The intruder started to cough. “Who the hell are you?” Anger and confusion were mixing in his voice. “And where isthat traitorous whore? If she thought she could keep my son from me…”
Tanner slapped the guy across the face. “Silence! I don’t want to hear another word of disrespect from your filthy mouth, or I’ll rip your tongue off.”
“Messing with a made man is always a bad idea,” Brian spoke calmly, although the anger was boiling inside him, ready to explode. “To answer your question, I’m Brian Cavallieri, The Council of The Ten’s Wisdom Keeper, and Stephanie’s older brother.”
The guy’s eyes widened in shock and disbelief at the librarian’s words. “Older brother? You expect me to believe this big, fat, fucking lie?” He yelled, struggling to free himself from Tanner’s iron grip, without success. “The bitch didn’t have any older brother, it was only that Bailey pussy.”
“Here comes the cavalry,” Jamie, who didn’t say a word until then, spoke in an almost emotionless voice, pointing to the door.
“What’s the problem, man?” Lawrence, accompanied by two other guards, both members of Steel Raiders MC, stormed into the library. “Who’s that?” He gestured with his head to the guy, who Tanner restrained with his belt.
“Some piece of garbage who attacked the Wisdom Keeper and talked disrespectful shit about Miss Stephanie,” Tanner answered, barely keeping his anger under control.
“Dude, you messed with the wrong guy,” Lawrence shook his head. “You’re fucking lucky my buddy here didn’t end you,” he added, then turned to the librarian. “What do you want us to do with the moron?”
Brian thought for a moment, studying the attacker with undisguised curiosity, then spoke in an ice-cold voice. “Take him to boss Elias, tell him the pile of garbage was after my sister and her son; he knows better what to do with those who want to harm women and children.”
“Where are you taking me?” The guy yelled, as the three bikers started to drag him to the door. “Let me go, you fucking…”
“One more word, and I’ll skin you alive,” Brian warned with a murderous glare. “I’m pretty good at it, ask Tanner here,” he gestured to the guard, who took one step forward, ready to unleash hell on the one who attacked his boss.
“Shit!” Lawrence exclaimed, looking out the glass doors. “That’s Stephanie’s car, she’s heading this way. Hurry up, guys!”
CHAPTER 20
“Hello again!” Stephanie walked into the library and flashed a cute grin in the librarian’s direction. “In the mood for some last-minute visitors?” She pointed to a small boy who was hiding behind her. “This is Eli.”
“Of course, you are welcome anytime!” Brian came next to his sister, his voice and face radiating from happiness. He extended a hand to the little child, who came from behind his mother. “Hello, Eli, nice to meet you, I’m your Uncle Brian.”
“Hello,” the boy whispered, taking the librarian’s hand and squeezing it with a surprising vigor for his age. “Mom Steph told me about you,” he continued in the same tone from earlier, but started to giggle loudly, clapping his hands in excitement, when Magick came from under the counter, headed straight to him, and started to rub against his legs. “What a beautiful kitty!” Eli exclaimed, crouching down and petting her.
“Not a kitty anymore,” Brian tenderly smiled, caressing his little nephew on the top of his head. “She is a momma cat, who gave birth to eight balls of fluff this morning. The vets at the clinic here called them snowballs.”
“Kitties!” Eli said in an enthusiastic voice. “Can I see them, please?” He looked between his mother and the librarian. “I won’t touch them, I will only look at them,” the little boy added.
“Of course,” Brian answered in a soft, warm voice. “If Magick lets us, that is; they are her babies, just like you are your mother’s son, and no one can see or talk to you without permission.” Hearing her name, the white cat headed to the counter, stopping from time to time and looking behind. “She’s guiding us, wants to show us the kitties,” the librarian explained the small feline’s behavior.
Eli nodded and followed Magick in silence. “Oh, look, they are so small and cute!” He whispered, eyes wide and shining at the sight of the snowballs. He frowned in concentration, trying to guess the number of kitties, but gave up after a few failed attempts. “How many does she have?” The little boy turned to the librarian, who gave him an affectionate smile.
“Eight.” Brian nodded at the total disbelief in his nephew’s eyes. “I know, right? Momma Magick was quite round, but none of us imagined there would be so many.” The librarian paused and looked at his sister. “You can have one, if your mom here agrees. Two are already taken by your Uncle Reardon and Ian, one of the nice vets at the clinic.”
Stephanie smiled softly and nodded her approval. “Of course you can have one, but we must wait at least two months, until the kitties are weaned and they can eat wet food by themselves.”
“Thank you, mom Steph,” Eli hugged the young woman, sighing in contentment. “And yay for more uncles,” he turned to the librarian, a happy grin on his cute little face. “Are they all as cool as you? What are their names?”
“Me? I’m the least coolest of them all,” Brian said, his heart melting at the sight of his nephew, all eyes and ears. “Well, let’s see,” he started, “there is my husband Bart, my youngerbrothers, Edwin and Edward, their husbands, Reardon and Julien, my best friends Albert and Lawrence, who are married to each other, and my very special friend Luca and his husband Martino.”
“Whoa, there are so many!” Eli exclaimed, clapping his hands. “What makes your friends Albert, Lawrence, Luca, and Martino so special and why did you call him my uncle?” A small frown creased his forehead, but it vanished almost right away. “I know, they are like Uncle Duke.”
“Exactly.” Brian picked his nephew up and hugged him. “Lawrence was my first friend when I came to work here, Albert and I have been friends since childhood, and Luca was always there for me, just like I did when he needed me.”
“Speaking of Lawrence,” Stephanie intervened, “I saw him and two of the guards walking out of the library when I came here. My attention was on parking the car, but I think I saw them dragging a guy out. What was that about?” Her brow was pinched in confusion.
“Oh, nothing,” Brian shrugged, “Tanner helped me do some cleaning and they took the trash out. Here we go, little man,” he put Eli down and ruffled his hair. His phone buzzed, and he pulled it out of the jeans’ back pocket. “It’s Bart, I wonder what happened,” the librarian muttered, then answered the call. “Hey, babe…” The librarian abruptly stopped and listened for a couple of minutes, then nodded. “Alright, see you at the clinic, I’m on my way.”
“What’s wrong?” Stephanie worryingly examined her brother’s face. “Is everything okay with Bart and the kids? I heard you mentioning the clinic, what…”
“Oisin went into labor, Ian is a mess, and, instead of calling me, he called my dear husband.” Brian shook his head. “Can’t say I don’t understand him,” he added, already heading to the library’s exit.
