“I know. Which is why I know you’ll do whatever you can to end this war, and that works to my benefit, too.”
“How so?”
“Your brother is growing powerful and reckless. He struck one of my laundromats early this morning.”
I frown. “I hadn’t heard about that.”
“You’ve been busy,” he says, tipping his head back towards the building. “But this war is growing larger than just the two of you. Fedor and his men are wild … savage. They are fanatics following a loose cannon. They’ll do whatever he asks of them regardless of the body count. So, I want Fedor taken care of, too, and aligning with you is the best way to ensure that happens.”
“Great. Then we are on the same page.”
“Are we?” Seamus asks, turning to me.
I frown. “Of course, we are.”
“I hope so,” he admits. “Because once your brother is gone, his men will be neutralized. Once the figurehead is gone, there will be a power vacuum and his followers will fall into in-fighting. They aren’t organized enough to have a Plan B set in place. At that point, they’ll be easy to pick off, but we have to get to that point first.”
I nod. “I agree.”
“Are you prepared to kill your own brother?”
My brother. The man who raped my wife. The man who broke into my properties multiple times to try and kidnap the boy I view as my own son. Of course I want him dead.
But killing him myself?
I’ve been talking about taking care of Fedor for weeks, but I’ve avoided the thought of actually killing my brother. Mostly because when I picture it, I see Fedor at five years old. Or eight. I see him with gangly limbs and acne. I see him young and excited and innocent. Or, as innocent as Fedor ever was. I see the sadness in his eyes when he confessed to me that he was the reason our parents died in a fire.
No matter how hard I try, I can’t picture myself killing him now.
“Of course I am,” I say sharply.
Seamus nods and pats my shoulder. “I sure hope so. Because it has to be you, Viktor. It can’t be anyone else.”
I know he is right, but I wish he wasn’t.
19
Molly
Viktor still isn’t home when there is a knock at the front door. It has been a long time since I’ve opened my own front door, but I still stand up and am halfway across the living room when I hear the guard open it.
Old habits die hard.
“I’m here for Molly.” I recognize Niamh’s voice, and even if I didn’t, I would recognize the authority in it. She is a woman comfortable with wielding power over others, even large, muscled men whose job it is to keep her from coming inside.
“Niamh.” I step into the hallway, and the guard moves out of sight once he realizes I recognize the woman. “Where’s Seamus?”
I wasn’t expecting to host them on my own, but I feel more comfortable around Niamh and Seamus than most people. With them, I don’t feel like I’m pretending.
“Did Viktor not tell you?” she says with a frown. Then, she waves it away as though it isn’t important. “The two of them are off on business. Seamus told me it would be a little bit still, so I figured there was no reason the two of us couldn’t talk before they arrive. I’d like some alone time with my designer, anyway.”
“Of course.” I usher her inside and lead her to the sitting room. I want to ask what the two men are doing, but I don’t want to sound like I don’t trust Viktor. Or worse, like he doesn’t trust me. He promised me he would tell me things that had to do with my safety, so if he didn’t tell me, it must mean that it has nothing to do with me.
Though, that doesn’t feel right, either.
Anything that has Viktor away from home is my business. Anything that could put him in harm’s way concerns me.
“Is Theo here?”
“No, he is with the nanny tonight, but I hope to introduce you all soon.”
I was reluctant to part with Theo, especially after what happened this morning, but I didn’t want him to be introduced to the leaders of the Irish Mafia just yet. Not until we are absolutely certain they can be trusted. It’s nothing personal towards Niamh and Seamus, but I won’t take any risks with Theo.
Hannah volunteered to watch him again, but Viktor wouldn’t hear of it. So Theo is with the nanny and several guards at Viktor’s penthouse, and Hannah has made herself scarce for the evening.
“I’ll love him, I’m sure, but I’m anxious to have some adult time with you, anyway.” Niamh smiles briefly and then her eyes grow heavy with concern. “How are you doing? I couldn’t believe it when we heard about the attack this morning.”
“Luckily, it was a near-attack,” I say, trying to sound light. “We all left unscathed.”
“Thankfully.” Niamh presses her lips together and shakes her head. “This life is not for the faint of heart. I would understand if you had needed time to unwind and decompress, but I must admit, I’m impressed that you still had us over for dinner.”
“I’ve been through worse.” It’s true, but I don’t want to elaborate on exactly what that means. Niamh doesn’t ask me to.
She nods. “You’re built for this life, Molly. You may not feel like it all the time, but believe me, you are.”
The words are meant as a compliment, but I’m not sure how to take them. So instead of saying anything, I smile and then launch into talk of her new library design.
“I want a window seat, but I’m not sure how to make that happen without blowing out a wall,” Niamh says, pointing to the exterior wall of the library on the floor plan.
I wave her away. “Built-in bookshelves. We can get some made to match the other wall and have them wrap around to this wall. Then, in the middle of the shelves, we’ll add in a deep bench seat and cushions. There can even be some shelves below and above the window.”
Niamh taps the side of my head lightly and grins. “You’re a genius. I’m not sure why I even bothered writing down ideas. Everything you say is so much better.”
“It’s a collaboration,” I assure her. “Your ideas are a great jumping-off point. Plus, you are the one who picked out the wall sconces. I wanted to do a chandelier, but you were totally right; it would have been too bright. The sconces will be the perfect amount of light while still feeling intimate.”
Niamh likes all of my ideas for the library, and I really hope she isn’t just being nice because for the first time, I feel like an actual designer. Aside from the sconces, everything in the room has been my idea. She is giving me free rein with the color pallet, carpet selection, and décor. The only constraints are nothing rustic and no yellow. Niamh hates the color.
We are just wrapping up the last few items on Niamh’s itinerary when the door opens and Viktor and Seamus walk inside. Their voices are low enough that I can’t hear what they are saying, but Viktor isn’t being as charming as he usually is around other bosses. Based on their somber faces, whatever business they were attending to has followed them to dinner, though they both try to hide it.
Seamus bends and gives his wife a kiss on the cheek, and she squeezes his hand. Viktor sits next to me on the couch and stretches out his long leg next to mind, his warmth seeping into me.