by Jane Henry
I’ve no idea how we’ll handle this, how I’ll remain loyal to The Clan and keep my word to her as well, but I feel as if I’ve no choice in this.
I have to.
We walk in silence to the meeting room. We hear a baby’s laugh, and both of us look out the large windows to just outside the lawn where Maeve and Fiona walk with Sam between them.
“They trust you,” she whispers. “Wish I could, too.”
Once she says it, she bites her lip and looks as if she wishes she could take it back. She shakes her head. I don’t respond. Truth is, I wish I could trust her, too.
When we arrive in the meeting room, the men of our inner circle are there: Carson, Lachlan, Tully, Boner, Keenan, and Cormac.
Sheena freezes next to me when we step inside the room.
Bloody hell.
Father Finn sits beside Keenan. When Sheena sees his priestly garb, her eyes flash at Keenan.
“You told me you wouldn’t!” she shouts, pointing an irate finger at him. I yank her back to me. I’m angry as well, but I can’t let her speak to him that way. I’ve broken the bones of men for less than that.
“Sheena.” She flinches at the sharp sound of my voice. I wrap my fingers around her accusatory hand and bring it down.
“That’s enough. You won’t speak to the Chief that way. You watch that smart mouth or I’ll punish you right here, right now, with all of them watching.”
And I will. I’m fully prepared. She needs to know she can’t do this, and they need to know I won’t let her. Goddamn this woman. I’ve got to get her under control, and now, before this spirals out. I can already see her splayed across Keenan’s desk, while I give her a proper belting.
The other men are watching, all their eyes on the two of us. Even though I don’t blame her and want to deck Keenan myself, I take her jaw in my hand and force her eyes back to mine.
“Sit. Do not speak unless spoken to.” I tug her hand and make her sit beside me. She still seethes but at least she obeys.
Keenan’s still as she watches the two of us with narrowed eyes.
“Are you done?” he asks Sheena. “Ready to listen, now?”
She barely contains her contempt while she nods, and thankfully keeps her mouth shut.
Keenan takes in a deep breath, and his gaze comes to mine. “I didn’t call Father Finn,” he begins. “This has nothing to do with what we talked about earlier. He came to us, and she better listen to what he has to say. He’s here to bring us news.”
Sheena sits silently beside me, but I can still feel her fuming.
I trust Keenan. She doesn’t. He told me he wouldn’t call Father Finn, and Keenan’s a man of his word. I look over at Finn.
Father Finn looks older than the last time I saw him. His hair’s nearly white, though he’s only a decade or so older than Keenan, and his eyes look tired. I wonder at times if he wars with his vows of allegiance to the church and to us. Still, his placid voice and calm demeanor haven’t changed.
“You must be Sheena,” he says placidly, his voice as calm and soothing as if he’s prepared to pray the morning office instead of witnessing an irate woman about to tear the mob boss’ head off with her bare hands.
She nods. “Aye.”
He nods. “Pleased to meet you. Name’s Father Finn, uncle to the boys here and pastor of Holy Family.”
“I know who you are.”
He carries on as if she hasn’t spoken. “I’ve come to speak to Keenan about something that affects your family,” he says. “When I came today, I didn’t know you were here. But now that I do, there’s something you ought to know. Several things, actually.” He pauses, as if waiting for her attention. When she nods, he continues. “For one, it may come as news to you that I knew your mum when she was a child.”
Sheena blinks in surprise. “Didn’t know that.”
“We went to school together,” he says. “I was friends with your father.”
Her cheeks flush pink. I don’t miss the way her body grows rigid and she clenches her jaw. She’s barely masking fury, and I’m not sure why.
Does her purpose here have something to do with her father?
He leans back in his chair. Though he speaks quietly, he holds the attention of the room. “Something else you may not know, Sheena. I presided at your mum and dad’s wedding.”
She blinks, then shakes her head again. “Didn’t know that either.”
He sighs, closes his eyes, and pinches the bridge of his nose.
“I’ve given many of the Sacraments to your family, lass,” he says. “Including last rites the night your father died.”
It’s too much for her. She can’t hold her temper in check any longer. Before I can stop her, she’s on her feet, her eyes flashing, pointing an angry finger at Father Finn.
“Don’t you dare,” she says. “Your family, this family, was to blame for my father’s death. And you have the nerve to pretend as if you were friends! How dare you—”
Keenan’s on his feet, but not before I am. I yank her back toward me.
“Enough, Sheena.” I sit and yank her onto my lap and wrap my arms around her body. She heaves with anger, but closes her mouth when my grip tightens. I lean in and whisper in her ear, “Stop.”
Father Finn watches us with one brow casually raised. He doesn’t speak until she’s subdued. Her whole body trembles with rage, but she knows I mean what I say. She’s one breath away from being taken across my knee and strapped in front of the lot of them.
“Is that what you think, lass?” Finn says quietly. He shakes his head. “I’m disappointed in you. A brilliant girl like you ought not jump to conclusions.”
She stills. I grip her thigh and give her a firm squeeze. She needs to stay silent, to hear what he has to say.
“As I said, your father was a friend of mine,” Father Finn continues. “When money got tight after the birth of their third child, your father got involved with the O’Gregors. Stayed on the outskirts, or tried to.” He swallows, his Adam’s apple bobbing, before he continues, as if it pains him to remember. “But you don’t dabble with the O’Gregors. Your father tried to pull out, but it was too late. One of them wanted your mum, you see,” he says. “And for the O’Gregors, all’s fair in love and war.”
“Are you trying to tell me it’s the O’Gregors who’re responsible for the death of my father, not the McCarthys?” I can tell she doesn’t believe it by the way she shakes her head and snorts. “Wouldn’t that be convenient?”
Father Finn’s placid gaze doesn’t waver. “Not at all convenient. Not when you’ve brought the wrath of the O’Gregors on our doorstep.”
Her jaw drops in shock and she looks like she’s about ready to lose her mind again, when I intervene. I squeeze her thigh and address Father Finn.
“Tell us how you know this,” I say. “Do you have proof the O’Gregors are responsible for Hurston’s death?”
“Witnessed it myself, Nolan,” he says. “He knew they were coming, knew his death was imminent. He came to me for the final Sacraments. They took him when he was still on church property. They don’t have the same scruples as you. And yes, I have proof. Security footage from the church, to be exact.”
We don’t do any type of business on church grounds, hallowed as they are.
Video footage is as clear as it gets. In any other place and time, security footage of a murder would go to the police and the O’Gregors would pay. But not here, not in Ballyhock. Law enforcement’s on our payroll and theirs. Executions at our hands are left between the clans.
Sheena’s trembling, but I can’t tell if it’s from anger or something else.
No one else has spoken since Father Finn began, but now Carson chimes in.
“I knew it, too,” he says. “The O’Gregors are responsible for the drug trafficking in Stone City and every other surrounding town.”
“I’ll… show you the footage if you’d like,” Father Finn offers.
Sheena doesn’t respond.
/> “I’ll see it, please,” I tell him. “Later. For now, I trust you’ve told us the truth.” I’ve known him my entire life, and he’s never told a lie to me.
Sheena shakes her head. Keenan addresses her, his voice laced with warning, and for some reason it makes me want to deck him. I don’t often want to hurt my brothers, but Keenan’s stepping on my last nerve.
“Did you have a different story, Sheena? Another take on things, as it were?”
She lifts her head and meets his eyes, squaring her shoulders and drawing in breath. “Aye, do you think I’ve been on your arses for sport, then?”
I feel the corner of my lips tip upward. Christ, I love that smart mouth of hers. Still, I grip her firmly.
Keenan shrugs. “Wasn’t quite sure why you’ve been on us. All I know is that you are and that it’s time to put an end to it.”
“An end to it?” she says, her temper flashing again.
Keenan leans on the desk, his body rigid with authority. “Aye. An end to it. You think we’d be bothered to bring you here for sport? Got better things to do with our time than fuck with the likes of you.”
She flinches as if someone slapped her.
I’ve had it.
“Fuck off, Keenan,” I say quietly. The entire room goes silent, the only sound the ticking of a clock on a shelf behind Keenan. Boner squirms beside me, and even Lachlan’s eyes widen in surprise. Christ, I can’t even believe I said it myself.
Keenan doesn’t look angry, though, but surprised. I shouldn’t have said it. Even privately is unacceptable, but in front of the others... He’s Clan Chief, my older brother, my superior. Insubordination can incur not only his wrath, but severe punishment, and I know it. Hell, I’ll take it. I should’ve kept my mouth shut.
“Nolan,” Cormac warns. He sits beside me, shaking his head. He’s likely trying to prevent a pissing match I won’t win. “You don’t speak to him that way, brother.”
But Christ, the way Sheena’s eyes look at me, whatever happens now is worth it.
Father Finn clears his throat. “Boys,” he says. “Tempers are high. I won’t have you warring among yourselves.” Aye, but there won’t be a war. Keenan will have my arse kicked and I’ll fucking take it, but I won’t apologize. I won’t allow him to talk to Sheena that way.
Finn continues. “The strength of the McCarthy Clan has always been the loyalty and brotherhood we’ve fostered since its founding. And we won’t let anyone—” he pauses, his eyes coming to Sheena. “Destroy that.”
Keenan sits up straighter, picks up a stack of papers on his desk, and straightens them, tapping them like a judge banging a gavel.
“Aye,” he says. “I agree. So it’s time we clarified a few things, then.” He doesn’t speak to me of what I said, but continues discussing business. “First, the O’Gregors are responsible for the death of Sheena’s father. They also own Stone City, where several of you went last night to rescue Sheena’s family. Any word on her mum?”
Carson shakes his head. “No, but I’ll see what I can find out.”
Keenan nods. “Do that.” He turns to Father Finn. “I gave Nolan my word we wouldn’t involve social protection. We’ll keep them here in the meantime, and you’re not to interfere.” He turns to Sheena. “Under one condition.”
She holds his gaze for a long moment, before finally nodding.
“By your own admission, you were on our tails under the assumption we were responsible for the death of your father. Aye?”
She nods in silence.
“Assuming you were trying to bring us to ruin with the locals as retribution. Also true?”
It’s clear to me now, it all makes sense. She’s been terrible to us, but damn if I don’t blame her. She doesn’t have the power we do to set things to right, and sought justice it in her own way. I need to know why she thought us responsible. I’ll find out.
Keenan continues. “Now that you know we had nothing to do with the death of your father, you’ll clear our names. We’ve spent decades establishing a reputation here, and I won’t allow you to destroy that. You’ll do whatever it fucking takes to undo the damage you’ve done. Understood?”
He’s being gentler with her than he could be. He knows she means something to me, I’d guess. And anyone with a heart would take pity on the littler ones.
She looks to me and I give her another reassuring squeeze of her thigh. “Won’t be easy,” she says. “Got to make sure they don’t think I’m being bribed, and with my family here…” her voice trails off.
“You’re a smart girl,” Keenan says sharply. “You’ll figure it out.”
She breathes in deeply, squares her shoulders, then nods. “Aye. I’ll do it.”
“Good,” he says. “And you’ll remain under our custody until it’s evident you’ve cleared our names and we’re back in good standing with the locals. Understood?”
She huffs out a breath. “Yes.”
“I’ll have you know, lass, we’ve granted leniency to you only because of him.” He jerks his chin at me. “If not for Nolan, you’d have already paid the ultimate price by Clan code. Is that clear?”
She swallows and nods again. “Aye.”
He turns his gaze to me. “Nolan. You’ll head the battle against the O’Gregors. You brought it on us, and we weren’t exactly friends with the O’Gregors before all this began. They will not disturb our family. You’ll be sure to prevent fallout in whatever way you have to.”
“Of course.”
There’s warning in his gaze. “And you’ll keep this woman of yours under control in the meantime.”
I squeeze her thigh again. “On that you have my word, brother.”
Lachlan snorts but covers it up with a cough.
Keenan continues. “Find out what you can about what they’re planning. Find her mother and make sure she doesn’t pose a threat. For today, we find out who our enemies are. We won’t act defensively, brothers, but proactively.”
All around us there are murmurs of agreement, nods and promises. We could be on the cusp of battle, and we have to prepare. We talk about the possibilities, how we’ll approach this, and I delegate jobs to various men until we have a plan in place.
Keenan closes the meeting with one final admonition. “The lives of the Clan depend on you, Nolan. I know you won’t let us down. Sheena’s the best goddamn reporter in Ireland and I’m sure those skills of hers can be put to good use. She’ll help, won’t you?”
Sheena nods.
“Keep your eyes open. Be prepared, boys. This has only just begun.”
I take in a deep breath. He’s right.
“Before we go, Keenan, I’ve something to tell the group.” We look over at Carson, who meets Keenan’s gaze bravely.
“Aye?”
He smiles. “Eve’s expecting.”
Lachlan pumps his fist in the air and hoots. Tully slaps Carson on the back, and Cormac bumps his fist. Keenan smiles. “Congratulations, Carson. Mam and the girls will be thrilled.”
“Aye,” Carson says. “Thanks very much. Not sure how well she’ll fare, but… well, I didn’t want you lads finding out any other way.”
“Much appreciated, Carson,” Keenan says, then he looks to me. “And all the more reason we re-establish the safety and well-being of The Clan.”
Sheena looks wistfully at Carson, then the others, but she says nothing. Her face is drawn and pained, for some reason. I wish I knew why. I wish I knew how to make it better.
Chapter 12
Sheena
I don’t know what to do, what to think. It’s as if my entire purpose has been swept out from under me. Until now, I’ve been on a vengeance mission to bring the McCarthys down, and now… if I’m to believe what the priest said… I’ve been misinformed.
I’m deep in my head when Keenan dismisses the meeting, filled with so many thoughts I don’t even know how to begin to sort them.
They can prove they didn’t kill my father.
I’ve been chasing the w
rong people.
The O’Gregors are the ones responsible.
It’s up to me to bring vindication to the McCarthys.
This has only just begun.
Just now, Carson told the lot of them his girlfriend’s expecting, and their congrats brought a pang to my chest. I don’t have a support system like this. I have no one.
Nolan rises and takes my hand, a decided firmness to his gaze and tightness to his grip on my hand that gives me pause. I don’t know if he’s angry or just determined, but something tells me I’m about to find out. I try to shove all my thoughts and fears away, but it’s hard.
I can’t believe how stupid I’ve been, how arrogant.
I was set up. I was lied to. And I’ve built my hopes and dreams on a sand castle premise. The tide’s washed everything away.
As we’re leaving the meeting room, Father Finn calls my name. “Sheena.”
I turn to look at him. I knew who he was before I met him, having done my homework. The younger brother of the late Seamus McCarthy, he looks much older than he is. I imagine his dual role as McCarthy clan chaplain and pastor to Holy Family isn’t an easy job.
“Father Finn.”
He sweeps a hand across his brow and runs his fingers through his gray hair.
“Your father was a good man, lass.”
My throat is tight, and my nose tingles. “Aye,” I agree. My voice is husky. “The very best.”
“He didn’t deserve to die the way he did. And it broke my heart to see your mother’s undoing.”
I nod. “Me, too.”
Nolan watches us thoughtfully but doesn’t speak.
“Between your connections and mine, we’ll see to it that social protection leaves them be. I’ve a contact in the main office in Stone City. I imagine you do as well?”
“I know a few people, yes.”
Even though I feel like I need a good, hard cry, another, inexplicable feeling comes over me as well. My heart feels lighter than it has in years. Our meeting today’s shed light on the truth. And now instead of a mission to bring down one family, my job is to vindicate. And I like that. I’ll do my damned best.
