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The hall was nearly empty; only a few of the waitstaff remained, lingering around on their breaks. They paid me no attention as I ducked into the blue room. I closed the door softly behind me.
“Took you long enough.” I jumped at the sudden disturbance of silence. Kiernan stood in the middle of the small room, his hand resting lazily in one pocket as he scrolled through his phone with the other.
The sight of him in a suit took my breath away. His red hair was pulled neatly into a bun, making his face appear even sharper. The black suit ensemble cut his body perfectly, making my mouth water and images of him fucking me with his suit on drift through my brain.
“I’m not exactly free to come and go,” I reminded him. “I had to be sure no one was following me.”
Nodding, he still didn’t look up from his phone.
“Do you have it?” He turned his attention to me, one brow raised expectantly. Something was off about him. Kiernan had always been somewhat standoffish, especially compared to his brother, but this was different. My stomach churned with unease, but I ignored it. This was Kiernan. I could trust him…right?
I plucked the drive from my bra and held it out for him. He snatched it from my hand and shoved it in his jacket pocket.
“You did so well,mo fraochÚn beag.” He smiled down at me, but it was tight, his lips pursed, eyes hard.
“Look, there’s something you need to—” The door to the room burst open, interrupting the secret I’d been about to spill. Turning, my eyes widened as my father strode through the door, a look of fury painted across his face. He was flanked by his guards on either side.
“I’m sorry about this, Bailey,” Kiernan whispered in my ear. “I really am.”
What was going on?
30
The utter look of betrayal on Bailey’s face drove a knife deep into my chest. It lodged deeper than I was expecting, and suddenly, all I wanted to do was take it all back. My father and Seamus had wanted to alter the plan, but we couldn’t. We needed the information on the senator, and taking Bailey with us after we’d obtained it would lead to suspicion.
This way, Crowe believed we were on his side.
But now—now I wanted nothing more than to hold her in my arms and tell her exactly how I felt. He’d no doubt discipline her, but she was his daughter. He’d see her as misled and try to point her back in the right direction. But it wouldn’t matter, because once everything was out about him, we’d come back for her. When it was all over, she’d be ours.
Bailey was going to hate me for this, but I’d make her see it was for her own good.
“Kavanaugh,” the senator greeted me coldly.
“Senator.” Bailey’s hand gripped my wrist tightly, her gaze wide-eyed and frantic as she looked up at me.
“It seems you have a few things of mine.” His gaze turned to Bailey, who shrank into my side as if I’d save her. But I wasn’t her savior.
“Here.” I reached into the inner pocket of my jacket and tossed him a drive that was nearly identical to the one Bailey had given me. The only difference was the information on it had nothing to do with what Bailey had managed to steal from the laptop. There was still incriminating evidence on it, but nothing compared to what I was sure Bailey had dug up.
“On it is everything she has managed to dig up on you over the last year or so,” I told him casually.
“And how is it that my daughter came to you?” he wondered.
I smirked. “She thought we would have a vested interest in seeing you in prison,” I lied. “Bailey approached us this last week, stating that she had information that would lead to a conviction no dirty judge would be able to look past.”
“No, they—” Bailey started, but I kept going.
“You can even check her car’s GPS logs,” I added. “She was with us up until the time she returned to your doorstep. We wanted to make sure she was serious about turning over the information before contacting you about it.”
“And what do you have to gain, Kavanaugh?” Crowe spat. “This is some sudden comradery you’re showing when all your family has ever expressed is distaste.”
My eyes darkened. We were about to see how good my acting skills truly were.
“My brother and I are set to take over my father’s empire in less than a year,” I told him. That was the truth. My father was set to retire soon, and Seamus and I would take his place. “For years, we’ve turned down deals that could have projected our family into better and more lucrative means, but every time, we’re forced to turn them down due to our father’s…moral compass.”
“And you think I can help you with that?” he asked. “I’m a senator and—”
“Yes, we’re all well aware of your title,” I scoffed. “We’re also aware of the underground flesh trade you have going with the late Elias Ward, and we want in.”
