Brody: The Callaghan Mafia #2
Page 16
Especially meetings that could’ve been addressed in a fucking email.
“Am I okay to continue?” Declan asked.
“Actually, before we do, I have something to say,” Mom said.
I watched her stand and something in the pit of my gut clenched. Tight.
“Uh oh,” Abby whispered.
“You can sit. What is it, Mom?” Declan asked.
“Actually, I’d like to stand. Because I have a feeling I won’t be wanted in this room once I make the announcement,” she said.
“I’m by your side the entire way,” Martin said.
I whipped my head over and watched him stand, making his way to Mom. I narrowed my eyes as he stood beside her. The hair on the nape of my neck prickled upwards as his arm softly draped around her waist. And as my entire body tensed, all the way down to my toes, I knew what was coming.
“Don’t do this,” I warned.
Mom looked over at me and shot me the best apology she could through her eyes. Then, she stiffened her back, gazed down the table at Declan, and folded her hands in front of her.
“As much as I loved Richard, he’s gone. While our marriage wasn’t perfect, I loved him. Dearly. But the last few years of his life, he was growing more and more senile,” Mom said.
“You take that back,” Abby growled.
I had to keep her from flying up in her seat. But I couldn’t blame her for the outburst.
“I know it’s hard to hear, Abigail, but it’s the truth. There was a great deal of distance that grew between Richard and myself during these past four years. It got to a point where we were sleeping in separate bedrooms on separate floors of the house. And had it not been for Martin, I’m not sure I would’ve ever gotten through it,” she said.
Declan shot out of his chair as Mom’s hand settled against Martin’s chest.
“What the hell is going on right now?” Declan asked.
“I’m sorry to spring this on you. But I can’t keep it a secret any longer. My period of mourning has ended for Richard. If I’m being honest, it happened back some time. Well before he went missing,” Mom said.
“You never loved him. I knew it. I knew you were a snake!” Abby exclaimed.
I pressed my lips against her ear. “I need you to take a breath for me. Think of the baby.”
“I loved your father dearly, Abigail. In some ways, I always will. That man patched me up after an abusive first marriage. He took on the baggage I came with. Married a woman with four sons and raised them as his own. I’ll always love and respect Richard for that. Always,” Mom said.
“Just spit it out,” I said curtly.
Mom sighed. “I’m moving on with my life. And that begins by admitting my love for Martin.”
“What!?” Declan roared.
“I’m moving in with him within a few days’ time,” Mom said.
“You can’t really be serious,” Gael said.
“You had something to do with my father’s death, didn’t you?” Abby asked.
“Don’t go slinging around accusations right now,” I murmured.
Mom’s eyes fell to her. “I would do no such thing. I loved your father, even if you never came to love me.”
“How could I!? You manipulated him every chance you got. You’ve always been jealous at the fact that I was the first woman in his life. The first woman he wanted to take care of, even before you. You always hated that, Fiona. I’ve always been able to read you like a book,” Abby hissed.
“You know nothing about me because you never took the chance to get to know me,” Mom said.
“Says the woman who never came to visit me and always tried to get my father to not visit me, either!” she exclaimed.
“Enough!” Declan commanded.
The entire table fell silent as Martin wrapped his arms around our mother.
“Come on. We should leave,” he said.
“Is this what you really want, Mom?” Declan asked.
I knew that was a loaded question. As I slowly stood, gazing into Declan’s face, I knew exactly where his mind was running. It was where mine had run off to. With everything that had taken place, this only made Mom look more guilty. Martin’s challenging of Declan’s seat. Us not really knowing what the timeframe was before Mom called us to come investigate Richard’s disappearance. And now, with Martin’s challenge still on the table and her wanting to run off with him?
She was my mother, but even I knew when a conspiracy was brewing.
“Yes, this is what I really want. I’ve already made the decision. I’m merely giving you the courtesy of filling you in on what’s happening,” Mom said.
Declan drew in a deep breath. “Then, may whatever God you believe in have mercy on you.”
About the Author
Savannah Rylan is a romance writer that spends most of her time writing and reading with her cat, Gris. When not penning the next great American novel, (HA), you can find her on the beach with a drink in her hand or at the gym testing out some strange new position. Yoga, obviously. She lives in Southern California with her husband and Gris, the true love of her life.
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More Books by Savannah Rylan
Series
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Saint (Dead Souls MC: Prospects #3)
Ryker (Dead Souls MC: Prospects #4)
Toxin (Dead Souls MC: Prospects #5)
Texas (The Lost Boys MC #1)
Stone (The Lost Boys MC #2)
Bronx (The Lost Boys MC #3)
Notch (The Lost Boys MC #4)
Jace (The Black Hornets MC #1)
Maverick (The Black Hornets MC #2)
Duke (The Black Hornets MC #3)
Colt (The Black Hornets MC #4)
Thor (The Black Hornets MC #5)
Jagger (The Black Hornets MC #6)
Knox (Dead Souls MC #1)
Grave (Dead Souls MC #2)
Brewer (Dead Souls MC #3)
Rock (Dead Souls MC #4)
Diesel (Deal Souls MC #5)
Girth (Marked Skulls MC #1)
Rodeo (Marked Skulls MC #2)
Abe (Marked Skulls MC #3)
Oz (Marked Skulls MC #4)
Dash (Marked Skulls MC #5)
Hawk (The Road Rebels MC #1)
Talon (The Road Rebels MC #2)
Snake (The Road Rebels MC #3)
Fox (The Road Rebels MC #4)
Gunner (The Bad Disciples MC #1)
Hunter (The Bad Disciples MC #2)
Tank (The Bad Disciples MC #3)
Glock (The Bad Disciples MC #4)