Page 121 of Wicked Ruin

“Fine, I guess. Been hard to reach. Busy with the wedding prep, I’d imagine.”

“Mmm. She’s an elusive one. Even at your engagement party, she was always with a crowd of people. Hard to reach. And Bridget?”

I sigh. “Grand too.”

“She is that. She held vigil at your bedside after you were shot, didn’t she?”

“Aye.”

“Good friend, that girl.”

“Right.” I don’t meet her eyes. I can’t.

She walks into the house with me, and just before we part, she leans in. “You remember the story of me and your father, don’t you?”

I nod. “Aye.”

“And you remember the stories of all your aunts and uncles, and how sometimes they had to fight against all odds, but they made it work?”

I nod.

“Listen, son. The McCarthy family has a history of making things work. It was your family, your own flesh and blood, that established the McCarthy legacy.”

She’s right. We've overcome so much.

Tonight, I'll get the terms from Valentina's family that I need to free Torin from prison. Tonight, I'll put the screws to them. They've been paid as well, but they owe intel, and I'll get it before anything else happens.

And something is going to happen. I know it. I look around, trying to put my finger on what feels off. Did we bring in more help for tonight? I didn’t expect this to be a formal affair, but there are several people in uniformed gloves serving drinks and appetizers, a bit fancier than I expected.

Aunt Caitlin sees me in the hallway.

“Hello, Declan,” she says. “Have you talked to Valentina today?”

“Aye. She texted me an hour ago and said she’d be a little late.”

“Oh, good. I wanted it to be a surprise that her family is going to be here tonight. They are quite eager to see her.”

“Fair enough.”

Damn. Everybody is here. Uncle Tully and his wife, Michaela. Kyla and Colm. Lorcan and Ashland. No children though.

“Where are all the children?”

“Oh, we said it would be a late night tonight and asked that no children be here.”

No children? She loves having them here.

“Why do I feel there is something up your sleeve?”

“Oh,” she says, “there is always something up my sleeve. And Declan? Stay very close to Valentina.”

And then she’s gone, positioning herself right at the head of the table next to Uncle Keenan.

Valentina arrives in her rental car and walks straight toward me. My instinct is to do what Aunt Caitlin said. Stay very close.

So I greet her with a hug. “We have a surprise for you tonight.”

“I do not like surprises, Declan,” she says curtly.