawning while leaning against the door. Dr. Bautista had told him he’d feel tired for a few weeks as his body continued to heal. But he wouldn’t be able to get any sleep right away because Sloan was waiting for him in the house. He’d requested to be here when Fallon got released, and there was no way to deny him anything he wanted. I hated how tired Fallon looked, though.
Our home came into view, and it had a classic design I appreciated. Stone made up the outer walls of the first floor and the pillars on the front porch. Blue-stained wooden shingles covered the rest of the house in the typical Hamptons style, and the roof was black. Fallon smiled as he caught sight of our place for the first time in weeks, which made me want to hug him.
I stopped the Expedition behind a beautiful sports car painted black with green trim that I could only assume belonged to Sloan, or maybe his pet, and in front of that were big black SUVs with tinted rear windows, which their guards would’ve come in. Reversing, I parked on the street so we wouldn’t be blocking anyone in. Outside the front door, two men stood scanning the neighborhood—one man with light blond hair I recognized as Conall’s personal bodyguard, Ronan O’Keefe.
“You all right to talk to the boss?” I finally asked.
Fallon pouted. “I can take care of myself.”
“That’s not what I—”
He shoved out of the Expedition quicker than I would’ve liked and slammed the door shut with enough force it had me wincing. If Cillian heard someone abusing his baby I’d never hear the end of it, and he definitely wouldn’t let me drive his vehicle again. I slid out my side and went around to the other, where Vail was already out and closing his door.
He smiled. “Give him some time.”
If only that was easy to do. I’d spent the better part of three weeks stressing about Fallon and his condition, and it was fucking frustrating to have him brush me off because I didn’t tell him what he wanted to hear. But that was how life went; it’s who I am. We knew from the start Fallon craved compliments and for someone to tell him they were proud. Sloan had warned us, too, telling us he was softer than his brothers. I wanted Fallon to prove them all wrong, especially his no-good family.
I grabbed Fallon’s bag and went into the house with Vail right behind me. We hung up our winter gear on the coatrack beside the front door, which Rowen had broken down and purchased recently, since there were so many of us in the house now, and then we moved farther inside. Fallon was already in the living room, and the anger he’d shown me was gone as he sat beside Sloan on the ugly orange leather couch Cillian loved, laughing at whatever the boss had said.
“I told them you’re a Maher, and Mahers don’t go down easy,” Sloan finished, and Fallon’s grin could’ve split his face in half. The desperation for praise made my gut churn. I dropped Fallon’s bag at my feet.
“I had to fight them about putting me under, but sometimes you gotta listen to the docs.” He shrugged. “At least we got the guy, Boss.”
Sloan nodded, smirking. He leaned back against the couch and spread out his arms, one going around his pet, Conall, who sat beside him in a suit that reminded me a lot of Sloan’s. They were both navy blue with a tie that complemented, but Sloan also had a white pocket square, while Conall didn’t. As always, Conall wore a red leather collar around his neck, low enough that the white dress shirt mostly hid it.
Cillian sat at the end of the couch, leaning forward to watch Sloan, and Rowen had taken the white armchair, both appearing professional as always, but unlike Cillian, Rowen was smiling. They were also in black suits, but I couldn’t give a damn right now. This was our home, and it wasn’t officially business. I wasn’t going to get out of my black shirt, jeans, and Mets cap.
“Which brings me to why I’m here.” Sloan gestured for me and Vail to come inside and sit.
“Ah... do you want me here? I can go upstairs?” Vail asked nervously, shifting his weight between his feet. He glanced at Sloan, then at each one of us, eyes wide.
“You can listen in—you of all people know the consequences of loose lips.” Sloan grinned at him.
“They sink ships?” Vail smiled, but I didn’t miss how shaken he really was. Sloan had never allowed him in on any of our meetings, other than the one with the Giordanos, and I didn’t like this one bit. He was bringing Vail into the Company more officially than I would’ve liked. By the expression on Cillian’s and Rowen’s faces, they agreed.
“That’s one saying. Mine is that they get cut off, along with their tongue and their dick.” Sloan’s smirk widened.
Vail let out an anguished laugh but mixed in with that was also excitement. He wanted to know everything about how a mob was run from the inside, and that was dangerous. “I mean... I wouldn’t saynoto learning stuff about your company. Some secrets, maybe?”
“Don’t get too eager. Sit.” Sloan waved at the couch on the other side of Conall. “Let us talk logistics.”
“What logistics?” Cillian asked, his Irish accent deeper than I’d heard it in a long time. He didn’t glare, but he wasn’t far off it. “The Russianeejittried to make a fool of us. We should be skinning him alive... sir.”
Vail sat down between Conall and Cillian as he’d been directed, and Conall nudged him with his elbow, grinning. They leaned in close and whispered something I couldn’t hear before they both chuckled and straightened, returning their attention to us.
