Page 47 of Protecting Charity

I scowled. Her confirmation had my trigger finger itching to splatter her brains all over her tidy room. “He’s dead in case you didn’t realize that by now.”

Her gaze left the floor to meet mine. Sadness sunk into them. Did little Nora here have feelings for Oisin? Or was it sadness from him not being able to complete the job? Hatred overtook the sadness and her lips raised in a snarl. She was well aware he had failed.

“Control yourself, Nora. I can read you like a book,” I smirked as I leaned forward, bracing my elbow on my knee to keep the heavy gun steady.

“Are you going to get to the point of your visit?”

I tsked. “Now is not the time to grow a backbone and get mouthy. You have everything to lose here.”

She clamped her lips shut and pointed her gaze back to the floor. That’s what I thought.

The door handle rattled, then rapid quiet knocking came from the other side of her bedroom door, followed by a boy’s tiny voice. “Mommy, are you going to come tuck me in?”

Her eyes shot from the noise to me, silently pleading with me. I inclined my head, giving her permission to answer the child.

“I…” she cleared her throat from the fear she was choking on. “I’ll be right out, sweetie. Make sure you brush your teeth and get in bed.”

The pitter-patter of feet running down the hall revealed he listened for the first time and was on the way to do the things she asked of him.

“Are you trying to have the job finished, Nora?”

She bit her cheek, and her head snapped in my direction. “What do you mean?”

“You knew Oisin was dead, I could tell. So, by default, that must mean he failed. Right? So did you hire someone else to finish the job?”

Her eyes darted around the room, then shook her head. “No. They reprimanded me for involving Oisin. They threatened me if I ever tried to start a war again, I wouldn’t get off with just a warning.”

Contempt curled my lip at the thought of her trying to incite more violence towards the family or me.

“So you wouldn’t be the reason I have someone shooting at me today?”

She scoffed. “No, but I would shake their hand if I knew who it was.”

I pressed my lips into a thin line, then rolled them to hold myself back. Her anger bled off of her and tainted my mood. I stood from the bench, tucked the gun into my waistband, then stalked towards her.

“You know, Nora, you are so lucky that I am obsessed with more important shit. Just remember, when I get bored, I like to complete unfinished business. I have no problem coming back here and breaking every bone in your body.”

I clenched my fist as I got closer, then pulled back and let my knuckles connect with her cheekbone, causing her to hide her face in her mattress while holding the damage. Gripping her hair, I pulled her up so she could look at me. All the stuffed anger filtered to the forefront, and I struggled to curb the thoughts of breaking her apart.

Emotions weren’t meant to lead. I needed to remember that.

I took a calming breath, then shoved her face into the mattress to muffle the screams I knew were coming. Snapping her arm back with ease, I broke it with a sickening crack. Her shrieks would have woken the neighborhood had she not been suffocating in her down-comforter.

Once her muffled screams waned into quiet sobs, I finished what I came here to do. “If I find out you had something to do with it, I not only will come back and make my previous threat a reality, but I’ll kill that little boy in front of you first. Nod if you fucking understand me.”

She kept her face pointed towards the mattress and nodded the best she could.

“Good. Stay here until I’m gone.”

I pushed her head harder into the mattress then released, causing her head to bounce against the bed. Peeking out the door, the silence was blaring. I took the stairs at a steady clip and walked out just as I came out to find Max sitting in the driver’s seat.

“You are the thief of joy sometimes.” I smiled as I sat in the passenger, letting him know I was none too pleased he took the wheel.

He huffed and took in a sharp breath. “How did it go?” He wasn’t in the mood to play around. Apparently, the time that I had in there to think wasn’t enough time for him.

“Oh, you know… the usual. Threats of life on her and her children, breaking of limbs, gun pointed at the head—the good stuff.” I cocked my head to the side and smiled.

“I meant did you get answers? I know how you operate.”

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