Mafia Games by Vi Carter

CHAPTER NINETEEN

RICHARD

 

It’s her smile; a clear reminder of why I took her. For revenge was one reason, but capturing an angel, for a guy like me, was just irresistible.

She’s still smiling. It’s not directed at me any longer; she’s focused on Connor. I had been tempted to shoot the dog, to put the animal out of its misery. Watching Claire, I knew I made the right decision to keep him. Slowly she would open up to me. Slowly, I would gain her trust. Slowly, each part of her would become mine.

 

Her head swings towards me again. A flash of fear has me reaching out and touching the bandage on her wrist. The air gets caught in her lungs, her mouth opens, and she looks stunned. She doesn’t pull away from me. I seek out her pulse and find the beat of her heart thrashing under my fingertips. She releases a shaky breath, and I lean into her. I want her. I want her like I’ve never wanted anything in my life. This even feels stronger than the want for revenge. It’s taken everything in me not to have my way with her. I move closer to her lips, and surprisingly, she doesn’t pull away.

My thumb stays over her racing pulse that pumps faster. My cock grows hard in my trousers, and I clench my jaw. One taste. Just one.

My lips brush hers, and she inhales a sharp breath at the contact. I release her wrist and capture her face instead. I want to taste every part of her; I want to sink my tongue into her mouth, but I keep the kiss soft, coaxing. She doesn’t respond, but I’m aware she hasn’t tried to pull away. My tongue flicks out, and I lick her lips before pressing another kiss to her mouth that suddenly moves under mine. It’s like a gun being fired, and I’m gripping her tighter, deepening the kiss—my control slips.

 

“I hope I’m not disturbing anything?”

I remove my lips from Claire but don’t release her face. Fear that I can’t fully explain has me clinging to her. If I let her go, my father will have a full view of her. He must have seen us kiss—a kiss of death.

I release her, and her gaze flickers across my face like she’s searching for answers. I can’t say anything, so I stand and try to block her from his view.

“I’ve been ringing.” It’s a statement from my father.

“I’ve been busy.” I respond. Connor is barking beside my leg. I’m about to reach down and settle him when Claire’s small hand runs along the dog’s back. I glance down at her as she continues to soothe Connor. I thought she would be running and screaming for help. Maybe she senses the evilness from my father, who is looking right at her. The wheels in his head are working, no doubt.

The glass box had been her cage. Maybe now the prison I built would be for protection.

“I assigned you a job that you never completed.” His gaze flickers to Connor and Claire. “Playing happy family, are we?”

I step away from Claire and Connor. I don’t like leaving them, but I can’t have my father around them any longer.

Behind my father is Davy, watching, waiting for instructions. I never thought I’d feel relief at seeing Davy. “Take Claire back to her room.”

My father’s head turns, and he dismisses Davy, who moves past us to Claire, who’s watching the exchange.

I’m tense as Davy takes Claire by the arm and leads her towards us. She’s within hearing distance when my father steps towards her.

“Claire, you look remarkably like Leonard.”

“My… my brother.” I know Claire is staring at me with the question in her mind.

If I could reach out and wrap my hand around my father’s throat, I would.

“Yes, your brother. Richard is friends with him.”

“Richard,” Claire repeats my name.

I jut out my chin at Davy to move her now. He does, but she keeps looking at my father and me over her shoulder.

“You want to explain to me what she is doing here?”

“Actually, I fucking don’t.” I bark at him. “I’m not killing Finn,” I add. That’s what this is all about. Finn is still rolling around, alive and semi-functioning. Now I wish Shay had killed my father to save me from this grief.

“You seem tense, son.”

“What happens under my roof is my business.”

My father’s jaw clenches. My words clearly get to him, so I continue.

“None of yours. I don’t like you on my grounds. So what do you want?”

My father’s half-baked smile has me reconsidering my words. I need to be clever around him, or I might end up on a hit list.

He turns away from me, stuffing his hands in his suit pockets. “I’ve called a meeting but can’t seem to get a hold of Shay.”

My father faces me again.

“I haven’t seen him.” I lie.

“He is no good to us if we can’t reach him.”

Connor arrives at my feet. I didn’t care for the dog, but Claire did. “Let me lock him in, and I’ll ring Shay.”

“Yes, get your priorities straight first.” Sarcasm isn’t my father's forte.

“I finally am.” I call Connor over and open the garage door. He’s slow to come to me, and it takes me calling him several times before he finally arrives at my legs and enters the garage.

“I didn’t know you liked animals.”

“Love them.” I respond, closing the door.

“Carlos was found with his head missing.”

I’m glad my back is to my father. It gives me a moment to brace myself before I face him.

“His family would like his head returned.”

“Are you asking me if I did it?”

“Yes.” My father is direct for once.

“No, I did not kill Carlos.”

My father removes his hands from his pockets. He’s ready to say something else about Carlos but stops.

“One hour: the meeting will commence. If you could let Shay know, that would be great.”

I watch him as he leaves my property. All I want to do is run downstairs and check on Claire, but I don’t have time. Taking out my phone, I check to see she’s back in the box. She is sitting on the edge of the bed, biting the tips of her fingers. I’ve seen her do this when she’s nervous. I close down the image of her and bring up my contacts. I didn’t expect Shay to answer me, but he does.

“My father is alive and kicking. He’s been ringing you,” I say.

I make my way upstairs as we speak.

“I overreacted. I have no intention of killing him.”

Disappointment, that’s what I feel about Shay’s words. Disappointment and exhaustion from trying to keep up with everyone’s games.

“There is a meeting in one hour. I can pick you up.”

“I’ll be there.” Shay hangs up, and I move faster, getting dressed.

I need to get there before he does, so I can try to figure out what has changed since he arrived at my home with Carlos’s severed head. I also wanted to warn Finn without warning him.

I change into a clean black suit.

I pause in front of the mirror. Since when did I care who died? I finish buttoning up the white shirt.

She’s in my thoughts again, but I need to silence that part of my mind and focus on the meeting. My father had called a meeting for a reason. The reason we would soon find out.

 

***

 

I have no idea if I’ve arrived before Shay. I’m not sure what he drives. I park close to the front door of Cabra Castle. I stay in the car, not wanting to look too eager or worried, by standing on the steps.

Shay pulls up in a green Range Rover. He hops out with a cigarette in his mouth and tugs a black leather jacket closer to his neck before walking across the asphalt. I get out and look up at him.

“Shay.”

He nods, but I feel the hate roll off him like heat.

He flicks the cigarette on the ground and grabs the door.

“A word?” I ask.

He pauses but doesn’t turn around.

“Please.”

His smirk is instant as he turns to me. “The magic word.”

Behind his smirk, I see the shark's circle. He is out for blood.

“I never got to explain everything about my father and the fighting rings.”

Shay takes a step closer. This topic is one that he can’t seem to control from showing on his face. It’s burning him alive, and he doesn’t even seem to notice. He’s blind to the pain I see on his face. “I know what happened.” Shay starts, and I let him proceed. “You told your father I was coming for him, so you both built a story about what really happened because Uncle Liam is only doing right by us.”

Not much makes me laugh these days, but his words take the prize. I laugh, and he grows angrier by the second. I know explaining myself would be wise before I lose him.

“Uncle Liam isn’t fit to rule.” I start.

Shay shakes his head like he’s trying to push my words away. “Don’t patronize me, Richard. I won’t touch your father, so you don’t have to try to convince me otherwise.”

I’m curious why he is backing down. “Why? You were hell-bent on killing him.”

“You wouldn’t understand.” Shay fires back. I glance to my left and see Jack’s Range Rover parked across from us. Our time is almost up.

“Try me.”

Shay spots Jack, too. “I have someone now. I can’t risk her getting hurt.” He pulls open the door and leaves me on the steps of the castle.

“Any ideas why he called another meeting?” Jack asks as he steps up beside me.

“No, but I’m sure it will be riveting”, I answer, forgetting about my usual composure.

Jack pauses. “Are you okay?”

“Let’s not get all soppy, brother.” I open the door and enter the castle.

“You're clearly not okay. But if you want to act like a complete gobshit, then be my guest.” Jack moves past me, and I take my time walking to the meeting room, wanting to be anywhere else but here.

I step into the room. Shay is seated where he sat the last time, he’s already smoking. My father isn’t standing but sitting at the head of the table. Jack to his right, a seat half pulled out to his left. I walk to the end of the table and sit as far away from him as I can.

 

“I have some bad news.” My father starts. He doesn’t continue, but he has everyone’s attention. My eyes are drawn to Shay, who has his head bent as he continues to smoke. I’m waiting for him to snap and pull out a machine gun and kill us all. They think I’m unstable. I disagree. Shay is as unstable as a three-legged table.

“Our shipment up north was stopped.”

My father is looking at me. These things happen in our line of business. We always give a percentage of wiggle room for losing money due to shipments being frozen.

“By Lucian Sheahan.” My father finishes.

“I thought he was on our side,” I say, directing this to Shay, who puts out his smoke.

“One of his men was killed recently, and he isn’t very happy with us.” My father answers.

All I can think is, here we go. The table is going to fall over.

“I didn’t kill anyone,” Jack speaks up and then half shrugs. “Anyone associated with the RA.”

I grin at my brother, and he smirks back.

I know he’s talking about Carlos, but I still speak up. “My four kills were personal.”

“Four?” my father says and shakes his head.

“Three were planned. One was for bad management.”

“I haven’t killed anyone.” Shay looks up at my father. “I have no dealings with Lucian Sheahan. So if you called me in here to be your fall guy, I can’t help you.”

He’s pissing on my father’s leg.

“No, Shay. I called you in here because you are a King.”

Shay’s out of his seat, and I have no idea what’s happening until he’s bent over my father. “I’m not a fucking King.” He’s barely containing the rage. Jack’s standing and has a gun pointed at Shay’s head.

“Jack,” I warn, getting out of my chair slowly.

He doesn’t react.

“Jack,” I speak louder, and he cocks the gun like I didn’t just warn him. “Put the gun down.”

He glances at me before looking back at Shay. “Get away from my father, or I’ll drop you where you stand.”

Shay is stiff but finally straightens up, holding his hands in the air. He smirks at Jack and makes a gun motion with his thumb and forefinger. “Calm down, pretty boy.” Shay takes a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and lights one up.

“Jack, put away the weapon.” My father commands, and Jack finally lowers the gun.

Shay blows smoke into the air before looking down at my father, who is the only one seated.

“Why don’t you take my crown.” Shay pretends to lift a crown from his head. “And shove it up your ass.”

He smirks at us all. “You are all a bunch of cunts.” He turns and leaves the room.

I don’t need to see my father’s face to know what’s going to happen next.

I follow Shay.

“Where are you going?” Jack shouts after me, but I don’t stop.

I catch up with Shay on the stairs. “You said you had someone you were protecting.” I start.

He doesn’t answer me.

“I’m sorry you can’t smoke in here.” The receptionist speaks to Shay, whom he ignores along with me.

“You just signed her death warrant.”

He stops. I knew that would get his attention.

“I’ll keep her safe.”

I’m shaking my head. “Where? Up north? You think you're safer up there than here?” I fire.

Shay throws his cigarette in a large glass bowl that’s for decoration purposes before slamming the front door open.

“You have more chances of surviving down here than up north.”

“They are my people up there.” He’s ready to get into his jeep.

“Lucian Sheahan is the one who gets the money for the cage fights, not my father. You killed his man, Carlos.”

Shay finally stops. “So, what? I stay here and wait for your father to kill me?”

“No.” Shay wasn’t making this easy, but I could see his frustration clearly. “You help me.”

He’s laughing and pulls the Range Rover door open. I reach around him and slam it shut. “I really need you to hear me out, Shay.” I grit my teeth.

He’s a loose cannon, and I can only hope he will hear my honesty.

“We can’t become my father. I don’t want to have no one to trust anymore where there is no loyalty, where there is no trust. I want a family. An Chlann.”

Shay turns around. “You really buy into that lie?”

I step away from him. “No. But we could have it all. We can rule side by side. No more scheming. No more hurting each other. We are family. No matter what, we are Kings.”

Shay’s fighting with his demons, and I don’t think I’m getting through to him.

“I want to rule with you and my brother. I want us to be loyal to each other. Trust each other. We can’t become my father and his brothers. They destroy each other.”

“You really believe we won’t become them?”

I consider Shay’s question. “I know I want to try to be better.”

Shay appears calmer, but I don’t get an answer as he climbs into his vehicle, and I’m left watching him drive away, hoping some of my words sink in. I meant each of them. I am tired of my father’s games, and if we don’t break free soon, none of us will survive this.