Page 8 of A Ruthless Arrangement
What achievingherlooks like, I’m not sure yet. But I know that, just like with my dream of becoming the most powerful man in Ireland, I’ll give it my all until I’m completely successful.
Liam sits down in the chair across from me. He’s quiet for a moment, which is never good. I prepare myself for whatever stubborn nonsense he’s about to spew. “I wanted to apologize for my jokin’ in the car, boss.”
The man is like a brother to me, and in many ways,isa brother, since that’s how we do things in my world. He’s also afriend. But, at the end of the day, I’m still his boss, and it’s good to hear him acknowledge it, especially since hehadcrossed a line. “Good. Make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Liam nods, having expected such an answer from me. He sits up and looks at the pictures. He’s still unusually quiet, which meant that his apology wasn’t the only thing weighing on his mind. “Did ya read her file?”
My eyes narrow at him. “Yes. Why?”
He drums his fingers on the edge of the table. “She’s diagnosed with autism. Our doc agreed from researchin’ things. Quite interesting. You’re aware of that, I assume.”
“Yes,” I say lowly, wishing he’d get to the point.
“It doesn’t bother ya?”
My jaw clenches slightly. “No. Why would it?”
Liam shrugs. “I don’t know anyone with it. Aren’t they like…mute or something? Rock back and forth and all that?”
My friend’s ignorance makes me laugh. I think back to the recording of the phone call I just listened to. “Trust me, she isn’t mute. I’d advise you to do your research before you say such stupid things, but I know that won’t happen.”
Liam snickers. “Yeah, I’d deny it, but I know there’s no point. I ain’t goin’ to research a damn thing. But have you?”
“Yes,” I answer, without missing a beat.
Liam’s eyebrows raise. “Ah, you’re determined to get along with the missus, hm?”
More than he knows.“Might as well understand what I’m getting myself into.”
Liam nods. “Makes sense.”
Despite my closeness with both Jack and Liam, I haven’t shared my newfoundpassionfor Amy. I’m not sure I ever will. I need to protect myself, and if word gets out that I have taken such an interest in her, then the world will consider her a weakness.Myweakness.
And Kerry Alasdair has no weaknesses. I can’t afford to.
I know I’ll be satisfied once I have her under my roof. Then I can rest and go back to focusing on my business, and this obsession will die out. Just like with my aim of becoming the most powerful man in Ireland, my interest will ease once I achieve my goal. It didn’t die out completely, but it certainly wasn’t a fixation anymore.
I stare out the window, watching the sun slowly rising in the sky, coloring the clouds in an array of orange hues as we pass by them. “Liam, I want you to look into the girl we have on file for the Astero girl’s best friend, by the name of Lily.”
Liam’s eyebrows shoot up. “Lily Morin? We did some minor digging, she looks clean. Normal. Other than her own autism diagnosis. They met in 6th year and have been friends ever since. Single mother who was a school teacher. Unknown father.”
I snap my fingers and sit forward in my seat. “Exactly. Unknown father. Find out who it is.”
“All right… Anything in particular you want me looking for?”
My eyebrows lower. “Mafia connections.”
“Mafia…?” Liam seems surprised by this, but I’m not sure why. It wasn’t crazy for an Astero to be friends with someone else with mafia connections, even if she wasn’t raised in the underworld like the rest of us. “Really?”
I laugh and nod. “Really. I just listened to an interesting call between the Astero girl and Ms. Morin. They were trying to find a way out of this arrangement with me.”
Liam lets out a low whistle. “Want me to warn Astero to keep her in line?”
That suggestion makes me want to snap at Liam.No, the only person that will be keeping Amy in line from now on isme.Her grandfather can stay far away from her, too. “No. That’s all right, they can make their pretend plans. They’re trying to cling to hope, but I could tell they knew it wasn’t realistic. But theydiscussed Ms. Morin’s mother fleeing and starting a new life with a new identity. Apparently she ran from someone just as powerful and terrible as me. The girls didn’t seem to know much beyond that, and Ms. Morin’s mother is dead.”
Liam nods. “Yeah. Read that in the info we dug up on her. Well, that’s interesting, I’ll be sure to send off my hounds to sniff around that.”
I nod, looking back out the window of the plane. “Good.” My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I shift in my seat to bring it out. I look at the caller ID and sigh as I answer it. “Marjorie.”
