Her voice is steady. But her shoulders are tight and squared, like she’s bracing herself for what comes next. And knowing my family, this dinner ain’t gonna be a cake walk for her.
Kingston takes a sip of his wine. “Your father understood the terms of our agreement.”
She slants him a look. “He did.”
Dad sets his napkin on his lap.
“You destabilized our position with the Tribunal,” he says. “You breached a protected vault and forced this family into a negotiationwe did not initiate.”
Tierney’s jaw flexes. “I was trying to protect my brother.”
It’s the first time tonight her voice softens. Ma doesn’t seem to give a shit.
“You gambled with my sons’ lives,” she says, her eyes narrowing.
Tierney doesn’t look at me. She holds Ma’s angry gaze, her chin lifting with the defiance I’ve come to know very well.
“I would do it again,” she says.
“Let’s talk about how you hacked into that vault. You were clearly trained,” Reign says, eyes sharp. “That wasn’t amateur work.”
Tierney’s gaze flicks to him. “Training keeps you alive. Or haven’t you gotten that memo?”
I swallow a chuckle. She really loves to poke the fucking bear. And I can’t deny that I crave that ferocity.
Ma’s eyes narrow. “You fully understood the consequences before you walked into that vault?”
“Yes, Allegra,” she replies. “I understood.”
“And you went in anyway.”
Tierney sits up straighter.
“I had no choice. I needed to protect my brother. He’s not part of this life. He wouldn’t be able to defend himself against those enemies. He’s a student, not an enforcer.” Tierney looks around the table at my brothers. “And I’m sure you would all do the same for each other if necessary.”
Kingston folds his hands on the table. “So let’s be clear. According to our arrangement, the files you removed remain private in exchange for Connor’s protection through marriage to Bronx.”
She nods once. “That’s my understanding.”
“And if those files surface?” Kingston asks calmly.
Her hand tightens around the wineglass, her knuckles whitening.
“They won’t.”
“How do we know that for sure?” Ma presses.
Tierney finally turns her head slightly toward me.
“Because my brother is safe and under your protection. That’s all the reason I and my da need to comply with the terms of this arrangement.”
Her voice is strong but the truth of her words hang like a thick chain around her neck. It’s loose now, but everybody knows what happens if the conditions of the arrangement are breached.
That chain will be yanked tight enough to choke the life out of her.
“You caused damage,” Ma bites out. Dad pats her arm in an attempt to settle her down, like he doesn’t know the woman he married. “You created exposure.”
“I corrected it,” Tierney replies. “By entering into this sham marriage.”
