His gaze flits above my head for just a moment, back to the screens that show visuals of all the cameras I installed for him years ago.
“Anything good?” I break off some warm scone and pop it in my mouth.
“No. Nothing bad either. And that’s more important.”
I nod, sipping the espresso, before setting it down and leveling him with my gaze.
“What’s going on? Why the increased vigilance?”
He looks at me, to the screens, and back to me, rubbing his thumb across his lips. “Twice as many Barones to worry about. Twice as much to lose.”
“What’s the biggest threat? Maybe I can address it. At least digitally. I’m sure your team has the rest.” Fitz was his personal security. I’m sure his decision to move soon is like pressing on a tender bruise. It’s playing into all of this as well and not in a good way.
“Seamus.”
Well, shit. My father isn’t controllable. He fancies himself above reproach... and above the law. Eliminating him from our lives would be better for every single one of us. But it would hurt Mom. Or hurt her more. And that’s the only reason I played nicely in the sandbox. That is, if anyone considers my attitude toward him and his actions “nice.”
The man is a menace, constantly harassing my sister, nearly allowing Cian to die in his place. And that’s not taking into account his questionable “deals.” He wouldn’t care a lick if any of us died. Hell, he expected Ayla to choose him when she was faced with the choice of which of them to keep alive.
Technically,Imade the choice. There’s only one reason that fucker’s still alive—my mom. If I’d chosen to kill him instead when all the shit went down more than a year ago, all this mess would be resolved.
Or at least six feet under.
Instead of answering, I break off a chuck of scone, dip it in the cream, and chew.
“What’s the best case for you in this scenario?” I ask when I’ve swallowed.
“Him gone permanently.”
I nod because…same.
“And what’s acceptable?”
“Him never laying eyes or a hand on my wife or daughter.” His gaze is hard, and his words are lethal. “Ever.”
“So, he needs to be dead or… Would incarcerated be acceptable to you?”
“If the sentence is long enough.”
“It’ll break Mom.”
“We can figure out Janie if Seamus is out of the picture. Right now, she’s eliminated by her own efforts at forcing togetherness. And togetherness with Seamus Murphy is never an option.”
“You don’t have to tell me. And I’m not figuring out safety for my kids.”
“You will.”
Maybe. But that’s a big maybe.
“Ayla has his confession about the Laotians. And we have video evidence of him causing her fall.”
“What the fuck?” My roar fills his office, despite how the words are hissed from my mouth. Her amnesia, all the trauma and trouble. She almost fucking died.
“She cut him out after all the stuff in Lakewood, after Cian’s stuff. But later… she recovered an SD card from that day on the ridge and?—”
“And you didn’t think to tell us?”
“What difference does it make?” Christian’s demeanor is too cool.
