He instantly started thinking of different ways to fuck with their lives when they did move on. Perhaps a new girlfriend would enjoy a special evening with Sam. He would video all the amazing things she would do to him and for him. The thought of sending homemade porn to those pieces of shit might become his newest obsession. Along with these bagels, damn.
Okay, enough daydreaming. He moved quickly through the cleaning staff coming and going outside the family rooms. Nothing. No surprise. He flipped to Eufaula, though the sisters had been out of town for some time. Run off by the heartless Bran. He almost felt a twinge of regret where the youngest sister was concerned. He admitted to being drawn to her. He would definitely have to see where they went if they didn’t show up soon.
He knew from the real estate sign that they’d sold their business, but that didn’t mean they didn’t plan on moving closer to Tulsa eventually. They’d become close to O’Connor’s sister. He might have to start watching that woman more closely.
He still checked Eufaula just in case they were back in town for last-minute packing. Days of nothing, only a few passersby— and then, holy fuck, all three O’Faolain men appeared in front of the door.
Sam sat up straighter, concentrating on flipping through the stills. My, my, Bran must not be over the oldest Byrne after all. Well, this was delightful indeed. A few pics showed Bran seemingly staring directly at the camera. Cheese, motherfucker.
Next still, Bran in the middle of the sidewalk, walking toward the curb. Probably where they parked.
Next still, Hugh and Patrick looking in Bran’s direction.
Next still, an eyeball.
Jesus, fuck, Sam startled and spilled his coffee in his lap and over the second half of his bagel. “Damn it all to hell, Sam.” He chided himself.
Blotting his lap, he reached over the mess to click to the next photo. This one was taken from a different angle than the camera’s previous hiding place would have taken. It showed a hand in the forefront and the top of Triskelion and sky beyond that.
“No. No, no, no, no.”
Sam slammed the lid shut on his laptop, left the mess of dishes on the table, and hustled back inside. He may have hours, he may have days, but those bastards had enough money to hire people to find out where the stills were being sent.
Every one of his emergency exit plans was about to be deployed.
26
Bran hung up the phone with Bébhinn Byrne. It was early in the morning, and he was sitting in the kitchen of his Muskogee home. The home that he and Raven were meant to be living in together.
Until he had obliterated that future.
Please, God, let Raven not change her mind about reaching out to him.
With no courteous text— or a single fucking knock on the door— his dad and brother walked into the kitchen where he sat, contemplating the morning sky, the streaks of pink, purple, and orange shooting through the clouds.
“Did you talk to Mrs. Byrne?”
“Was River there?”
Bran was about to say something unkind about their invasion until he saw Pat rummaging through his fridge. Breakfast. He’d hold his tongue.
“Just. And if any of the sisters were there, I wouldn’t know, and Bébhinn wasn’t of a mind to volunteer information.”
“What did you find out?” his dad asked as he sat beside Bran at the table.
“Jo has kept them all abreast of the situation with the stalker— though we knew she would. They’ve been out of the country, it seems, for the past two months. I hope that means they are safer because of it, but I’m devastated that the woman I love is not even on the same continent as me.”
The men stayed quiet. The only noise came from the cracking of eggs and pots and pans. It appeared none of them liked the distance.
“Did you remember to ask if Dad and I could have their new numbers?”
“Their grandma said she would pass along the request. If they agreed, they’d let Jo know. I’ve been thinking about Bébhinn. I imagine she is with the girls wherever they are.”
“Of course, she is.”
He would love to flick his know-it-all dad’s forehead— just once. He’d get the shit beat out of him, but still, it might be worth it.
“They’ve probably just been staying with her in Ireland.”
