by J. J. McAvoy
“And they are?”
“Apparently Vance and Amory shared two special friends.” Liam snickered, and I could see the reflection of fire in his green eyes.
“That’s disgusting. Saige should be thanking me.” The thought made me want to puke in my mouth.
“She’s calling someone,” Sedric said. Liam and I looked over at him and tried not to laugh. He had switched seats with Evelyn just to see the fucking phone. Evelyn looked to me and winked, drinking her wine.
“I think I know who,” Coraline said, causing us all to follow her gaze to Vance who was in the middle of giving his son a speech. He glanced at his phone for a moment before going on.
“. . . it is for this reason I would like to welcome my daughter Saige Valero to the family. May she and my son make us all proud.”
Everyone but us applauded loudly. When Vance gave the microphone to Jane, I believe her name was, Saige’s maid of honor, he went to answer his phone. Sadly, it was too late, because Liam and I could see that the woman had passed out, probably due to the smoke. Putting his phone away, Liam took my hand and kissed it as we watched Vance listen to his messages. His back was turned to us but the moment he hung up after placing another call, he turned to us, his eyes were wide and deadly. All the “emotion” he had during the wedding was gone, and all that was left was this monster. It looked like he’d squeezed the phone so hard the screen cracked. Liam smirked and gave him a short nod as if they were friends.
“Do you think he is angry?”
“One can only hope, love.”
“Entertaining indeed.” Sedric smirked, leaning back into his chair.
“That was only the first course father.” Liam grinned, and I couldn’t wait for dessert.
LIAM
I didn’t make a habit of smoking. However, this damn wedding had gone on for far too long. Amory was now fully aware, which had to mean his new wife was as well. The tension between us, as we pretended to be nothing more than guests, was boiling under the surface. Even the way Saige cut her steak, which was so rare it looked like it was dripping blood, seem to antagonize us. She glared at Mel with so much hatred even Olivia had to look away. My Mel smiled at her as if she hadn’t noticed. I knew she had though. The clicking noise under the table as she loaded her gun with one hand was proof enough.
So I took a small smoking break inside the bathroom stall like I was still in high school. Neal and Declan had been my role models until the point my mother found them and beat their asses so badly that they couldn’t sit. That was the last time either of them smoked. I, on the other hand, had never been caught.
Maybe Mel could beat it out of me?
“Did you see Callahan’s bitch?” a voice called out from the other side of the stall.
“The Italian wench in white?” another replied, and I felt myself freeze.
“What I wouldn’t give to fuck the shit out of her tight pussy. I would ride the fuck out of her until she broke down like a good little cunt whore. Then—” He didn’t get to finish for the simple fact that I stepped out of the stall and put a bullet in the back of his friend’s head.
The body fell onto the urinal he was pissing in. The man beside him—how dare he call my wife a whore, cunt, and bitch—stood with his pants down in shock. I knew him. He was Amory’s best man, Alex.
He turned to me, opening his mouth to speak, but I took the liberty of grabbing him by his hair and smashing his head against the marble above the urinal.
“That Italian wench is my fucking wife!” I yelled, using his head as a hammer against the wall.
“You don’t talk of her as you piss.” Slam.
“You don’t talk of her, period. You don’t call her anything but fucking Mrs. Callahan.” Slam.
“And you sure as fuck don’t talk of her with your fucking hand on your dick.” Slam. Slam. Slam.
Releasing his head, which was covered in blood and brain matter, I watched as his body fell to the ground. He most likely died after the first two hits into the wall, but all I could fucking see was red. I wanted his head to come off his fucking shoulders. Sighing, I turned to the mirror to find my suit covered in blood.
With a groan, I reached into my jacket and pulled out my phone. “Eric, I need a new suit as fast as possible,” I told him as I washed the blood from my hands. Looking down, I noticed the blood spreading across the marble floor and onto my fucking shoes.
“Damn it. Get me new shoes as well.”
Hanging up, I dried my hands and stared at the bodies around me, just as another fool stepped in. He froze, looking first at the blood and then to me.
“Anger issues,” I said to him reaching for my gun. “Step into my office.”
He tried to turn and run but I shot him right in the spine, and his legs gave out.
“Guess you won’t be stepping anywhere, huh?” I asked him before blowing a hole through his face. Again, the blood splattered onto my hands, and I couldn’t help but groan once more.
“See what you made me do?” I asked the dead man before locking the door and rewashing my hands.
The worst things happened when you smoked. But thank God for silencers, I thought to myself.
MELODY
When Liam sat back down, he kissed my cheek. I looked him over quickly and something didn’t seem right.
“Did you change?” It looked like the same suit but only fresher, like he hadn’t been wearing it all day.
“Why would I do that?” he asked me, but there was a glint in his eye.
“Don’t play coy with me.”
He smirked, kissing me once more and whispering, “Later, love.”
“So what’s next on the menu?” Sedric asked as he wiped the corners of his mouth.
Evelyn smacked on his chest. “Will you stop? You’re like a child at Disneyland.”
“Bloody Wonderland, actually.” Liam smirked. I wasn’t sure what that meant but Sedric did, and I guess that was all that mattered.
“Liam and I have to say hello before any more excitement occurs.” I smiled as Liam and I stood.
Saige and Amory must have had the same idea because they were walking right to us.
We met them in the middle of the dining hall.
“Mr. and Mrs. Valero, congratulations. You and this wedding were beautiful.” I smiled reaching out for Saige’s hand.
“Thank you, Mrs. Callahan.” Saige smiled back, shaking my hand. “And kudos to you for wearing white and not caring what people think of you.”
“My family’s opinion is all that matters to me.” Which was bullshit because only my opinion, and sometimes Liam’s, mattered to me.
“Yes, our apologies about your father then.” Amory bit his lip at me with lust in his eyes. He reached over to shake my hand, but Liam grabbed his wrist and forced him to shake his.
“I’m quite possessive,” he told him. “I’m sorry about your best man.”
I looked to him confused for a quick moment before Amory and Saige scanned the room quickly.
“What did you—?”
“Thank you so much for the lovely evening. However, Liam and I aren’t fireproof,” I interrupted and Saige turned to me, confused once more.
“What?”
“Fire!” someone yelled behind us, and sure enough, flames were breaking out above us.
“What a shame, you should try to save your gifts. The big one is usually a blender.” Liam grinned.
The room broke out in panic. The people looked like animals trying to leave a watering hole. They tripped, pushed, and pulled at one another to make it out the doors.
“You want war! I will fucking give your war!” Amory roared at us.
“It’s always been war. Don’t cry because you’re losing.” Liam grinned.
“I’m going to fucking kill you!” Saige yelled at us.
“We’re looking forward to seeing you try.” I smiled. “By the way I lied, your dress is hideous and this wedding . . . well it sucked so badly even a blind man couldn’
t stand to look at it.”
“You little bitc—”
“Ma’am we have to go!” A guard of theirs yelled as she pulled them away. Liam and I stared around as the fire spread.
“Have you both lost your minds?” Olivia screamed over the chaos of the room. So many people, so few doors.
“Liam!” Evelyn and Coraline yelled while Sedric watched in glory. He knew we wouldn’t be stupid enough to trap ourselves.
“Enough,” Liam snapped at them, and I saw the flames in his eyes again. It turned me on. I couldn’t deny that.
Taking my hand, we nodded at them to follow us. Everyone was so busy trying to run to the front door that they didn’t even notice us. Liam pushed opened a small part of the wall we’d had installed after discovering the wedding location.
The moment it opened, Declan and Neal stepped through. Coraline and Olivia both ran into their husband’s arms, and I felt tempted to roll my eyes. We had called them back just in time to pull this off correctly.
“Save it, let’s go.”
The men being . . . Callahan men . . . made sure we girls went through the new tunnel first, however I waited at the door for Liam. He was the last to exit, and as we closed the door, we met the eyes of Vance as his men tried to pull him away. I smiled at him before giving him the middle finger just as Liam shut it completely. Turning back to me, he grinned.
“So mature.”
“You’re jealous you didn’t do it.” I smirked as we walked through the underground tunnel.
“Next time. I really hope he doesn’t die.” He pouted looking back as we reached the lake. There was a boat waiting for us.
“No, he isn’t going to die. He’s too big of an ass to die so easily.” I smirked as he helped me onto the boat.
“I swear you’re both pyromaniacs.” Declan laughed as he handed us a glass of champagne.
Looking back over at the mansion behind us, I couldn’t help but agree.
“Where to sis?” Neal yelled from the steering wheel. Olivia hugged him as he moved us further and further away from the home.
“The city,” Liam and I said together. Everyone broke off into their own private conversations giving me time to turn to Liam.
“It’s later.”
He rolled his eyes. “There was a little hiccup in the bathroom. It got messy, I killed two . . . three men and had to change. Nothing major.”
“You need to control your temper.” I leaned in to kiss him.
“One of these days I will . . . maybe.” He kissed me back.
Motherfucking day made.
TWENTY-FIVE
“My husband and I have never considered divorce.
Murder sometimes, but never divorce.”
~ Joyce Brothers
OLIVIA
“So you’re okay with what just happened?” I wasn’t even sure where to begin. Neal didn’t respond but started to change out of his tuxedo.
“Neal!”
“What Olivia, what!” he yelled, throwing his tie onto the bed.
“Don’t you ‘what’ me! We just set a mansion on fire—”
“You didn’t do shit. Melody and Liam did,” he interrupted me as he walked into the closet.
“Exactly, and it was wrong! How many people just died?” He was acting like he didn’t care. But this had to have bothered him. I was so angry that I wanted to kill them all.
He looked at me like I was insane. “It’s the job, Olivia. I don’t give a shit about who died. I’m not paid to give a shit. This family is all I care about, and you know that, so save me your bull about the innocent.”
Crossing my arms across my chest, I glared at him and bit my tongue to stop myself from saying what it was I really wanted to say.
“They are reckless and callous, which isn’t a good combination! They have no idea what they are doing! You sell drugs! You are not murderers! How old is Melody? Twenty-four, twenty-five? She walks around like she owns the goddamn world!” I hated her the fucking most.
“Because she does!” he snapped, stomping out of the closet and into my face.
“No, she doesn’t, and neither does Liam. He shouldn’t even be Ceann na Conairte! You should be. This is all fucked up! They treat you as if you’re a fucking dog. They treat us all like we are their fucking pets. She shot you twice! And each time you defend them! You are the oldest. You are the strongest. You should be Ceann na Conairte!” There, I fucking said it.
He shook his head at me and sighed before taking a seat on the bed. I fell to my knees in front of him and kissed his hands.
“You have always allowed Liam to hold the past over you. Now his wife is doing the same, and she isn’t even—”
“Enough, Olivia,” he replied so coldly I flinched. “Do you want to get a divorce?”
My jaw dropped open as I stared at him. “Neal you can’t . . . What? No, I don’t want a fucking divorce.”
I got to my feet as he stared at me. He stood up, walking to my closet and started to pull out my things.
“Neal, what in seven hells are you doing? I don’t want a divorce!” I yelled again trying to stop him.
“That’s the only way I know how to protect you. We could get divorced, you would have to get a new identity, and I would leave you enough money that you wouldn’t have to worry. Once Melody and Liam found out they would most likely have you killed. You speak French right? France could be good for you, the shopping, the—”
“Shut up you asshole! We have vows. I’m not divorcing you. I would rather have them kill me.” His words stung, and I tried to fight the tears that were building up in my eyes as he pulled me in and kissed me hard, but it was only when he broke away from my lips did he finally truly look at me.
He kissed my forehead and I stayed in his embrace. I loved his arms. I felt protected, and loved, and special.
“I love you, Olivia, I truly do,” he whispered. “But I love my family more. If it came down to Melody and Liam and this family, I have to choose them. It’s in my blood to choose them. I want you at my side, but you need to understand that we are family and we are pawns. Melody and Liam rule, which means when they call, you answer. They tell you to jump and you try to reach the sky.”
“Neal—”
He pulled back so I could stare into his eyes “No. Listen to me Olivia. Just because I am firstborn does not give me any right to be Ceann na Conairte. I don’t want to be Ceann na Conairte. Melody and Liam were born on the dark side of the moon. They enjoy this life. They watch people burn in their beds. When they aren’t doing that, they are making sure needles stay in people’s arms and coke in their noses. That is all they do all the time. It’s what you do when you’re the Ceann na Conairte. I watched our father go half-mad because of what he was forced to do. I’ve watched my mother dip herself in cement just so she could stand beside him and not break. She wasn’t always so tough. This life changes us. It forces us to become cold-blooded and not to care for anyone but the family. I handle being a sidekick, because I don’t want to walk so deeply in the dark. I do not want us to walk so deeply in the dark.”
“So what am I supposed to do?” I hissed, breaking out of his hands. “Bow down to them as though they are King and Queen.”
He looked at the clothes on the ground and then at me. “You have three options—bow, hide, or die, Olivia. So yes, you will bow down and kiss the ring like we all do. You will jump when they ask, come when they call, and anything else. Or, you can be packed by the time I get back.”
He walked past me and toward the door before turning again. “I knew when you married me that you loved the idea of power just as much as you did me. I knew you wanted all the things that came with being a Callahan. I’ve tried to give it all to you, but you need to understand Olivia, you are not the queen, you are the princess. You will always be the princess. You may wear a tiara, but it will never be as big or as shiny as Melody’s. Hopefully you love me enough to be just Princess.”
“Neal—” He slammed the door.
“I do love you,” I whispered to myself. Falling to my knees, I gathered my things and put them back into the closet.
Tracing my tattoo on my wrist, I sighed. He was right. I did love the idea of power when we got married. I was so excited to be marrying a Callahan, and Neal Callahan at that. I thought all my pain would go away. But in the back of my mind, I could still hear his voice sometimes. He was like this never-ending part of me that wouldn’t go away. No matter how many times I tried to wash him off me, he was still there. I married Neal for a lot of reasons. First because I really did love him, and second, because I knew he wouldn’t dare come after me as a Callahan. I thought I could have it all—the fame, the husband, and the protection. Neal thought it was his fault we couldn’t have children, but the truth was it was mine. It was because of what that monster and his friends did to me. They broke me.
Even after all this time, I still couldn’t speak about it. I felt disgusted with myself, and at first I thought Neal would be, too. I knew better now. I knew he loved me, which is why I knew he would hunt him down. I just didn’t know if I was ready to face that darkness yet. Melody had taken the seat I wanted, but I had Neal. I still hated her, but I had Neal and I wasn’t ready to lose him yet either. So I would bow and kiss the fucking ring.
TWENTY-SIX
“Truth will come to sight;
murder cannot be hid long.”
~ William Shakespeare
MELODY
“I hate you,” I hissed again as I ate my French toast.
Liam rolled his eyes, flipping the files in front of him. “We’re in public, sweetheart.”
“They can all fuck themselves with these dull knives for all I bloody care.” I looked around his favorite restaurant to find at least ten pairs of eyes staring at us as if we were some kind of movie stars. Well, we were some kind of stars, but it was still annoying as fuck.