Page 94 of Callum

“I think,” Grant’s tone is low and even, his mind moving a million miles an hour behind his eyes. “The GiGi’s themselves might not be that stupid, but Ginetta will be. She’ll be scrambling to fix this before Grim gets here, and we need to take advantage of that panic.”

“You want Rosalind to sacrifice herself—”

“It’s not a sacrifice.”

“So you can get one up on the GiGi’s?” I talk over Rosalind’s protest, never taking my eyes off Grant. He isn’t looking at me, but I don’t think he’d see me even if he was. He’s too deep in his head, planning and plotting the GiGi’s demise.

“No,” he mumbles, his head tipping to one side. “Not to get one up on the GiGi’s. To demolish them and take back what belongs to us.”

“My daughter.”

“The Convent in Chandler,” Grant corrects, his unseeing eyes drifting toward me. My fist slams into his jaw, causing him to stumble into Maddock’s chest.

“Fuck!”

“Dammit!”

“Callum!”

All Hell breaks loose, everyone grabbing the person next to them like we’re brawling in a hockey rink. JJ pulls Merrick away from Maddock, who is lunging for Grant. Rosalind’s hand closes around my elbow before I can swing at Grant a second time, but I rip free just in time to take a right hook to the eye.

Maddock’s arms close around Grant’s torso at the same time that JJ steps between the two of us. “Easy, gentlemen,” his deep voice cuts through Grant’s snarled commands for Maddock to let him go. “Everyone needs to breathe.”

“I’m fucking done with you, Callum.” Grant snaps, pointing at me over JJ’s shoulder. “I get that you’re wrapped up in her again, but I’m not letting you choose wrong a second time. Figure your shit out, or I will kill you my-fucking-self.”

“How about you figure your shit out, Grant.” Rosalind pulls on my arm again, but I ignore her, stepping closer to JJ’s back. “The priority here is my fucking daughter, not your bullshit vendetta against the GiGi’s.”

“That ‘vendetta’ is the only reason you even know Rosalind, you little prick.” Grant moves forward, shaking Maddock’s hand off his shoulder. “You’d do well to remember you only get to make your own decisions because of me. I have always prioritized our brothers,” he waves at Merrick and Maddock, standing uncomfortably behind him. “And I will continue to do so by making the hard choices for us all and bearing the consequences myself. Because that’s what being head of a Family is, Callum.”

He spits a mouthful of blood onto the ground next to our feet, and I wince. My eye throbs and I feel blood dripping down the side of my face. Fucker must have split my eyebrow open with that damn ring.

Grant shakes his head, a tick visibly pulsing in his jaw. “We’re going to bring her home, but we can’t allow ourselves to lose focus of the overall picture.”

“I know,” I sigh, the tension dropping from my shoulders. If there’s anyone I trust to bring my daughter home, it’s Grant. “I’m just…” my voice trails off as I try to think of the right word. Stressed, tired, worried, anxious, take your pick.

“You need to sleep.” Grant points to my eyes, a smirk pulling at his lips. “You look worse than Mads after Miles was born.”

“Fuck you,” Maddock grunts, crossing both arms over his chest with a scowl. “Being a single parent is hard.”

“We know, big guy,” Merrick soothes, patting him on the shoulder.

JJ seems to decide the threat of violence has passed, stepping to the side again. I’m not entirely sure Grant isn’t still planning to shoot me, but he doesn’t reach for his gun, so I consider myself safe for now.

“Rosalind needs to do this, Callum.” Grant’s hard gaze never leaves mine, and I know this decision has been made without me. “It’s the fastest way to take care of the GiGi’s and the RMF before Grim gets here with your daughter.”

“Then,” Rosalind’s fingers lace through mine, pulling my attention away from Grant. “We can bring Violet home.”

She shifts, and I see the fresh brand beneath her shirt. My initials stand out against her skin, the burn still red and raw around the edges. I swore to never let anyone take what’s mine again, and I intend to keep that promise.

“Fine, but I have stipulations.”

“Fair enough.”

Twenty-Six: Come Before the Lord

ROSALIND

I make the call from a dirty payphone on the outskirts of Forest Falls. Prior to Callum pulling up to the busted-up gas station, I hadn’t been aware there were still functioning payphones around here.

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