Page 141 of Forged in Rain

“Because of Callahan. He, um, well, he works for his father.”

“I see.”

Pam shifts on her feet, studying McCafferty’s face. Whatever McCafferty is searching for, it’s making her uneasy. Good, I hope she fucking rots in hell for this.

“Callahan?” he barks.

“I spoke to my father. He laughed in my face. Pam came to him about offing John. He told her to fuck off, but she threatened my sister.”

“Is that right? Well?” Paddy says, leaning against the desk. I can practically hear his bones creak, and I wince as I glance at Pam, wide eyed.

Pam twitches. McCafferty sighs. And all hell breaks loose.

Jagger steps up behind Pam, raises a gun, and pulls the trigger. The sound echoes in my eardrums, but all I can see is Pam’s head exploding, blood spraying from her forehead before Cyn’s got me on the ground.

My ears ring from the sharp report of the gun.

And then . . . nothing. Nothing but my labored breathing as I gasp for air.

Cyn rolls over and sits up. I lift my head, staring at Pam’s sightless eyes before I drop my head with a whimper.

“You’ll find John and you’ll bring him to me.”

Tilting my head, I meet McCafferty’s gaze, his tired eyes boring into mine. I nod my head, my gaze sliding back to Pam.

Her blood soaks into a fancy-ass carpet, the remnants of her brain around her.

What have we traded our safety for? Nothing. This man will kill us without a fucking qualm.

Cyn helps me stand, and I wobble on my feet before he grabs my waist and hugs me close. Sagging against him, I close my eyes against the horror before me—what a waste. Life is so precious, and now another soul is gone.

Chapter Thirty

“Patrick Gordon . . . Neal Grasse . . . Loni Fan . . .”

Shifting on my feet, I glance around the packed auditorium, meeting Cyn’s brilliant emerald gaze from where he’s sitting.

When I smile, his lips curve at the corners, and my heart skips a beat. I made it by the skin of my teeth, but I’m here. I just wish my parents could be here, too.

My heart aches at the thought of never seeing my dad again, but I hope my mom will heal with time.

After all was said and done, we left the mansion unscathed but with McCafferty’s warnings in our ears.

We have to find John before he loses his patience because it’s clear what’s waiting for us if we don’t. A bullet to the head.

I have an interesting road ahead of me now that we owe him a debt, but I think I can handle anything with Cyn by my side. And knowing Veah and Joey are spared whatever heartache possible makes the circumstances worth it.

I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that Pam’s death haunts me. Her deadly machinations are still a mystery, and I don’t understand how she could forsake her daughter. Did John get to her? Was she caught between McCafferty and that psycho?

It doesn’t matter because she made the wrong choice. A reminder to heed, not double-cross, the head of a crime organization.

Pam’s death was quietly handled, and as it turns out, not many knew her in life enough to mourn her in death. The funeral was small, and Iris never showed. I haven’t seen or heard from her since she left with John. The police have been sniffing around but McCafferty apparently has his ways because they’ve slowly backed off.

No matter. We’ll be meeting again soon. We can’t rest until we find John.

Do I want to find Iris, too? I don’t know. There’s much left between us, and while I love her, I’m also really disappointed.

But I’ll handle it when the time comes because I’m not the same girl I was ten months ago. I’m stronger, smarter, and a survivor.

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