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As Anthony’s brains splattered the wall behind him, I released a horrified shriek as Digger drew me into his chest and cupped the back of my head. He whispered soft words at me, but I didn’t hear him. All I could see was the hole where Anthony’s face had been.
“I think that’ll ram the message home to the Five Points, don’t you, Bill?”
“I think you’re right, Aidan,” he said uneasily. “It’ll definitely send a message to the men.”
As Digger smoothed his fingers through my hair, my father rasped, “Get your dirty hands off my daughter, asshole.”
Digger didn’t so much as pause in his gentle stroking.
But his words had Uncle Aidan musing, “It’s funny you should talk about dirty hands. Mary Catherine told me that you were going to force her to marry Bill here.”
“It was a good match, sir. You can’t disagree,” Father retorted. “And arranged marriages are the way we work, as you said.
“Your Eoghan’s doing as he’s told. Mary Catherine’s shamed the family by running away with this heathen.”
“Eoghanisdoing as he’s told, but he’s a man. A man never wants to settle down,” Uncle Aidan dismissed. “And that’s different—”
“Respectfully, sir, how is it? Bill’s a high-ranking Pointer. It was a good match for Mary Catherine, not that he’ll have her anymore,” Father growled. “Not after what she’s done.”
“Eoghan’s going to be bridging the divide between the Irish and the Russians. Inessa Vasov won’t be marrying a man nearly four decades older than her, and I can guarantee that Eoghan won’t force Inessa Vasov intoanything.
“Mary Catherine seemed to believe that you’d imprison her in her room if she didn’t comply.”
“A father knows what’s best for his daughter,” was all he said. “Respectfully, sir, you don’t have any girls. They need a firm hand.”
“Firmer than a boy?” Uncle Aidan asked mildly.
“They’re little sluts if you don’t control them. She’d have run around if she could. I already stopped her from whoring herself out once. She’s just like her mother—”
“That’s enough,” Digger grated out.
“It is,” I agreed, choking on the words. “I dated one boy.One. Kris was a good man. You killed him. You didn’t have to do that. I’d have stopped seeing him if you’d have just said—”
“I needed to make sure you learned a lesson,” Father answered flatly before repeating, “You’re just like your mother. Would spread your legs for anything with a dick.” He sneered. “Look at who you turned to.”
“What’s this?”
Uncle Aidan’s tone was like ice. It had me shivering as I replied, “You heard me, sir. He killed a boy from school that was interested in me.”
He tipped his head to the side. “You killed someone out of the life? Unsanctioned?”
For the first time, Father appeared nervous. His shoulders hunched higher around his ears as he muttered, “I had to make sure she knew to stay away from outsiders.”
“By killing a teenage boy?” Uncle Aidan twisted his neck until it cracked. “It’s clear to me that I’ve grown lax with my lower ranks if this is how you think you can behave. Hold out your hands.”
Father swallowed. “What? Why?”
“Hold. Out. Your. Hands.”
Though he was scowling, he obeyed, then he watched with wide eyes as Uncle Aidan tucked his gun away then retrieved a knife from a second holster beneath his sports jacket.
“You’re right that I’ve treated my boys no better than you’ve treated Mary Catherine. I’m many things, but a hypocrite ain’t one.
“However, youcanbe punished for this unsanctioned death.”
As he rounded the table, my father shouted, “You can’t be serious, sir.”
“Oh, but I am. Deadly serious. And for thinking you can question me, that’s another finger you’ll lose.
