It sounded more than a happy accident to me. Mistakes like that simply didn't happen. Nobody wanted a serial killer or vengeful mafia boss on the loose, certainly not the justice department or the public.
"I thought he was in solitary, for his own protection."
"He was, which is why this makes no sense. Honestly, heads will roll. Milo's looking into it now, and Kyril reached out to his guys in the prison to see if any of them knew anything. We suspect he got to someone on the outside and requested a favor, but for the moment, we're clueless."
"And you need my help for what, exactly?"
"Verity. She's in Naples, Declan, which means she's in danger. If my father finds her, fuck knows what he'll do." Her voice trailed off.
"Have you called her? Warned her?"
"I tried, but she's not called me back. She'll be at work, and I know she doesn't check her phone until she finishes around 2 AM." Which was eight hours from now. "Dar is ready to fly out, but it would take too long…anything could happen in the meantime."
I pictured Thea's sister. Sweet, innocent, and far too vulnerable.
"I'll send the twins to pick her up."
"Thank you. I appreciate it."
"I'll add this favor to the list," I said, even though I would have offered to help, regardless. Verity had been part of our family from the minute my sisters adopted her like a stray cat.
God knows she’d needed people around her. The poor kid had been through hell. Only she wasn't a kid anymore, I reminded myself.
I ended the call, promising to keep Thea updated, while she promised to let me have news on her cunt of a father.
Conal picked up after two rings. The sound of Maeve's whiney voice in the background told me he had gone down to the docks after the fight. No doubt Ronan was balls-deep in some woman by now.
Well, he'd have to cut his partying short for once.
"I need you both back here, sober and ready to fly to Italy."
To his credit, my brother didn't ask any dumb questions. He knew better.
"I'll find Ronan and head back."
"You have the address. Keep it low-key," I warned my brothers. "And bring her back here, where she'll be safe."
"You know she won't be happy about that, right?" Conal pointed out with a frown. "We can't just kidnap her. She’s supposed to be enjoying a gap year."
"We also can't leave her unprotected in Italy." Irritation flared. "So what do you suggest I do?" The thought of what would happen to her if di Luca tracked her down made me want to punch a wall.
"Send a team to guard her until Thea can persuade her to leave Italy?"
To my surprise, Ronan jumped in before I could reply. "No, I don't trust anyone else to keep her safe."
My eyebrows shot up. My brother rarely gave a shit about anyone apart from his sisters and our troublesome cousin.
I tapped my fingers on my scarred mahogany desk, wondering if Conal had a point. Perhaps Thea was overreacting. But then I remembered just how dangerous Francesco di Luca was. Sure, he'd not seen daylight for a good few years, but I doubted he'd suddenly repented of his sins and discovered the Good Lord.
Once he figured out Verity had returned to Italy, it wouldn't take him long to pounce.
Unlike Thea, Verity didn't have a violent bone in her body. I could send some men to keep a watchful eye on her, but the only people I truly trusted to keep her safe - at least until her father was dead and buried - were my brothers or myself. And besides, I'd made a promise to Thea.
"Verity is coming back to Ireland. Drug her, if you must. Until we find and eliminate Francesco, she stays here, under our protection. She might not like it, but it's the only way to protect her."
Verity might not be a Kelly, but I'd do whatever it took to protect her all the same.
3
