Chapter 27

CHAPTER 27

AMARA

The following morning, while Fia happily swings her feet in the chair, I sit across from my husband, eating pancakes while drowning in one of his oversized white t-shirts.

Louise made us breakfast, one fit for royalty. I’ve never seen such an array before. Pastries, pancakes, an omelet with bacon strips. There’s so much to choose from.

Fionn picks up his cup of coffee, already dressed in tight navy dress pants and a pale blue button-down, the sleeves rolled up to expose his muscular arms, thick veins running through them.

I grow warm at the sight of him: that full hair brushed back, eyes as though staring into the depthless sea. The large watch on his right wrist probably costs a fortune. Then again, I’m sure everything he owns is expensive.

I try very hard not to keep staring. Except it’s impossible.

His mouth curves as he takes a bite of his bagel. “I’ll be gone most of the day, but you’re free to do whatever you want.”

He motions his head behind me and that has me looking back to find a stern man about Fionn’s age coming closer. He’s huge and scary. Dark hair and eyes. Who is he?

“This is Roy. He’s your bodyguard. Fia will have her own.”

My eyes practically fall out. “Oh. Uh, hi.”

“Ma’am.”

“He’s my eyes when I’m not with you.” His expression turns tense. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“Where will you be all day?”

“I have some work to do.”

“Oh.”

Does he mean murder?

When he takes in my face, he chuckles. “Not that kind of work. Actual work. My brothers and I are on the board of our corporation, so I sometimes have to be at the office.”

“Okay.”

He removes something from his pocket. “I got you a new phone. I’ve programmed all your numbers in there. Including mine.”

When I stare at the latest cell model that I know costs like two grand, I can’t wipe the shock from my face. My phone is still upstairs, and definitely nowhere near as fancy.

“Thank you.”

When I reach out to grab it, he places his hand over mine.

“You never need to thank me. I’m here to take care of you.”

Emotions overtake me and I force myself not to cry, because this is like a dream. And with every moment, I wonder when it’ll all blow up in my face.

FIONN

I didn’t exactly lie to her. I do usually work. But today, I don’t have to.

Today, I have other important things to do.

Arriving at her mother’s house, I park across the street, spotting two vehicles in the driveway.

The bitch is home. Which is a good thing. She’s gonna tell me exactly what she did to Amara’s dog.

Retrieving my gun from the glove compartment, I slip it into the holster at my waist as I climb out. She’ll give me answers one way or another…or she’ll find herself swimming in the ocean.

Crossing the street, I head for the door, knocking lightly. Shooting my way through didn’t feel like a smart plan. Though it was quite tempting.

When she opens the door, she smiles flirtatiously, her teeth as yellow as a lion’s ass. “Hi there. What can I do for you, handsome?”

“Who’s that?” a man’s gruff tone rings behind her until he appears.

Removing my nine, I point it at him. “Get the fuck inside. Both of you.”

She gasps, while the man’s eyes grow with fear. When he slowly starts to move his hand into his pocket, I fire a shot, the silencer on. The bullet rips through his hand, and when he screams in agony, I shove them inside and lock the door.

“That was just a warning.” I lean against the wall, aiming the weapon at him. “Now shut the fuck up before I put a bullet in your throat.”

He pants, grinding his teeth and cradling his bleeding hand.

“P-p-please,” she begs, “I don’t have any money.”

“I don’t want your fucking money.” I trail closer, smelling the stench of something sour coming from the house.

This is how she lived? Fuck. I would’ve gotten her out of this hell if I knew. If she’d told me.

Damn it, baby. Why didn’t you tell me?

“Sit the fuck down, Desdemona.”

I don’t miss the way her entire face twists with shock at the mention of her name.

“Who…who are you? Wha-wha-what do you want?” she whispers while the prick tries not to make a sound, body shaky with obvious pain.

“You have thirty seconds to tell me what you did to Amara’s dog. Or your boyfriend bleeds out.”

“Amara?” She snickers. “That’s what this is about?”

I push the barrel under her jaw. “You want a bullet that badly?”

Before she lets out her next laugh, I fire one into her foot.

“Ahh! Fuck! You psycho!” Her scream only fills me with irritation.

“Tell me. What the hell did you do to Max?” I dig the barrel into her temple.

“Okay, okay,” she cries, wincing as she tries to sit. “I—I sold him.”

I’m gonna kill her.

My fist balls at my side. “To who?!”

She shrinks back from my barbaric tone. “Xander, okay? Xander, her ex. Please, please don’t kill me!”

That son of a…

“Why him?”

“I—I—I owed him money and hi-hi-his cousin wanted a dog, so he arranged for him to pick up Max while Xander and Amara were g-g-gone.”

My fingers curl tight around the grip of my weapon, my pulse pounding in my head. “His address.”

The things I’m gonna do to that motherfucker.

She gives it to me without a fight this time.

I start to go, turning to them. “You ever do anything else to harm my wife, I’ll kill you both. And that isn’t a threat. It’s a promise.”

“Your…your wife?” she winces.

“That’s right.” A cold smirk crawls over the corner of my mouth before I’m gone, back in my car and heading to that asshole’s place.

I’m gonna have so much fun with him.

He’s home alone.

I got lucky. Would’ve had to kill the witness.

Popping the lock of the back door, I step inside, my footfalls light, the sound of the television coming from somewhere in the house. I follow the noise, stepping past the kitchen. When I make it into the den, I find him on the sofa, his back to me.

He doesn’t hear me. Doesn’t notice the gun.

Not until it’s pressed to the back of his head.

“What the…” He turns, his face growing with panic. “You…”

“So you remember me.” My mouth jerks. “Must’ve left some impression.”

“What do you want, man?” He raises both hands in the air. “What’s this about?”

The nine remains pressed to his head before I come around. Settling on the ottoman right before him, I let the weapon dangle between my legs, staring hard, letting seconds drift. ’Cause I know with each one, he’s even more terrified.

“Look, man, if this is about Amara, she and I are done. I’m with someone else.”

I let out a dry laugh. “I know what you did.”

“I didn’t do shit to her! If she said I did, she’s lying.”

In a flash, I’m on my feet, towering over him, the barrel digging into his Adam’s apple. “You’re gonna put on your fucking shoes and we’re gonna take a drive to your cousin’s house. You know, the one you gave Max to.”

His gaze fills with instant terror.

“That’s right. Desdemona told me everything.”

I can see his eyes working up a plan. Though nothing he says will save him.

“She, uh, owed me money and couldn’t pay. You know how it is.” He attempts to laugh it off, but when I smash the pistol into his jaw, he’s not doing much laughing.

“And you thought taking your girlfriend’s dog was the right thing to do?” I snap. “What kind of man are you?”

He cowers, holding his arms up to protect himself.

“Get your ass up!”

I don’t wait. I yank him by his shirt, dragging him barefoot out to my car. Opening the passenger side, I throw him inside, then get in.

“Address.”

When he doesn’t say a word, I remove the gun from my ankle holster and dig it into the center of his chest.

“My temper is running thin. If you don’t talk in the next two seconds, I’ll kill you.”

“Shit,” he grits, deciding if he should talk. “My cousin is a good guy, okay?”

“Did he know it was her dog?” I drill him with a sharp look.

Silence.

I scoff. “He’s as fucked as you are.”

“Please, man!” he begs. “Please don’t hurt me. I’m sorry! I’ll—I’ll apologize to her, okay?”

“You won’t get anywhere near my wife again.”

He whips his head back. “You…you married her?”

“Yes.” A slow, taunting grin climbs up my face. “I’m sorry, your invitation must’ve gotten lost.”

He snickers. “So the kid is yours, then?”

At the mention of my daughter, I dig the gun deeper. “It doesn’t matter. She’s mine either way.”

“Yeah, whatever. Have them both. I don’t care.”

As soon as he spits out those words, I punch him in the nose.

“Ah! Damn it! I think you broke it!” He clasps it, blood leaking out of both nostrils.

“You talk disrespectfully about them again, and I will break each one of your bones just for fun.”

He swallows thickly, chest rising with barraging inhales while blood spills from his face.

“The address. Now.”

He shoots it off without a fight this time, and fifteen minutes later, we’re there, pulling up next to a small colonial, a black SUV in the driveway.

I hope her dog is there. Because I’m not leaving without him.

“Does he live alone?”

He nods.

Good. Wouldn’t wanna break any children’s hearts. But that dog is hers, and she deserves to have him back. And I’ll be the one to give him to her.

Just thinking about seeing her happy when she sees him again… Fuck, I can’t wait.

The gun is aimed at his head as I open my door first, then his, making sure he doesn’t run.

“Get out.” Grabbing his shirt, I haul him out when he’s not fast enough. “Don’t try anything stupid.”

He flinches at my warning as we make it up the driveway before he’s knocking on the door.

“Tee, open up. It’s me.”

A dog barks in the background.

Fuck. He’s in there. Adrenaline pumps through my veins.

“Yo, what’s uh…” His words die when his attention bounces between Xander’s face and me. “What the hell is going on?” His dark eyes narrow. “What’d you do?”

He’s probably not much older than his idiot cousin.

“Open the fucking door before I shoot you.”

He trips back a step, and as he does, that’s when the dog rushes up beside him.

A beautiful honey-colored golden retriever stares up at me, barking once in warning. But as he creeps closer, he sniffs me, and as soon as he does, he starts barking, tail wagging, excitement building. It’s like after all this time, he still recognizes Amara’s scent.

“Move.” I shove my way in, locking the door behind me.

“What’s going on, Xander?” Fear treads through Tee’s words.

“This dog doesn’t belong to you.” I scratch Max behind his ears. “But you already knew that.”

“Shit…” he whispers.

“He’s Amara’s…husband.”

Tee’s eyes swell when he finally notices the gun. “Yo, just take him, man. I’m cool with it.” He raises his palms in the air. “It was wrong, okay? What he did was not cool.”

“Yeah, no hard feelings, alright?” Xander chokes on his voice, panic taking over. “Please just let us go.”

“Sit, Max.”

The dog immediately obeys, settling by my side, staring at the men with their tails between their legs.

I run a hand down Max’s head, and he slants closer. “What do you think we should do with them?”

The dog barks.

“I think so too.” I nod.

“Wha-what does that mean?” Xander asks right before I put a bullet between his cousin’s eyes.

“Oh fuckfuckfuck!” He pulls at his hair. “Please,” he cries, staring at his dead cousin on the floor. He raises his palms in the air.

“I’ve been wanting to kill you from the moment you put your hands on her. I’m only sorry it took me this long.”

“Please! I?—”

Pop.

He collapses beside his cousin.

At least I won’t have to worry about paternity anymore.

“Okay, Max. I think we’re done here.”

Removing my phone, I call one of my guys.

“Sir?”

“I need the cleaning crew to 555 Main Street in Boston. Two large rooms. Lots of dirt.”

“Got it.”

The phone goes dead and I’m back in the car, driving home to my wife, unable to wait another moment to see the look on her face once she sees Max.