Page 70 of Vengeful Union

I take a deep breath, averting my eyes and walking out into the hallway. I close the door as softly as I can.

“Can’t sleep?”

The voice startles me, and I jerk and put a hand to the small of my back, where I’ve been keeping a gun. It’s not there, though.

“Jesus Christmas,” I gasp when I realize who it is. “If I’d had my gun I would have shot you, Dunc. You can’t sneak up on people like that.”

He snickers. “Sorry.”

He doesn’t look sorry at all, eyes sparkling with mirth.

“What are you even doing here?” I look at my watch. “It’s nearly three in the morning.”

“Your father called a late-night meeting.”

I raise an eyebrow. “Before daylight?”

Duncan nods. “He didn’t invite you?”

I thin my lips and shake my head. “I think I’ll show up anyway.”

Without questioning me, Duncan heads toward my father’s office.

I follow, my heart pounding.

What can my father be planning? Why wouldn’t he tell me about it?

We’re supposed to be “repairing our relationship.” There’s no reason to keep me out of the loop unless it has something to do with Lara.

My father sits behind his desk, his forearms on the mahogany surface. He doesn’t even look tired, and it makes me wonder if he’s dipping into some of the stimulants that I know he traffics.

His eyes widen as I come in behind Duncan. A few other men, including Paul, stand around the office, waiting for my father to speak.

“Rory,” he greets, his tone cheerful enough. “I didn’t expect you.”

I frown. “Why wasn’t I invited?”

He smiles, showing his sharp canines like the predator he is. “Thought you’d be busy. It’s the honeymoon phase, boyo. Figured you’d still be balls deep in the Burke girl.”

Paul barks out a laugh as revulsion crawls across my skin, but I plaster on a smile.

“I need a break now and again.”

The room bursts out into laughter, even Duncan, and my heart rate begins to slow. This maynotbe about Lara.

And it seems my relationship with my father is still okay, despite him not inviting me.

“Sorry for calling you all here so late.” My father stands up and puts his hands behind his back, rocking forward on the balls of his feet. “But we have to get an early start on this one.”

I frown. “What’s this about?”

“You usually aren’t one for the details, boyo. So, I didn’t think you’d want to be involved.”

“I want to be involved. I want to be part of this family, business and all.”

I don’t think I’ve ever told a bigger lie. All I want is to get the hell out of town and get back to my life.

You really want to go back to a life without Lara?

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