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Of course, the driver was connected to Mallory. I look at my beautiful Suri, knowing I need to make one last phone call before all of this can end. My Da needs to know about this. I owe him and Kieran this piece of information since they were willing to help me. Da gruffly answers, “Brendan. Did you find Suri?”
“I did Da, but that’s not why I’m calling.” I take a deep breath, knowing this was going to piss Da off. “Suri told me something interesting when she woke up at the hospital.”
“Well, tell me, boy.”
Trying not to bristle with his tone, I start, “Mallory is the one who took her and she’s also the one who’s been taking merchandise from you and your allies. She’s been playing the long game and taking advantage of Richard and his connections. Suri also said there was a guy named Johann and we found evidence of him being involved in the kidnapping too.”
Da is silent for a beat. “Thanks, Bren. I will pass this onto Kieran, but you know you can’t be involved right? You’re still exiled. The only thing you can do is take care of Suri. I will take care of this.”
I grit my teeth. I don’t like the idea of my Da taking over but I know in this situation his business takes priority. Staring at Suri, I accept my fate right then and there, whispering, “Okay, Da.”
With those last words, I hang up. Suri is my destiny and it’s time I take a hold of it. Needing to feel her in my arms, I sit on the bed and hold her. “I love you, Suri.”
She lets out a soft sigh, “I love you too, Brendan.”
Chapter nineteen
Suri
It’s been weeks since the kidnapping and Brendan still won’t let me out of his sight. He let up a little once his dad found Mallory and her accomplice Johann. Brian handed them back over to the New Social movement, who are rumored to actually be the German Mafia. Both of them were suspected to be members of a small rebel group called the NSU-Kemetery, marking them as traitors. Wanting to gain more power to ‘supposedly’ take over.
All I really care about is that Brendan isn’t involved anymore. Telling his Da that he was going to marry me went against his wishes, causing his dad to exile him from the business and from the family. His Ma still talks to him a little even though she’s not supposed to, but his Da refuses, and even though he doesn’t say it, I know that hurts him.
I look around my room as I pack up my things. It’s such a bittersweet feeling. On one hand, besides my time in college, this is the only house I’ve ever lived in. But this house does have memories attached to it that are hurtful too. I can still hear Mallory berating me and feel her striking me in every room I walk into.
The last few weeks have been filled with Brendan and me talking about what we want the future to look like. Including my whispered confessions about wanting to become a published writer. As always he gave me that sexy grin and confidently said, “You’ll do it.”
That night Brendan gave me a confession of his own. Apparently a man named Zeev that his Da worked with gave him a card from a security firm. Brendan called them and the owner Jake offered him a job, but it’s located in Los Angeles. Smiling up at him, ‘“Let’s do it. A new start.”
Honestly the move allows me to breathe a little bit more. It’s far away from everything we know, but we want to move forward and not look back. My phone dings with a text. I glance down at Ella’s name and a huge smile takes over my face.
She’s the one I’m going to miss the most. My anchor in a world that was full of cruelty and uncertainty. The friendship that we have is one not to take for granted.
Ella: I’m on my way to help you get ready for your date. Bringing coffee!
Suri: Hurry up! I need a break.
As soon as I hit send, my dad strolls into my room. “Hey, honey. How’s the packing going?”
I can see the slight discoloration under his eyes, so I know he’s still not sleeping well. The wrinkles around his eyes and on his forehead have deepened. I worry about him. I worry about leaving him, but he wants me to go. He wants me to be happy.
He was devastated when he heard about Mallory and she used us to get into Brian’s organization. He’s been going through the stages of grief and right now he’s angry. It dulled a little bit when he got the report that her and her associates’ bodies had washed up on a beach in Germany.
The relationship between my Dad and I has been strained for a while, but we’re working on making it better. When I leave to go to California, I’ll be sad to leave him but I think having some distance between us will actually help our relationship. It’s not like we won’t see each other frequently. He travels there often for work.
I smile at him. “It’s going well. The movers are almost done putting everything in the truck except for my bag I packed to travel with.”
He places his arms around my shoulders. “That's good, honey. When is your date with Brendan?”
“It’s in two hours. Ella is almost here to help me get ready.”
“Have fun, Suri. I’ll get out of your way and go make a few phone calls. We’re still on for breakfast before you leave?”
I nod as he tightens his hold with an awkward half hug. We have years of neglect and hurt sitting between us but even an awkward hug is a start. He releases me and walks out of my room leaving me with my thoughts about everything that’s happened in the last few weeks…well, years really.
What if I had never decided to break the rules and follow my heart? Things would be so different. I would still be planning my wedding to Kieran. Brendan and I wouldn’t be talking. Mallory may have succeeded in killing me. I’m so happy that I decided to take that chance.
Ella walks in interrupting my what if’s. “Here’s your coffee. Now let’s get you sexy for your date.”
