Page 55 of Black Wedding

Kellan releases a breath I didn’t realise he was holding, sounding like a deeply confused huff. “When I find out, I will let you know. I think that is part of the reason why I don’t trust women. Well, her and my mother.”

Laughter fills the car because both Evan and I know what it’s like to have parent issues. My mother may not be an abusive asshole like Desmond. She talks about how she loves us, yet when the timing was most important, she didn’t save us. Kellan has always said that now he has Hallie, he sees the world so differently, and I think in a way I’m the same. I always knew what my mother did wasn’t right, but I could never see it as the same as when Desmond abused us. However, now I realise that failing to protect is just as bad. She knew that every abusive act could happen, yet she did nothing to protect us from it; she may as well have delivered the blows herself. Both Evan and I must have come to the same realisation as our shared sarcastic laughter lets us know that for once, we agree. Desmond, on the other hand, just rolls his eyes.

We make it back to the house quickly, and I get Desmond and Evan set up in the living room while Kellan runs up to his room. I let him know I will follow him soon. I can’t let Desmond upstairs. I can’t let him see what Kel does as his life would never be safe again, but he tells me he will risk it to find Bree.

Working with Desmond and Evan downstairs, I set them on a task to track down Vinnie Marcushio. We have to know if he is involved. They are finding out all his known hangouts or safe houses. Once I have that list, Kellan can scour CCTV of the nearby areas. Desmond calls everyone relevant that he knows. Evan uses his phone to scour the internet, and I try to be useful, but my mind is betraying me.

Walking into her bedroom that quickly became ours, I see all the wedding preparations scattered around the room. My heart feels heavy, and for the first time in as long as I can remember, I feel tears start to well in my eyes. I feel an overwhelming sadness for the beautiful girl sitting on the edge of this bed like I am now. It was just two hours ago that she was preparing for what should have been the happiest day of our lives. Unfortunately, I didn’t even get to see what she looked like.

Seeing a phone in the middle of the bed, I instantly become confused because I don’t recognise it. Opening it up, I realise quickly it’s the burner phone that Jimmy owns. I scan through the calls and messages to see if it will give me any leads, but it is entirely blank. I will have to take it to Kellan to see if he can pull anything from it. In our world, deleting things means nothing.

Before I go to stand, I open up the photos folder. I had no real expectations, but I got lucky as the photo gallery loaded. I clicked on the first thumbnail, only to be greeted with the most beautiful picture of Bree that I have ever seen. It was taken this morning, right here in this room. This is the dress that Bree chose to marry me in, and she looks fucking perfect. She managed to find an impeccable balance between looking sexy with the gorgeous low back, and beautiful with the way it hangs off her body. Not to mention that the magnificent train, veil, and my tiara makes her look so elegant. I don’t think I have ever seen her look more stunning.

What causes my heart to break is the fact she looks so happy. She has no idea that the people in these pictures with her, the ones she calls family, are really behind her threat. I just fucking hope Jimmy cares enough about Bree to not get her killed.

Scrolling through the pictures, my heart sinks at the loss of our perfect day. Right at the beginning, this phone’s first action was to record a video, and given the thumbnail, it is just of Jimmy. Maybe he thinks there is some form of apology that he can offer. Personally, I am desperately pleading with him to see sense, to not punish Bree for something she has not done. If it means keeping her safe, then I won’t marry her. But if they think she will give up the throne so easily, they are very fucking wrong.

I press play and Jimmy’s voice and face pop onto the screen. “Hey, Bumblebee. If you are watching this, then things really have gone to shit. I am either dead, captured, or in serious danger. I left this phone here, so if the time came that you needed answers, then you could have them. I have to tell you everything.”

It looks like he is shuffling around, nerves evident in the way he mumbles. Anger flashes through my body like a wave of heat, as though someone was setting alight my veins with a hot poker. I want to kill him, but I carry on listening for more crucial details.

“First, Bee, you have to know that when your father came up with this plan, the first thing I made him guarantee is that you would come to no harm at all. He gave me his word, but I don’t trust it. I have known the man for too long to not be suspicious of his motives. You have to believe me when I say this is not about you. This is about your father and his desire for power. I know you hoped one day that I would switch sides to come and work for you, and fuck, I really do want to. But I have been by Vernon’s side for almost twenty years, and he knows all my secrets. Particularly those that if were made public, I would lose everything. So I am staying with him. At least then I can try to keep you safe,” he explains, staring into the camera.

I pause for a second to take some big deep breaths. I’m so angry I could throw the phone, but I need to know more, and so I continue the video while trying to regulate my breathing. “I know that if you hear this, you will be feeling incredibly sad at the loss of Liam. I can tell you have started to develop real feelings for this boy, but your father can’t let Liam get away with what he did. No matter how much Paddy may forgive him, Vernon can’t. Your dad is angry; he feels like Liam is being rewarded for kidnapping you. Instead of being punished, as he should have been for thinking he can kidnap you, he is being rewarded. Not only does he get to marry Vernon’s only child, but he gets the power, too. Vernon will not stand by and watch a Doughty rise to power in his place. So yes, we did all of this to take Liam out, to make sure people know not to mess with you again. I’m sure you will be pissed and annoyed at me, but we did the right thing for the company. You will see that one day.” His voice almost sounds self-righteous, and I can’t help the horrified snort.

This is all for me. This plan is all to lure me into a trap to kill me. But what Vernon doesn’t realise is if he had just asked me to step aside and he could guarantee her life, I would have done it in a heartbeat. Hell, I would have shot myself if it meant Bree was safe, but now I am so consumed with hatred. My trigger finger is on edge and fiercely craving some action. So I will make sure I survive just so I can be the one to blow a hole right in the middle of Jimmy’s head.

Noticing he still has a short bit left to say, I stand up and start to anxiously pace as I watch the rest of the video. “I know that after today you won’t ever trust me again. Fuck, if I know you at all, you will want to be the one to kill me if I’m not already dead. But I want you to know that I love you, I always have. You are the daughter I never had. There are a few things I need you to know before I go, important things, so please listen. Firstly, Vinnie Marcushio is innocent. If he survives this shitshow, do not punish him. He is in a seriously fucked up situation, and Vernon is blackmailing him to take the fall. He’s just a scared kid; he didn’t want to get revenge against Liam for killing Leon. He genuinely said there’s no point spilling more blood. This kid is too good for our world.

“The other main player involved is Luther McManaman. Both Art and Luther have been working for Vernon. When you interrogated Art, he was a diversion, planting information he was told to. He was made to do it to pay off a substantial debt, but we didn’t know that Luther is a straight-up psychopath. I killed Art, following Vernon’s instructions, and made it look like you took the interrogation too far. Something in Luther snapped, and he’s like a grenade with the pin pulled out. We are just waiting for him to explode. Vernon thinks Luther has control, but I do not. I think Luther is angry, and at the moment, all that anger is aimed at you. I will make sure he doesn’t lose it on you, but you deserve to know who your real enemies are. You have no idea how much it breaks my heart to stand against you. I truly am sorry, Bumblebee.”

His words sound sincere, but they mean nothing. If he truly loved Bree the way he claimed, then there was no way on this Earth he would stand against her. Whatever Vernon holds over him must be big, but it would never be big enough for me. Nothing in this life could make me turn on Bree. Just the idea of it makes me furious. I will let her see this and decide for herself what to do with Jimmy, but if I know Bree like I think I do, she will not stand by her Family after this. Quite the opposite, she will do anything in her power to destroy them all. If I survive this assassination attempt, I will be standing beside her while she rains down hell.

Shouts from Kellan’s room pull me out of my daydreams, and I shove the phone in my pocket before running to his door. I see Evan, Desmond, and Paddy running up the stairs. Paddy must have only just got here, but there is no time to find out what he knows. Kellan must have something big. As we all enter his office, I see the stunned look on all their faces.

None of them was expecting to see the room kitted out like this. Kellan has an extra-large U-shaped wooden desk that I helped him build. There are two large computer monitors on each one that all appear to have different images on them. Most programs have flashing things that indicate they are working away in the background. Some are just a black screen with white code flashing through line after line. I have no idea what any of the side computers are doing, but the main one that takes up nearly all of the middle part of the desk has my attention.

“Holy fuck, how did I not know you are a hacker? I let you live in my house rent-free, and you didn’t come to work for me because you had no skills that were of use to me, or at least that’s what I was told by you two. Only now, I find out you are a hacker, and probably a good one looking at all of this!” my father screeches. His compulsive need to think of himself at times like this is part of the reason I hate him so much. I love that Kellan cares so much about Bree that he was willing to expose his secret to some very important men, but on the other hand, I hate that he had to do this.

“I am not just any hacker. I am probably one of the best in the world. I consult for major security and government agencies. That’s how good I am. But I only do the jobs I want to do, the same as Liam. Unlike you, I actually have a conscience. I never wanted to work for you because the idea of you having any kind of influence over me absolutely repulses me. I would hate to become your clone. You have enough of those as it is,” Kellan spits out without taking his eyes off the screen in front of him, his fingers continuing to click away on the keyboards.

My father looks full of rage, his face turning an angry shade of purple, and I know I need to de-escalate the tension quickly. He starts to talk, but I interrupt him. “Kel, mate, show me what you have. Have you found Bree?” I ask, the hope and desperation ringing in my voice.

“Not exactly, but I think I have found one hell of a clue. So, I set alerts up for everyone who might be potentially involved, Vinnie Marcushio being one. I also set it to look for Jimmy and Vernon. I am watching all their known hangouts or safe houses, but not only them, I’m also watching the areas around them. A few minutes ago, the alert I set up for Vinnie got a hit. Facial recognition identified him in a local supermarket, so I hacked the CCTV to follow him, and this is what I saw.”

As he finishes speaking, he presses play on the screen, and I watch a black and white image of the small shop Vinnie appears to be in. We watch as a small guy, who definitely doesn’t look old enough to be messing around with Vernon O’Keenan, walks into the middle of the store. He doesn’t look at any of the aisles like he is shopping. Instead, he makes sure that his face is seen on every camera that they have in there. He then reaches into the front pocket of his hoodie and pulls out two items. The first one almost brings me to my knees. He is holding the tiara that I bought for Bree, especially for our wedding day. The day my Princess finally became my Queen.

There’s a part of me that is overwhelmed with sadness. That piece of jewellery should be on the head of my wife right now, but instead, a messed up teenager is holding it. In his other hand is a piece of paper, he holds it straight up to the camera, but it is too far away for us to see anything. Before I even have to ask, Kellan zooms in and cleans up the image. We all lean in a little closer in anticipation of what the note might say.

Bree sent me.

She needs help now.

Follow the tiara.

I’m not your enemy. V is.

V trying to kill L.

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