Kat stepped forward. “You seriously want to digup our father's grave?”
But as I looked at her, at all of them, I knew exactly what I had to do. “You’re fucking right, I am.”
Wren squeezed my hand. “Declan, think. This is extreme, even for you.”
“Extreme?” I let out a sharp, humorless laugh. The sound felt brittle even to my own ears. “My father just reached out from beyond the grave to tell me he might not actually be in it. How the hell am I supposed to react?”
Rory paced the length of the veranda, his shoes clicking against the stone. “It could be some sick joke. Someone messing with your head.”
“That's my father's handwriting,” I insisted, holding the letter up. “Nobody could fake it.”
Kat's arms crossed. “Even if it’s legit, you can’t just dig. Laws, permits—”
“Fuck permits,” I snapped, then immediately regretted it. “Sorry, but this isn’t exactly something I can take to the authorities. ‘Excuse me, officer, I’d like permission to exhume my father because a mysterious letter suggests he might not be dead.’ How do you think that would go?”
The muffled pulse of music from the reception seeped through the closed doors—a jarring reminder that life inside continued, oblivious, while my own world pitched violently off-kilter.
“I can help,” Wren said quietly. When I turnedto her, she continued, “I have a contact at the hospital. A medical examiner who owes me a favor. We could... verify things, without necessarily disturbing the grave.”
I stared at her, gratitude prickling so fierce it almost hurt. This was why I loved Wren – she didn’t just see my chaos, she embraced it, never hesitating, never turning away. When my world spun out, she carved a path through the madness, anchoring me with nothing but her presence.
“As much as I appreciate that little goose. This can’t wait,” I said, loosening my tie.
“And if he’s not there?” Kat pressed.
“Then we book tickets to Ireland,” I answered firmly.
Rory stopped pacing, his expression hardening into something I recognized—the look he got before a dangerous job. “If someone did something to Tomas, they’ll answer for it.”
“First things first,” I said, folding the letter carefully and tucking it into my jacket. “We need to get through tonight without raising suspicions. Tomorrow, we will start digging—literally.”
Kat nodded reluctantly. “Connor can’t know about this. Not yet. He’s got enough on his plate with taking over and the honeymoon.”
“Agreed,” I said. “This stays between us until we know more.”
A sudden burst of light and sound from the reception shattered the tense moment outside. The doors flew open, and Kane appeared, a handkerchief pressed to his bloodied nose, his eyes narrowed with malice.
“What the fuck did you punch me for?” he slurred, clearly having found the bar after our encounter.
I moved forward, positioning myself between him and Wren. “Go sleep it off, Kane. Unless you want another loosened tooth.”
He laughed, a bitter sound that cut through the night air. “Always the protector, aren’t you, Declan? So concerned with your precious little family.” His gaze slid to the letter in my jacket pocket. “What’s that?”
“None of your business,” I growled, feeling my fist clench again.
Kane swayed slightly, pointing an unsteady finger at us. “That’s the problem with you. Always thinking you’re above the rest of us. Your father was the same way.”
I froze. “What do you know about my father?”
“More than you think,” he muttered, then seemed to catch himself. His eyes darted between the four of us, suddenly more alert despite his drunken state. “Nothing. Forget it.”
Wren moved with surprising speed, grabbingKane by the tie and pulling him further onto the veranda, away from the reception doors. “What did you just say about Tomas?”
Kane’s face drained of color. “I didn’t say anything.”
“Like hell you parasite,” Kat hissed, stepping closer. “You know something.”
I placed a restraining hand on Kat as I started forward. She glanced at me; I saw her slight shake of the head and paused mid-stride. Interpreting her signal, I eased my stance but kept my eyes fixed on Kane, watching for his reaction.
