“You knew, didn’t you?” Mac accused. “You knew something was going on with him and you kept your fuckin’ mouth shut?”Mac shoved my brother, and Duncan and Dread quickly stepped between them.
“Boys,” Freyja hissed. “We are in a hospital. We can talk about that later.” She turned to Dread. “Hi, I’m—”
“Freyja Malpas, it is a pleasure to meet you.” He lifted Freyja’s hand, kissing the back of it, and I couldn’t help but chuckle. Duncan growled and pulled her back against his chest. Freyja was all smiles anytime Duncan asserted his jealousy.
“Please tell us what happened, Dread,” Freyja stated.
Dread cleared his throat and looked at me. “I don’t care that you fucked Lucy,” I said, rolling my eyes again. Men and their egos. They honestly expected us to get jealous like they did. “I told her I’d send you her way after lunch. Tell me how you found Cian.”
“Lucy asked me to slip out the back door. I cut through a few alleys, and just before I made it back to the main street where my bike was parked, I saw someone who shouldn’t be walking this earth come out of the back of a building.”
“Who?” Sal asked, stepping forward.
“Sylvia St. James.”
“Oh my God!” My hands covered my mouth as my knees buckled. If I hadn’t been so close to Mac, I would have hit the floor. Mac lifted me up and carried me to a chair.
“That’s what he meant,” I cried. “That’s why he didn’t want Maddie here. She knows about Maddie.”
Sal kneeled in front of me. “Caity, calm down. We can’t be certain she knows anything.” He looked over his shoulder at Dread. “Continue.”
“I’d planned to follow her, but then I heard a scream.”
The tears that had formed in my eyes finally spilled over. Sal sat in the chair next to me and pulled me against him.
“Knowing what I do about St. James and hercharities, I pulled my gun and moved inside. I followed the sounds to the basement apartment, and that’s where I found Cian.”
Dread looked at Sal.
“What?” Sal asked, his body suddenly stiff.
“Tyran Fitzpatrick was standing over him about to hit him with a wooden table leg.”
“Oh God,” I sobbed, turning my face into my brother’s chest.
“Is he dead?” Mac asked, his hands clenched at his sides.
I looked at Dread, who nodded. Sal nodded and said, “Thank you.”
“No thanks needed. Tyran Fitzpatrick was a motherfucking bastard. I was happy to put him down,” Dread confessed. “Cian could barely talk, but there was something about a Russian, and Maddie and the hospital, and a trap.”
I sniffled and sat up straight. “She knows. She knows Maddie is Cian’s daughter. She wants Maddie to run theSociety.”
“TheSocietyis done, Caity. It’s been dismantled,” Duncan argued.
“Then she wants Maddie for something else. Either way, we have to find her. Maddie can’t be alone.”
“She’s not,” Freyja said.
I looked up at my new friend. “What?”
“Please understand, I didn’t say anything because it wasn’t important until now, and I know how you all are.”
“Fuckin’ Lucille,” Duncan groaned.
“Who’s Lucille?” Dread asked.
“Lucille Ball,” Freyja answered casually. She sat in the chair next to me and took my hand. “Lucille told me months ago that Maddie will find another love. He’s already chosen her, and he’ll protect her.”
