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Her eyebrow raised. “A few more times?”
“I told you I wanted you addicted, did I not?” I said to her.
“And if I already am?”
“I’ll be the one to decide that. Right now, call for food. You’re going to need your energy for round two.”
I kissed her and she grinned as she reached over to the bedside table and innocently arched her back and flexed her body against me.
I lightly bit her nipple.
“Mr. Callahan!”
“You put it in my face, so I have to show it love.”
Yes. This was just the beginning. We would deal with all the other fucking things tomorrow.
THIRTEEN
“I have struck a city - a real city - and they call it Chicago. . . It is inhabited by savages.”
—Rudyard Kipling
LIAM
As I poured the brandy into his glass, he looked me over carefully, and I was certain that he was confused as to why we were sitting at a private table that overlooked the restaurant.
“Will that be all, Mr. Callahan?” the waiter asked me.
“Yes, it’s perfect. Thank you,” I told him before he turned and walked away.
Declan reached for the glass and stared at the liquor. “I vaguely remember being witness to a meal similar to this with an old business associate before he lost his life.”
“Yes, so do I. We dubbed it his last supper,” I replied, as I cut into the nearly red meat before me; I’ve always preferred my meat just a little bloody. “He never saw it coming. One moment we were laughing over brandy, and the next he was gasping for air. It was quite tragic.”
He frowned and placed the glass down before he met my gaze. “Do you believe I’ve betrayed you, Liam?”
“Have you?” I asked before chewing.
“I’m insulted by the question. We’re so close that I think of you as a brother, not my cousin.” He picked up the glass once more and drank its contents. “But then again, I know you, and if you truly believe that, you would’ve had me tied to a chair. We wouldn’t be settling anything over filet mignon at the Plaza.”
“If you know me as well as you think you do, then why are you sweating?” I grinned, as the beads of sweat rolled down the side of his cheek.
He gasped as he reached for his neck, and felt his own pulse. He had to have known by now…
“Liam, have you lost your damned mind?” he hissed as he took a deep breath and undid his tie. “I would never—”
“I know. It’s not poison. You’re going to be fine, Declan.”
“What the fuck did you give me then?” he snapped, as he pressed his thumbs to his temple.
“Clonidine.”
“Isn’t that—?”
“Mother’s menopause pills? Yes, it is,” I snickered, taking another bite as he glared at me. “You see, I know you wouldn’t betray me. My wife on the other hand wasn’t one hundred percent certain. I can’t have doubts about you Declan. Not even a little bit. So, take it as a compliment.”
“I’ll get right on that when I can feel my tongue again, asshole.” He licked his lips before he reached for my glass. “Am I still being tested? Or can I wash this down.”
“You should probably ask for a new bottle,” I said, as I nonchalantly took another bite.
He sighed, and released his glass to signal the waiter for another bottle. As he did, I smiled and took a drink from my snifter. Again his eyes narrowed as he sat back.
“Do I get an explanation? Or are you going keep fucking with me?”
“I’m just enjoying myself,” I replied.
“Yeah, I can see that.”
Wiping the corners of my mouth, I addressed the issue that had been plaguing me. “We have a mole.”
“You can cross me off the list.”
“I know. But I think it’s Neal,” I replied and he froze.
The waiter came over with a new bottle, and reached for a glass, but Declan took the bottle, waved him off and began drinking directly from it.
“Classy, brother,” I said, as I dismissed the waiter who stared at him in disbelief.
“Fuck you, my ears are still ringing. But I thought you said Neal.”
“I did.”
“Liam.” He shook his head as if I were crazy. “I know you and Neal have had your issues, but this is insane. Neal loves this family and even though you don’t believe it, he loves you too. He’s our brother in blood and in arms. He’s a fucking Callahan!”
“You think I don’t know that? You think I want my older brother to be the person betraying me? But there is something—”
“What did Mel say? Because obviously she thinks it’s me and not Neal.” He seemed a little bitter about that.
“She thinks it’s Olivia.”
“Of course.” He sighed, as he drank from the bottle again. “I know you both have been to hell and back, but who’s next? Mom? Dad? Coraline?”
“As we speak Mel is having a meeting with your wife,” I said and once again he froze, before he took another swig.
“If you or Mel hurt my wife in any way, I will make it my life’s mission to destroy you both.”
“Are you threatening me, brother?”
He leaned forward. “I love you, Liam, but I love Coraline more. So yes, it’s a fucking treat. Though I’m confused as to how you would think she managed to battle cancer and stab you in the back at the same time.”
“Relax, I know that and so does Mel, we’re just covering all the bases,” I replied. We had to be sure.
“Fine, let’s say it is Neal or Olivia. What are you going to do?” he asked me, and I drank along with him.
“What would you do?”
He sighed. “Fuck man. Is this why you want to go to D.C.?”
“There are many reasons. But will you and Coraline be okay here?”
“Yes. I’m more worried about what’s going to happen at the capital. You all don’t know how to get around Avian. Nor do you know where he lives. Plus he has the FBI on his payroll.”
“Thank you, Declan. We know we have to be smarter, but he’s also aware of that. He’s tried to destroy us, but he failed, and now he knows he needs a new game plan.”
“What’s yours?”
I grinned. “Political chaos. He’s fucked with my work, now we’re going to fuck with his. The FBI will soon be receiving a lot of bad press. He’s going to have to focus on that for now.”
“Is that why you’re accepting the key to the city tomorrow?”
Yes, and Mel was pissed.
“We were supposed to go to D.C. yesterday. Every day we waste here, she’s more on edge.”
“This could look bad on the President.”
“Do I look like I give a fuck? As long as the President isn’t involved, then he still has three years.”
“Let’s hope this ends quickly,” he muttered just as my favorite lawyer came over.
“DiMarco. Long time no see,” I laughed, toasting him.
“Not that long. I’m glad you’re enjoying your freedom.”
He nodded to Declan who looked fucked up beyond speech as he held on tightly to his bottle. Who would have thought that a few little pills would be the catalyst to this?
