Frank smiles. It's not a pleasant expression. "That information has a different price."
Of course it does. Because nothing with Frank is free. Nothing is ever simple.
"What do you want?" The words taste like ash.
"Shares in Murphy businesses." Frank's voice is calm, measured, like he's negotiating a normal business deal. "A legitimate stake. Full voting rights."
After Father died, everything ended up in Frank's name. The businesses. The assets. All of it. Whether Father intended that or Frank manipulated his way into control, we never found out. Alex suspected Frank swindled his way into Father's position, but we couldn't prove it. By the time we realized what happened, Frank had legal ownership of everything.
After we thought he was dead, everything reverted back to Alex.
And now Frank wants back in. Wants shares. Wants power. Wants a seat at the table he had no fucking right to sit at.
"No." The word comes out automatically.
"Then Viktor Tarasov will continue picking you off one by one." Frank's expression doesn't change. "He'll hit the engagement party tomorrow. Kill more people you care about.Destroy the alliances you're trying to build. And eventually, he'll come for you directly. When he does, you'll have no idea who you can trust because the mole will still be feeding him intelligence."
I think of Aoife. Of her coming to find me in the basement yesterday, trying to warn me about Viktor Tarasov and the mole. Of the way she looked at me last night when I told her about the engagement party. The hurt in her eyes. The betrayal.
If Viktor hits the party tomorrow, she could die.
My brothers could die.
Everyone I'm trying to protect could die.
And Frank is offering me a way to stop it.
For a price.
"The shares aren't enough," Frank continues. His voice is still calm, still measured. "I also want to be consulted on major decisions. Not as a leader. I know that ship has sailed. But as an advisor. Someone with a voice at the table."
An advisor. Frank Murphy, sitting in on strategy meetings. Offering counsel. Having influence over family business. The man who nearly destroyed us from the inside now wants back in a position of power.
My stomach turns.
"No," I say again, but the word has less force this time.
"Think about it, William." Frank takes a step closer. The pier groans under his weight. "Viktor is planning something that will destroy everything. Your family. The O'Rourkes. The alliances. All of it. Gone. And you're standing here worrying about giving me back what was mine to begin with?"
"It wasn't yours." My voice is hard now. "You manipulated your way into Father's position. You betrayed the family."
Frank laughs. It's a bitter, sharp sound. "Betrayal?" His eyes narrow. "Jason shot me. How about that for betrayal?"
The words hang between us. Jason shot Frank. We all thought he was dead. And now he's standing here, alive, throwing it back in my face.
"You earned that bullet," I say quietly. "Everything you did. Everything you put Jason through. Everything you did to Father."
"What I did to Edward?" Frank's voice drops, goes dangerous. "I gave him money when he needed it. Kept this family afloat when he was drowning in bad investments. And what did he do? Tried to have his own son killed because he couldn't handle losing to me."
My jaw clenches so hard I can hear my teeth groan.
"That's right, William." Frank takes a step closer. "Edward was going to have Jason killed. Made Alex choose between his brother and his inheritance. That's why Alex put a rope around Edwards neck. Not because of me. Because Edward would rather murder Jason than admit I'd beaten him."
My hands curl into fists. "You manipulated him. Took the business piece by piece—"
"I invested when no one else would." Frank cuts me off. "Edward made his choices. He could have said no. Could have found another way. But his pride was more important than his family. So he lost everything. Including his life."
The rage comes back, hot and sharp. But underneath it, something else. The sick realization that Frank's right.
