Page 35 of Vengeful Secret

How long can I keep this secret? And who’s following me?

What’s Gray going to think when he meets Ciara? Will he hate me? Will he kick us both out?

There’re too many questions, and not enough answers.

10

GRAY

I pace around the study,my mind whirling a mile a minute.

Someone’s been following Sutton. Could it be Murphy?

No. There’s no way he could know about our relationship, or that we’ve reconnected. We kept it from everyone back then, and now, the only people who know are people that were at that tavern.

But then again, he does have eyes everywhere. He always seems to know exactly what’s going on with us, despite us being as careful as possible.

I wish I could talk to Da. He’s always been good at this, at understanding the motivations behind why people do things. He’s always been the person I confided in, the person that saw the real me. I keep on such a front for everyone else, but he’s always been able to see right through it. If we could just talk it out...

But he’s not well enough for that. He can’t even sit up to eat on his own, and I can’t bother him with my own stressors when he’s still recovering.

Lara walked Sutton out, and I watched on the cameras in my office. She’s really going to be living here, with her little daughter.

I thought maybe she’d never want to see me again after she rejected me, but she seems to realize that I’m the one that can protect her and her child.

Will it sting, seeing her daughter? Knowing that could have been my life, my daughter, if things had gone differently between us?

I’m not exactly jealous of the man who gave Sutton a child, but I’m envious. I wish it had been me.

Just like any other Irishman, I’ve always wanted a big family. Three or four kids with her smile and my eyes…

But it wasn’t meant to be.

I make a call to some of my top men, putting out feelers and trying to figure out who I can use to help me figure this out.

“Gray Burke,” Liam Morris drawls when he answers. “It’s been a long time.”

“Years,” I admit. “But I need your help. Round up a couple of guys you trust and meet me at the mansion in an hour.”

“Big job?” he says, and then pauses. “Lots of money?”

Some of these guys really only care about the cash, but as long as they’re loyal to my father, it doesn’t matter. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, though. A lot of the men in this life are the same way.

“Just get here.”

I hang up the phone.

My father has a lot of good men, but I’m not sure I want the older crew working on this.

Declan and I have our own men, as well, guys we’ve met over the years who are in the life. I don’t want this on the Burke payroll. I’m funding it myself.

I let out a long breath and head downstairs, where Kael and Declan are sitting in the living room, still discussing the matters of the day. Our meeting was cut short, and now there are new things that we need to discuss.

“You done with your girlfriend?” Declan asks teasingly, but I’m not in the mood.

“She’s not my girlfriend. But she needs our help.”

Kael looks up at me from the couch. “What’s going on?”

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