Page 82 of Dark Alliance
With my father gone, my own house no longer feels familiar. I should be taking charge to make him proud, but with Nino at the helm of our Russian invasion, I’m background music.
I can’t stop thinking about that last conversation I shared with Father about our family’s future.
I’m also still struggling to comprehend why Nino’s so insistent on blaming Connor for our father’s death.
The diamond’s missing, but Connor didn’t steal it, and the will’s missing too.
It’s all connected, but I lack the final piece to finish the puzzle. I just don’t know what it is.
This is why I always hated puzzles, Father.
In the hallway, two Russian enforcers nearly plow me down as they stomp toward my father’s office.
Curious, I follow.
They don’t bother closing the door behind them. As I stand to the side of the hall, I hear Nino and Oleg Belinski discussing an imminent attack on the Gallaghers. Belinski places a call and spits out orders in Russian.
Terror rockets through me like a shockwave as all the worst-case scenario nightmares I’ve envisioned for months play out in real time, inside my own family home.
I need to call Connor. To see him.
I grab my coat and bag and stride toward the front doors. While Nino said someone would go with me, our new Russian houseguests have ignored me all day. No one even looks up when I march through the foyer.
With my father gone, I’m all but invisible, and that works in my favor.
With Connor, things are different. I’m not invisible to him.
Though maybe that’s just the grief talking.
Chapter 26
Connor
“Do you know what this means?” Finn’s a special shade of red I haven’t seen before as he confronts me over my “antics” at the Ricci estate.
I’ve never even heard the man raise his voice. He doesn’t need to when he looks like a supervillain with that scary scar and those hulking shoulders. Dressed in his signature black, all he needs is a flowing cloak, and he’s ready for action.
I can’t tell if I’m supposed to answer the question or just sit and endure the scolding like a good little boy.
Or I could just be confused because this office feels so much like my father’s. All that’s missing is the cigar smoke and my dear old dad breathing down my neck.
Finn’s only a few years older than me, but for this verbal lashing, I can pretend he’s Declan.
Maybe it’s a sixth sense, but my gut warns me to keep my fucking mouth shut.
Finn circles the mammoth mahogany desk and invades my space. “Well? Do you realize what you’ve done?”
Just rub my nose in it, why don’t you?
In my periphery, I spy Brody shaking his head.
Is that embarrassment? Worry? Code for “don’t speak”?
I scratch my jawline. Long fucking night and even longer day. After skipping a few shaves, my scruff’s starting to irritate me. “I think you’re missing the bigger picture here, Finn.”
“Fuuuuck.” Brody drags out the word.
Guess I picked wrong. Whoops.
