Page 49 of Brutal Power

“I’ll talk to her,” I say, softening my tone. Sometimes I’m too hard on Seamus because he’s abrasive and difficult, but he cares about our family as much as I do, if not more. It kills him, seeing Mom like this. It kills us all, but sometimes I think Seamus takes it the hardest. He always had a special relationship with her, even when he was younger.

He takes a minute to gather himself and I let him have the time. It’s good to have a little quiet before the storm starts up. I drink my coffee and stretch my neck and think about Elena at the bar in that pretty dress looking so fucking delicious I could eat her right there in front of a dozen different officers. Instead, all I got was a kiss on the sidewalk, then nothing, just her back to me at night and her slow, gentle breathing when she fell asleep.

I feel the gap between us and I want to cross it, but I can’t figure out how. She’s afraid that I’m getting too involved with her family’s war, and I’m afraid she’s distracting me from my responsibilities, and we keep on going around and around, except when we’re together, it’s so fucking good.

“Busy out there,” Seamus says and gets up, and he’s about to say something else.

That’s when the gunfire starts.

At first, I don’t know what the fuck is happening. The shooting is loud like someone’s lighting fireworks under my goddamn window. I get up to tell them to shut the fuck up, but everyone outside is scattering and screaming and hitting the grass, and I realize the explosions are coming from a black SUV parked in the street.

“Guns,” I shout and wrench open my bottom drawer. I grab the pistol I have there, make sure it’s loaded on the fly, and run to the front door, heedless of the danger outside. Seamus is right at my back, and despite everything, I’d trust him with my life in a situation like this a thousand times over.

I kick open the door. As I rush out, the shooting stops, and the car peels off as it speeds away. I level my gun to take a few shots but Seamus shoves it down and shakes his head.

“Check the people,” he says.

I curse but he’s right. The shooting’s done and they got away, and now it’s time to figure out if anyone got hurt. I shove the gun into my waistband and begin checking on the people lying in the grass, some of them curled up with their heads covered, a few of them hiding in the bushes. An old woman’s quietly crying to herself, but she’s not hurt.

Nobody’s hurt, as far as I can tell.

“Bro,” Seamus says from over in the driveway. “Check this out.”

It’s my truck. There must be a couple dozen bullet holes riddling the back. The windows are blasted out and the tires are ruined. “They shot it up,” I say, staring at the wreck. “Everyone else is fine.”

Seamus sucks in a slow breath and blows it out. He gives me a meaningful look. “This was a warning.”

I walk slowly around my truck.

This could’ve been bad. All those people were lined up in the yard like sitting ducks and they could’ve been slaughtered today. Whoever was in that car had orders not to hurt anyone, or else I’d have a lot of blood in my grass and bodies to deal with.

Instead, there are bullet fragments lodged in my truck.

And the war’s finally coming to my home.

Chapter 26

Elena

Ihear about the shooting from Simon that afternoon. I want to rush over to Brody’s office but he tells me to stay home since he’s still at his mother’s place taking care of everyone and cleaning up the mess. I hate waiting around and end up going over anyway.

“I’m so happy everyone’s okay,” I say to him when I jump out of the car and rush over. I throw my arms around him and hug him tight, burying my face in his neck. “God, it scared the shit out of me when Simon told me there was a shooting.”

“We got lucky.” Brody’s tone is flat and lifeless. “Santoro didn’t want anyone dead. Just my truck.”

“Your poor truck.” I pull back and stare into his face. “You’re sure nobody’s hurt?”

“Just some scared people and a few minor bruises from diving to the ground. I’ve been trying to make sure everyone’s getting what they need since it happened.” His eyes move to the house and I can tell he wants to get back inside.

“Come on then. I’ll do what I can.”

He hesitates then leans forward and kisses my cheek. “Would you sit with my mom?”

I raise my eyebrows. “Of course. That’s all you need?”

“She’s taking it hard. Hell, she’s taking everything hard right now.”

“Then I’ll talk to her and see if I can take her mind off things.”

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