–Unknown: I deserve more than one. I should get three. I’m your uncle, damn it.
I frown at the message.Harvey. It’s been two weeks since we spoke, and I thought he wasn’t going to bother.
Still… What does he meanthree? He doesn’t explain further, probably to avoid implicating himself. He trusts me as much as I trust him. I don’t ask for clarification, since I don’t want anything to come back to haunt me later.
However, Harvey knows if I don’t see how he “earned” it, I won’t give him anything. I Google Jude’s name to see what pops up. Several articles, all of them less than an hour old.
I click on the top one, skimming. Two males. Out on bail after allegedly kidnapping and attempting to rape a local woman. Apparently were drunk and got into a bar fight the night before.Likely beaten to death by somebody holding a grudge, because the bodies were bruised and mutilated. Discovered by a YouTuber who put it on his channel.
I pull up YouTube. The guy is breathlessly recounting the condition of the bodies, his face pale. “Genital mutilation. Holy shit. Their mouths held the missing dicks. Guys, I almost threw up,” he says wild-eyed, sweat beads under his nose.
I turn off the video and drop the phone on the desk with a soft sigh. I honestly don’t know what I expected when I asked Harvey to “earn it.” But I wanted Jude and Aaron punished forallthat they’d done, and the state of California would only have meted out justice for the kidnapping and attempted rape…and even that would have been plea-bargained down. I was never going to get the kind of justiceIwanted, where all their crimes were listed for the world to see, so that everyone could condemn and spit on those two pathetic excuses for men.
Is this heaviness in my heart remorse? No. I’m not sorry they’re dead. Just frustrated that the legal system’s justice will always be incomplete.
When a couple of detectives drop by to ask about my whereabouts last night, I tell them I was home, with my pregnant wife, to help her get over the trauma, and I’d be more than happy to provide security footage of my being inside with her the entire night.
They have nothing. Harvey’s annoying as hell, but his men do good work, which is why he’s been able to expand into the U.S. despite the criminal organizations already established here.
I have a special courier deliver three sonograms in an envelope for Harvey.
–Me: I’m sending you the last three sonograms. You’re staying at the Aylster, right? I’ll leave them with reception.
–Unknown: I’ll have them picked up tonight
–Me: Enjoy them. Quid pro quo.
I block the number. He’ll understand the subtext:stay the hell away.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Fiona
The strains of “Here Comes the Bride” soar to the sky. My heart flutters, full of anticipation and joy.
The groom—my husband—stands on the other side of our gorgeous yard, surrounded by Fiona roses in full bloom, their aroma sweetening the air.
Next to him as his groomsmen are his brothers. Lareina is my maid of honor—the only one. I don’t have any friends and no one from the Obermans is here. But that’s okay, because I’m surrounded by people who want the best for me.
I wanted the ceremony small and intimate, just family. Catalina sighs with a huge smile. Prescott and Akiko sit together, watching me get ready to march to their son. Jeremiah nods, but she isn’t the most emotive type. Bryce’s cousin came also with his wife.
Isn’t this perfect?
Bryce smiles brilliantly, waiting for me. I smile back and take a step, then another. My pulse races. When I told him I wanted a husband who loved me and a family I could belong to—my heart might’ve known I was talking about him.
My strides get faster, and then I’m running toward him. His smile grows wider and brighter. Laughter and cheers rise from our family.
He spreads his arms, and I wrap my arms around his neck, holding on to my love, my husband, my future.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Josh
Am I doing the right thing?
Neutrality isn’t going to work in the war between Mom and Harvey. They’re going to do whatever it takes to pull me and my brothers into their power struggle. And both of them will do whatever it takes to win. Although Vincent disapproves of their hurting family, I don’t trust them to heed his warning. I’ll never forget how he sided with Mom, not us, when she nearly killed Ares.
Still, there are so many things that I don’t care for about what Vincent is doing. He has to have an heir in mind, but he’s letting his children fight it out, with us as little more than pawns. It’s almost like he’s taunting them—neither of you is good enough, so fight it out for my amusement.
