Page 111 of Shattered Diamonds

“I did what I had to do to protect you.”

“I know.” She gives him a hug.

She releases him and rushes to my open arms. My shoulder aches when she crashes against it, but I give her what she needs and hold her tight.

“I’m going to go see my da.”

“Do you want me to come with you?”

“I would like to be alone, sir.”

I give her a slight nod. “Go on. I’ll be here when you’re finished. Your brother and I have some business to discuss.”

She tries to leave me with what she thought would be a quick kiss, but I pull her into my space and place my lips next to her ear just as my hand goes to the thin column of her neck. It’s a possessive move, a grounding if you may. I am here. Cillian witnesses the connection with concerned interest. Respectfully, she lifts her somber eyes to mine, seeking direction. “I’m right here. If you need me, I’ll be right here.” When I feel her body relax against mine, I give her a kiss and reluctantly release her. The glow in my firefly’s eyes has dimmed with grief. It sobers me to the fact that I can’t take away the pain she will experience. I can’t control the roller coaster of emotions she will go through. I watch her walk down the long hallway until she turns down another and I can’t see her anymore. It’s a hard pill to swallow knowing I can’t make this better.

Cillian’s irritated interest is on me. “Join me for a drink?”

“Absolutely.”

The door closes behind me as I’m shown into his office. I walk to the wall of windows and survey the lush grounds while I wait for the questioning I know is to come. The decanter clanking against the first glass has my ear. The second one is soon to follow. I turn back as I hear his footsteps shuffling behind me. My preferred glass of drink is hanging in the air waiting.

Cillian gestures to a seat by the fireplace before he drops down with a small sigh of exhaustion across from me. He takes a sip of his drink while he blankly gazes at the fire. I take a sip of my own drink and relax back in my seat and wait.

Another minute or so passes before he mutters, “He was a very bad man.” He becomes quiet while looking at the flames. “But he was a great father until the disease took him away from us. I don’t want my sister to know about the deal, Carbone. She’ll look at him differently. After years of being a good dad, it would be a shame to have her see him in a different light.”

“I agree.”

“You’ll keep it buried then?”

“I won’t lie to my wife. If she somehow catches wind of the contract, other than what she already knows, I will explain as best I can without making your father the villain in this almost tragic story.”

“He’s not. He’s always wanted the best for her. Always had a special place in his heart for her. Our sister was a different story.” He trails off, thinking, contemplating if he should say what he’s thinking.

“No need to explain further.”

“I think I do.” He trails off once again, swirling his drink. “I remember the day my father brought her home. Ma was devastated.”

The fuck?

“Our sister. She wasn’t our full-blooded sister. She wasn’t my mother’s child.”

He’s lucky he clarified. I was ready to go stuff a pillow over the mother’s face and send her on her way with their father.

“Ma tried to conceive. For a long time, they tried. One day, my father came home with a baby in his arms wrapped in a pink blanket. A little while after that, Haven was conceived.”

“You’re telling me this, because why?”

He leans up and places his elbows on his knees and looks me dead in the eyes. “She fucking tormented Haven.”

“This isn’t news to me. You know that.”

“I saw the way you just handled her–”

“My wife isn’t your concern anymore.”

“She will always be my concern. I just hope I didn’t make a bad decision.”

“The bad decision would be you fucking her best friend.”

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