I’ve already gathered that…but her anxiety is a layer I didn’t expect. She’s trying to hide it, too, which bothers me more. “With what, Grandma?”
She takes a deep breath, looking up at the ceiling as she formulates her words. She exhales slowly, her gaze flickering down to me again. “There’s a man. A fellow…businessmanlike your grandfather. He’s powerful, even more powerful than your grandfather. He’s not a man you want to cross.”
The way she’s talking about this guy sends chills down my spine. “Yeah?”
She nods. “But yourfatherdid. And we’re all going to pay the price if it isn’t fixed,” she says bitterly, scrunching her nose up in disgust.
I raise my eyebrows. “My dad did? But he said he wanted nothing to do with…uh, grandpa’s business.”
My grandmother’s brows pinch as she purses her lips in displeasure. “Yes. And he hasn’t. But it’s found its way to him. In a way…this man is using your father to get to your grandfather. He’s manipulating the situation.”
“How so?” I ask quietly, afraid to hear about this and what it has to do withme.
“You’re aware your father has a…habitof gambling?”
I nod. I knew my dad gambled. Mom always brushed it off as just a hobby, so I never really thought much of it, especially since I didn’t live with him so I didn’t see any worrying signs.
“He’s racked up quite a bit of debt, the likes of which we refused to pay over a decade ago. He may have stopped gambling as much since he didn’t have access to our money, but he hasn’tbeen able to pay off that debt, either. And now it’s compounded with interest. From what I hear, he’s been on a payment plan with the company that owned the casinos and establishments he’d gambled with. They’re a legitimate company, so there wasn’t much risk except for hurting his credit. Until about five years ago.”
My mind thinks back. That wasn’t long after my mom and dad’s divorce. Dad kind of went downhill even more after that, and my contact with him became minimal. Maybe that’s when his ‘hobby’ became something far more serious. I wish I was more surprised than I actually am.Why wasn’t Mom more upset about the gambling stuff, then? Surely she knew. She complained about his other issues constantly and is nosey enough to be aware of it all. Why would she hide that from me?
My grandmother pinches the bridge of her nose between two fingers. Seeing her show multiple signs of stress is alarming. Sheneverlet her composure slip this much. “Five years ago, your grandfather politely declined a deal with some…Irish associates of his. They weren’t happy, as they really wanted the deal. Their leader is the man I told you about. He went searching, digging into our family, looking for weaknesses to exploit. He found one in your father, in his gambling debts. He tried to buy your father’s debts from the company that owned them, but they refused. And when they did, he just bought out the entire company.”
Oh. Thatkind of powerful. Got it.
“He removed your father off of his payment plan, said he needed to pay in full, and raised the interest rate. It was an impossible amount. But it was legal. He did it on purpose to put pressure on your grandfather to make this deal with him. It was a clear message.I’m not someone you want to mess with.”
I sigh. “Sounds like a delightful person,” I mutter sarcastically.
My grandmother snorts sarcastically. Shesnorted.Who is this woman and where’s my perfectly composed grandmother? “Yes, well…this is the way of things in ourcommunity.But here’s the thing. The deal they want is…it’s complicated.”
I tilt my head. “How so?”
She gives a long sigh. “They want access to a particular dock in New Jersey. A dock that your grandfather has exclusive access to.” She pauses for a moment, furrowing her brows. She has a distant and far-off look on her face as she thinks about the situation. Honestly, it’s freaking me out a bit. “Your grandfather made this arrangement with the current dock-owner’s father decades ago, when he was a young man. It was an arrangement built on a handshake. But the family that owns that dock was clear, they only trustedhimand hisfamily. They wanted nothing to do with anyone else. It’s a popular dock now. Important. And they don’t want to take risks by making deals with anyone else even more now. They’re honorable people, that’s why they haven’t broken the deal with your grandfather. And we’ve made sure not to abuse it.”
Only family.But this man wants it for himself. But he can’t have it because he isn’t a part of their family.
Oh no.Oh, no, no, no. She can’t be leading into himjoiningour family, right? Because…the only way for him to do that is…oh god.
My grandmother looks down at her lap. “Your father will go to prison if his debt isn’t paid. And this man,The Irish Demon, as they call him, has made it clear that he’s not going to survive in there. The Astero family name will be tainted with lies of not making good on our word or our deals, and this man will not stop at that. He will do anything he can until your grandfather is ruined and that dock is his.”
My eyes widen. I have a complicated relationship with my father, but that doesn’t mean I want him dead or imprisoned. Orboth.
“And…he’s already made it clear he knows where you and your mother live.” Tears form in my grandmother’s eyes.Actual tears.My jaw drops as horror hits my chest. “He’s been subtle, but his request is clear. He wants to join our family to have access to that dock, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get it. He’s mentioned you several times. It’s clear what he wants, my dear.Marriage. To join our family. He wantsyou. And we all may die if he doesn’t get what he wants.”
2
Kerry
Blood splatters across the historic stone floor of the church. Sobs ring out, echoing in the church’s sanctuary. They’re not kind that the church usually hears. Nothing about this speaks of repentance. No, these cries are of fear. The squeal of a rabbit caught in the wolf’s jaws.
It makes me smile. A rare occurrence for me.
I love when a job is done both correctly and with such beautiful artistry. The man that trembles on the ground before me is a masterpiece of anguish and torture. The mind games that have been orchestrated to exist within him are just as beautiful as the stained glass in this church.Thisis my craft. And it’s one that is even more ancient than the church we are standing in.
Some might call this desecration of a holy place. Perhaps that’s true, I don’t care. In fact, it suited me and my reputation. This is my idea of a good time, especially standing here with the fellas, enjoying the show.
I’m calledThe Irish Demonfor a reason. The lads might make fun of me for it, but the title was given to me by those I work with in other countries, so it makes sense.
