by India Kells
It was unbelievable, meaning they’d been left to fend for themselves on the streets, alone, in a perilous city, through criminality, hunger, and harsh winters.
She’d been an orphan, but one with incredible luck, so unlike the brothers, alone in the world, and fighting against it. What amazed her even more was that, despite what adults had put them through, Cary had offered his help and protection, and tried to help her with the limited means he had. He had a kind soul, a rare thing, at any age, these days.
Lucas was putting a small pile of pancakes together and when Isabel brought her a bowl of fruit, Cary carefully slid a plate in front of her. He looked so proud at that moment; it took everything in her to blink back her tears.
“It looks amazing, Cary. Thank you. But I really want you and Ted to eat too... way before me.”
Another sign that the kid who’d had to grow up way too fast was reappearing was the twinkle in his eyes when he answered. “We ate a couple hot off the pan, as a test. I wanted to make sure they were good enough for you.”
So there was a smart ass after all behind his wise expression. “I have no doubt about your capacities.”
The boy shuffled some more as Ted came by his side and took his hand, shyly burying his face in his back. Even if she couldn’t see the child’s face, it was clear Ted was pulling his big brother’s sleeve. Cary straightened a little.
“Lucas said we could go with him to play video games. He has a console and cool games.”
He was not asking for her permission, but more like seeking her approval.
“Don’t you want to eat first?”
Cary shrugged. “He said we could eat in his room.”
Boys will be boys, so she laughed. “Just don’t make a mess and listen to Lucas. And don’t leave the house. That last part is important. Understood?”
His nod was quick, but his smile undeniable. Cary and Ted sprinted away, grabbing a plate, piling fruit on it before scurrying away around the corner, following Lucas. Chewy remained close, drawn by the combination of children and food.
“They won’t be able to step out the door without the alarm system or guards knowing.”
Deva’s statement stopped Catriona mid-bite.
Isabel rolled her eyes. “The men are probably discussing how to tighten security even more. Considering what occurred, that’s not surprising. They’ve all got gray hairs at your sudden disappearance and the new threat.”
She resumed eating but the pancakes felt like lead in her stomach. Even though they were delicious, Catriona pushed them aside and took a strawberry instead. Remembering what transpired with Hazel and Lucas dimmed her morning peace.
Zoe was still pacing with Julia, trying to soothe her. “I wish I could give you a big hug, Catriona. I know how you saved Lucas, and I’m still shaking from what could have happened. If not for you… It’s a Christmas miracle, although it’s only Christmas eve.”
The poor woman was upset, which triggered her daughter even more, who was now crying at full force.
No longer hungry and unable to remain seated while Zoe was in distress, Catriona pushed her chair aside and went to her, taking both mother and child in a hug.
Zoe circled her waist and pressed her cheek against hers. Julia’s cries lessened a little until they were completely gone. The baby started cooing and wrapped her chubby fingers around Catriona’s loose strands of brown hair.
Tears were running down Zoe’s cheeks when she straightened. Isabel and Deva came closer, rubbing their friend’s back.
With a watery laugh, the young mother moved back. “Sorry about that. Just like Archer and Julia, Lucas is my entire world. I couldn’t bear if anything happened to him. If not for you saving him...”
The words lingered and Catriona cringed a little. “Well, it was pure providence, because I’d run from the brothers. I accidentally found Lucas, and we helped each other escape. Your brother is young, but he’s courageous.”
The praise finished steadying the mother. “He is, so much.” With a kiss on Julia’s head, Zoe went to step back, but her daughter was holding Catriona’s hair with such force and fascination, the four women laughed. Isabel and Deva helped untangle the baby’s fist, but as soon as Zoe turned away, Julia screamed at the top of her lungs.
“That reprieve was short-lived. I think I’ll go back to our room.”
Isabel shook her head. “You haven’t eaten yet.”
Julia extended her arms toward Catriona, wailing with even more intensity. There was only one thing to do.
“I have a knack with kids. I know I’m a stranger, but I can hold her while you eat breakfast.”
Zoe didn’t hesitate and offered her baby to Catriona without any hesitation. Julia calmed down at once and resumed her amusement with her hair. The three women surrounding her looked stunned.
“Wow! She hasn’t been this happy for the last three days, no scratch that, last few weeks.” With a sigh,
Zoe’s shoulders dropped. Deva rubbed her back as Isabel went to get her something to eat. The women refilled cups and plates, and settled in the small sitting your area, Zoe cross-legged on the floor with a plate balanced on her knee, Deva curled up in one end of the sofa with Isabel on the other end, sipping a fresh cup of coffee. Catriona bounced Julia, delighted at Julia’s giggles.
“Should we bring food to Sasha? Has she even eaten yet?”
The doctor’s name made Catriona look up. “Sasha’s here? In lockdown? But what about Lazarus?”
Isabel nodded. “They’re both here. As soon as it was decided to come here, Lazarus was the first one to be transferred, with Sasha as his escort. We were lucky Oz’s health was stable enough for him to be moved. And Sasha is extremely organized, she had to be when she was with Doctors without Borders.”
Catriona was impressed. She’d seen something in Sasha when she’d met her at the hospital—professionalism, dedication, and an endless well of compassion.
“Don’t worry about that, Isabel. I was here earlier, and Kai took her something when he went to see his brother. He also made sure she has everything she needs, and her room was comfortable. She prefers sleeping on a cot.” Deva shook her head. “She’s so stubborn. She even went toe to toe with Archer about the medical equipment required.”
Zoe snorted. “Yeah, I heard about that. Archer was pretty pissed off, but I reminded him it was for his brother, and that took precedence over his urge to control everything.”
Deva shared a glance with Isabel, both amused. “I bet he took that with a smile.”
The teasing between the women about their men amused Catriona and fascinated her at the same time. “I don’t know the brothers as well as you. They seem so different, and similar at the same time.”
Zoe smiled, sipping her coffee. “How much did Gabrielle tell you about them before throwing you to the wolves?”
“Not much. She mostly talked about Liam, how he and his brothers needed my help to dig through complicated financial and accounting files.”
Isabel scoffed. “That’s all? No wonder you fled when you found that information on Lazarus.”
“Gabrielle is a friend and I trust her.”
“And what if the brothers had fooled her? We all know Gabrielle personally, she’s a formidable woman, and I suspect that it was also the trust she has in the brothers that brought you back.”
The blond woman wasn’t entirely wrong. Her first reaction had been one of self-preservation, common sense came later.
“You’re quite right. Everything happened so fast and I couldn’t think straight. I suppose assuming the brothers were like their father wasn’t kind on my part.”
Deva’s face turned dark. “Each of them has a great deal of darkness in them, it’s part of being Finch’s bastard sons. Guilt, violence, regrets, rage, loneliness... Aleksei has a healthy dose of violence in him, fueled by his rage.”
Isabel nodded. “For Kai, it’s guilt for what he couldn’t do.”
Next, Zoe sighed. “For Archer,
grief turned his veins to ice. I believe that Lazarus’ actions are driven by the fear of not stopping his father in time. Sam seems to be engulfed in loneliness and pain.”
The question poured out of Catriona’s mouth before she could stop herself. “And Liam? What haunts him?”
The women looked at each other, and Deva shook her head. “I think it’s regret. Regret at being a disappointment to his mother, of not being loved. Of even being born.”
The words robbed Catriona of breath. How could that little boy have been so traumatized and not still carry deep scars? How could he even think he’d been put on this earth for nothing?
The air was thick with the emotions they had stirred. In the silence, little Julia sighed in her sleep, making bubbles with her heart-shaped mouth, triggering a trail of giggles around the room.
“You’re a miracle worker, Catriona. Just holding my daughter and she’s having the best sleep of the last two weeks. I may come to your door and drag you from your bed when I’m about to collapse in the middle of the night.”
Isabel nudged her shoulder with her feet. “Don’t do that, she and Liam have just found each other.”
Heat raised to her cheeks, and Catriona tried to divert the conversation, but Deva beat her to it.
“They can’t be together. Catriona is a nun.”
If not for risking waking up the baby, Catriona would have gladly screamed but instead shook her head. “A novitiate. I still have time to decide.”
Zoe touched her ankle, gesturing for her to sit down, Julia still fast asleep in her arms. All four women were now forming a circle, a sorority Catriona hadn’t found since the convent.
The redheaded mother kissed her child’s head before touching Catriona’s hand. “You don’t have to defend yourself. You’re free to make your own choices, but Deva told us about the compromising situation she found the two of you in. Again, your choices are your own. You’re the only one who can decide on what’s best for you.”
The women were silent, but Catriona felt the warmth mixed with their curiosity. “It’s true, I am part of a convent, and I’ll take my final vows soon. I was welcomed by the convent as an orphan and given the opportunity to study. I’ve always had a talent with numbers, so my path was clear. I could use my talent to help the Church and become a nun. I thought my path was obvious, until... Liam.”
When she looked at the trio before her, Catriona worried she’d see amusement or judgment on their faces, but she only saw acceptance and compassion, so she continued. “I’ve always believed in destiny and clarity, and until I came to Chicago, there was no doubt in my mind on what my next step should be. I’ve never felt a true connection with men before, apart from friendship. I’ve never felt desire or attraction before. I know the first thing I should’ve done was to remove myself from the situation, but it wasn’t possible. Not now at least. And maybe I have to learn from this. Discover why I delayed taken my final vows for so long.” With a smile, she shook her head. “Maybe it was a warning not to succumb as we’ve been interrupted twice.”
“You’re in a jam, that’s all I can say.” Deva smiled. “Twice.”
“And what if it happened? I’d look like a fool.”
“Whoa, where’s that coming from? Liam makes you look like one?” Zoe perked up, wanting to defend her.
“No, no.” As she was opening up, she should go all the way. “I’ve never done the deed. I’m still a virgin. I’m everything opposite to what Liam probably wants.”
“Experience isn’t everything, Isabel can tell you loads about that.” Deva’s words were a hint that was impossible to ignore.
Isabel rolled her eyes. “Come on! Why would you bring up my past right now?”
Catriona couldn’t help but be curious as her eyes met Isabel’s. “Isabel?”
The blond woman sighed. “I didn’t want to say anything, not that I’m ashamed of it, I stand by my decisions in life. I can tell you that men don’t necessarily like women with experience. I was in porn for a long time before switching careers, and that drove a lot of men away. Experience is not what pulls people together. True attraction isn’t just about sex. It’s a connection. If I may give you some advice, from a woman who took a less-traveled path, follow your gut. Follow the truth of what you want so that you don’t have regrets.”
Catriona swallowed hard. “You regretted your... career?”
The blond woman smiled. “Not one bit. All the decisions, all the sacrifices, were made because they were the only ones I could make at the time. I wish the same for you, Catriona. If your truth, right here and now, is to be with Liam, you know what to do. Just don’t regret your choices.”
Wise words. She wasn’t opening a door, nor closing one. Instead, following a similar path of thought she’d adhered to for as long as she could remember. Being true to herself, to what she believed in and having no regrets—God forbid. Last time they were separated, she’d asked for a sign, an acknowledgment that she was taking the right path. If she wasn’t mistaken, this was one.
“I shouldn’t even be wondering about that. I have to focus on the task at hand. We’re in immediate danger. I need to take care of Cary and Ted. And we are on Christmas eve.”
Thinking about all she needed to do, Catriona almost wanted to start pacing again.
Zoe got to her knees. “About that, I wanted to let you know Archer is having trees and decorations brought in for Christmas. He tried to have them shipped quicker, but it’s been complicated, especially for safety reasons. We’re planning to start decorating as soon as everything arrives. The men aren’t into the festivities, but it’s the first time we’re all together, that they’re all together. We want to make the most of it. Even if Lazarus is still unconscious. You can’t do anything about the festivities until tomorrow. Good thing that Lucas has Ted and Cary ensnared in his video game for a while.”
Deva clapped her hands. “If it’s what you want, work all day on catching their evil father, and you can have all night with Liam.”
Chapter Sixteen
Locked in the study, Liam double-checked the background of the guards Archer had hired to make sure there wasn’t anything they’d missed. They couldn’t afford any mistakes.
He didn’t have to look up from the screen to sense his brothers close by. Archer was on the phone, burning the ear off a poor soul over the line.
Kai was going through the guards’ schedules, almost pulling out his hair, trying to make sure everything was perfect. With his military background, Liam was confident everything would be flawless.
Sam was standing as usual, looking through the window. He looked darker each time he saw him, and it worried Liam. Pushing away from his desk, he went to his half-brother.
Sam didn’t acknowledge him, but his stance shifted. Outside, the forest was covered with a fresh blanket of snow, only the guards’ footsteps marring nature’s perfection. Nobody was in sight, but that was expected. Security wasn’t meant to be seen, especially the one the brothers had selected.
It took a few seconds for Sam to speak, and Liam knew it was better for his brother to come out of his shell when he was ready.
“I should’ve killed him when I had a chance.”
This simple sentence echoed strongly with every single one of the brothers, one that could easily overwhelm and blur simple logic.
“You can’t go there, Sam. We didn’t know how twisted Finch could be, to what extent he’d react to our opposition.”
A muscle twitched in his brother’s jaw. “Liam, I hear you, but I see every time we should’ve been more vicious. I should’ve gone after him much sooner and killed him. Maybe I could have prevented Lazarus being hurt and your women being threatened, forced to flee and hide.”
Liam felt the pain emanating from his brother and touched his shoulder. “Brother, I prefer you keep your humanity. You’ve suffered enough. It would pain me if you lost yourself in the process. Finch isn’t worth it.”
For the first time, Sam lifted his head
and locked a fiery gaze on him. “But you’re worth that sacrifice. All of you are worth it to me.”
Liam felt the same toward all the bastards. “Let focus on what we can do. Catriona will cut off Finch’s finances, and he won’t be able to run. Give it time, Sam. Have faith.”
Liam wasn’t sure if Sam was convinced when he nodded, but it was the only guarantee he had for the moment.
Archer pierced the fragile calm inside the room with a string of curses just before his cell phone flew into the wall.
Kai was the only one stupid enough to whistle. “Easy, brother. You’re rich, but you still need that phone. If it’s not smashed beyond repair.”
Archer scowled, which didn’t impress any of the men in the room.
Liam shook his head. “I guess your little talk with the police wasn’t as fruitful as you expected?”
The businessman shrugged off his jacket which was a sure sign of his deep annoyance. “The police, the FBI... they’re all morons, all they can tell me is that the investigation is ongoing and to lay low for a while. They offered us the witness protection program.”
It was Kai’s turn to curse. “No fucking way. I’d prefer to see him coming than be a sitting duck.”
“Even better, I prefer to attack.” Sam made sense, but in their current situation, it was impossible.
“There’s too many of us, and with Lazarus down, it plays against us. Our best move is to lay low. Finch can’t find us for now.”
Aleksei arrived in the room just as Kai finished speaking.
“Brothers. I’ve made a few phone calls of my own, and hopefully, we’ll be warned if Finch puts another contract on our heads.”
Archer crossed his arms. “From what Lucas told me, Aunt Helen isn’t young or skilled. I guess she acted as a decoy for her dear brother.”
Liam looked at his other brothers, and each and every one of them had been thinking the same thing. She’d tricked Archer when she’d become his personal assistant when he moved to Chicago and put Zoe’s life on the line when she’d revealed herself.
