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Before I could utter another word, Conor whispered, “This makes no fucking sense.”
“It’s what they do. Take good men and turn them with the prospect of jail time.” Senior hacked out a laugh. “If I didn’t hate the fuckers, I’d congratulate them on a smart system.”
I shared a look with my brothers, stunned by his admission. “This isn’t goddamn funny, Senior.”
“Nothing about this situation is funny, Finn,” he snapped.
“Then why are you laughing?”
“Because the world’s caving in and there’s fuck all I can do to stop it.”
I surged onto my feet, but Junior blocked me and muttered, “Calm down, Finn.”
Brennan shuffled behind me. “Trust me, I made him wish he'd never been born, brother. I swear to you. I fucking swear on Ma’s life.”
Sagging against Junior, I rumbled, “Aoife’s in danger to this day because of that bastard.”
“I know.” Junior squeezed my shoulder again. “I know.”
I closed my eyes as I dropped back into my seat. Elbows on my knees, I stared at the ground, aware that the world hadn’t stopped turning—it just felt like it had.
“How many have come forward today?” Brennan asked, breaking into my thoughts.
“Two,” Junior replied, his hand squeezing my shoulder once more before he hobbled off and took a seat on the edge of his da’s desk.
“Who?”
“Sullivan and Walsh.” He grunted. “They’re no longer with the Points and are under the warning that if they so much as sniff around the SparrowsorPoints’ business, we’ll have their balls.”
Bren’s eyes flared in surprise. Not at the threat, I figured, just the names. I couldn’t blame him. I’d been shocked too.
“Walsh?” Bren demanded. “He’s a fucking lifer.”
Senior explained, “Said they threatened to have his daughter arrested.”
Shoulders relaxing, he whistled. “Makes sense. He’s already served, what? Twenty years off and on for the family. Not like more time would disturb him.”
“Our kids are our weaknesses,” Senior rumbled, and I turned to look at him and saw that his gaze was on the window and the yard beyond.
Blanketed with snow, it wasn’t like he could see much aside from Declan who, for some fucking reason, was standing out there while taking a call, but it was clear to me that Senior had been keeping his shit together all day and was on the verge of explosion.
I just wasn’t sure what that explosion would look like now, and to be frank, I got it. Explosion felt imminent for me as well.
For the first time in my life, I understood what twisted him, what riled him up and made him do the sick shit he was capable of.
I’d watched him crucify men; I’d stood back and watched him torture them. I’d even let him watch me pull those moves because that was how a man became a Five Pointer.
He was my father.
Somehow, he was all our father, and he’d let us become this. Had let us do these things and expected it of us.
Maybe I’d always resented him for that.
Maybe I’d never understood it.
Until now.
Until this moment.
