Page 42 of Wicked Oath
She looks between James and me. “You mean my son didn’t tell you?”
James reaches across the table and grabs her hand. “Mom.”
It’s my turn to look between them. “Is there something I don’t know?”
“No,” James grits out. “It’s just tough for my mom to talk about my dad’s death, is all. He died from colon cancer. He was finally at rest after he passed.” I watch as he removes his hand away from his mom’s. His reaction seemed severe.
“Well, I’m glad he finally found peace.”
“No thanks to your father,” Fiona spits out.
I sit up straighter in my chair. “Uh … I’m sorry. I don’t understand.”
“Why would you? You’re just a girl. You’ve been left out of a lot of things. It’s how these mafia men operate.”
“Mom,” James hisses. “We don’t need to talk about this.”
“Talk about what?” I cross my arms and stare down at James.
He stands up. “I think it’s best if we head home. My mom isn’t feeling well.”
I lean across the table, ignoring James. “Mrs. Kelly, what did you mean about my father?”
“Olivia, come on.” James taps my shoulder, but I shrug his touch off.
“Mrs. Kelly,” I urge.
“He stole all my husband’s money,” she says.
I can feel James go super still next to me. “What are you talking about?”
“Patrick Donovan ripped off my husband and left him with nothing to his name before he died.” She huffs. “And now his daughter is married to my son. Talk about irony.”
I turn to James. “Is this true?”
James doesn’t say anything for a few seconds. Finally, he nods. “It is.”
“Why would my dad do such a thing?”
He shrugs. “You’d have to ask him.”
A realization dawns on me. “Did you know about this before we got married?”
I hope he’ll say no, but I already know the answer. James nods as he sits back down. “Yes. But I thought I could mend any friction between our families with our marriage.”
“So … you’re not angry with my dad?”
“No, of course not.” He looks so sincere that I believe him. I don’t have any reason not to.
“So, why did you keep this from me?”
James rubs the back of his neck. “Because it didn’t seem pertinent to us and what we have. But I can promise you, Olivia, that I married you because I want to make a better future for us. I thought I could bridge the gap your father left behind by hurting my dad.”
I look at him. “So, you’re not looking for revenge?”
“Why would you even ask me that?”
“I don’t know!” Fiona raises an eyebrow at my raised voice, so I lower it and say, “I just had to ask. I know how mafia men can be. If someone hurt my brother, he’d want revenge in a heartbeat. I’m just making sure you’re not the same.”
