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I felt as if she were challenging me, and just waiting for me to hand him over. But instead, I lifted my head and allowed a few drops to fall onto my tongue. Ethan hit my face as if to berate me, but I had to check. Placing the bottle into his mouth, I smiled as he relaxed and settled back.
“And to think, you once told me you didn’t know how to be a mother,” Evelyn said with a grin as she returned to stirring her magical pot of meat like a witch over a cauldron.
“I still don’t. I’m just taking a page out of Liam’s book and making up the rules as I go.”
“Really, what rules?”
“Personal Mel rule number one: always feed Ethan when he’s hungry or pay the ear-curdling consequences,” I replied, as I leaned against the sink.
“Good rule.” She laughed. “You’ve grown so much, Mel, you’re basically a different person.”
“That doesn’t sound good. I liked who I was.”
Pausing, she turned to me, her wooden spoon still in hand.
“You liked the loneliness? The bitter ang—”
“Watch it, Evelyn, I haven’t changed that much, and baby or no, I can still do damage.”
“Good to know. Now prove it and kill Olivia,” she said bluntly, with unfamiliar severity.
Shifting Ethan’s weight, I stood up straighter. “Evelyn, I don’t answer to you. I don’t need to explain why I do things, or why I don’t. Liam and I run this family.”
“I understand that, and truthfully, I’ve more than enjoyed having my husband back to normal. We’ve gotten to do everything I’ve always wanted to, but couldn’t before.”
There was that word again, normal. When would people learn that there was no such thing as normal?
“But with that being said,” her jaw tightened. “There is an unwritten law, a code, we all live by. It has kept this family as strong as it is because we never make exceptions. When you stand against us, you will be removed. When you betray us and endanger our lives, you die. I want her dead, not in the basement getting Neiman Marcus dresses for events. I want my son free of any attachment to her, and I sure as hell do not want her filthy body buried in our family plot. She didn’t want to be a part of this family, so let her rot in a fucking alleyway for all I care.”
I seemed that Mama Callahan was out and ready to attack, wooden spoon and all.
“Anything else?” I asked since it seemed like I was taking fucking orders now.
“Yes. Are Liam and Neal going to be back soon? I’m making their favorite—Irish Lamb Stew and Soda bread. I can teach you if you like,” she said, as she once more turned back to her pot.
I looked to Ethan who was happily sucking away on the teat of his bottle, and then back to her. This was all too much for me. Without answering her, I walked away from the kitchen.
If Avian could only see me now…he would weep.
LIAM
Five more minutes of this fuckery…just five more minutes.
Forcing a smile, I turned to the men behind me. “Well gentlemen?”
“How much would one of these sell for?” Senator Jeffrey Boxer, of North Carolina, asked as he touched the marijuana plant in our small D.C. shop. Mel and I didn’t have time to set up here, however, we’d put just a bit of pressure on the owners and bought it. And after a few visits from Kain and Monte, they were more than willing to sell…it was nice of them.
“Ounces run from $350 to close to $600,” I answered.
He, along with his colleagues, stared in shock. “Each?”
“Yes.” I nodded as I moved to touch the green plants. “But almost no one buys in full ounces. The common choice is an eighth of an ounce, which runs from $50 to $80. With business moving as it is, that’s over forty million dollars generated in yearly taxes. Taxes that can be turned over to each state to build schools and anything else your state needs.”
“I’ve got to say…this is a pretty well-oiled machine,” Senator Andrew Kelly, of Texas stated.
“Yes, which is why I’m surprised Washington isn’t acting in favor of this, or are you? I’m ready to go state by state. Those I’m already working with have been flawless for the last year.”
“It’s a very delicate matter, Mr. Callahan—”
“Making money always is, and so is who I spend it on.” They tensed. “But I understand your point. I just hope you take the future into consideration. Not only my state, but yours as well.”
I moved to the backdoor and held it open for them. After all, they were still politicians and they didn’t want to run the risk of being seen at such an establishment. I shook their hands as they all went back to their cars.
“You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours, Mr. Callahan,” Senator Boxer whispered before nodding to me.
“I never scratch first, but thank you for coming,” I replied, as I let go of him.
I watched as they drove away before I stepped back inside and turned to face Neal who was waiting with a mask. Taking it, we walked through the maze of marijuana plants before making it to the back. There was a hidden trapdoor that led to the lower level. He pulled it up for me as I placed my mask on, and together, we headed down.
There were two conveyor belts, one for cocaine and the other for crystal. It had only taken us a few days to set up this factory of sorts, and the truth of the matter was that there was no better place to hide an illegal business than under a legal one.
The room was filled with six of our men, all of whom were sorting and placing the product into bags. Inspecting the crystal with forceps, I looked them over.
“They aren’t as clear as the last batch,” I said to Neal.
“Saoirse’s daughter got hurt, I suspect she may have rushed through this batch,” Neal replied, as he sifted through the glass-like meth on the belt.
“What happened to her daughter?”
“Her boyfriend decided to use her as a punching bag.”
I sighed. Saoirse was our chemist. We rarely spoke and we all preferred it that way. She had her own fully staffed lab based out of Chicago that we never went near…well, Mel and I never did, but we had a few people check in on her from time to time. She made the crystal, we sold it, and she spent the money on funding new drugs for her lab.
“Declan, Coraline, and Fedel are all working on something else. Who do you think can go help?” After all, that was a part of the deal when you worked with us— wealth and protection for you and your family.
“Oisin and Tierney,” Neal recommended. They were street muscle who weren’t particularly close to us.
“Fine. Have it done, but make sure that Saoirse knows that if she produces anything like this again, we’ll have to part ways,” I replied, as I headed towards the coke.
Already on his phone, he nodded. Cutting into the coke, I dropped in the liquid and watched it turn purple. It was as good enough for now.
“I want it on the street by tonight.”
Kain and Monte stood at the vault. Moving to it, I keyed in the passcode, which automatically changed every hour. It looked empty of course, but I walked to the center and peeled back a panel and stepped into the second hidden vault opening. We couldn’t put all of our money into the bank when we got it, which was why we kept some money with other clan members for a short period of time before we could move it. Grabbing a few stacks, I placed them into two different bags for Kain and Monte. They’d know what to do with it.
