Page 184 of Bride By Coronation

I cry harder. "Did you know Kirill's dad was there?"

Sean jerks his head back.

"Sean?"

He hesitates, then shakes his head. "His dad wasn't there. It was Uncle Niall and Uncle Shamus. The other men were Lorenzo Abruzzo, Anthony Rossi, Tadeg Bailey, and Daniel Abruzzo. You might have met him a few times at the Marinos'. They didn't know he was an Abruzzo infiltrating them."

I shake my head. "No. A Petrov was there."

"No, you're wrong," Sean insists.

I argue, "Kirill said it was true!"

Sean scrunches his forehead.

"Who was the one with the crucifix? The one with the emerald center?" I ask.

Sean slowly shrugs his shoulders. "I don't know about a crucifix. Why?"

I blurt out, "He was Kirill's dad."

Sean's face hardens.

I start to cry again, with visions of the video popping up in my mind and the sounds of my dad's and mom's tortured screams filling it.

Sean pulls me back into him.

I sob. "I need to see Mom. Please let me use your plane. Please."

He holds me tighter and lowers the divider, ordering, "Airport. Now."

"Yes, sir." The SUV does a sharp U-turn.

Sean puts the glass up and asks, "Fiona, what were you saying about Mom?"

Flashbacks of the video torment me. I can't speak, going into a full-blown panic attack, and the rest of the ride is a fog.

Sean somehow gets me on the plane, and more shock sets in. One minute, we're in Chicago, and the next thing I know, we're in New York.

It's dark out, and Sean squeezes my hand, announcing, "Fiona, we're here."

I blink hard, glancing out the window, and the steps of the Marino mansion come into view.

"Let's go inside," he gently says.

Suddenly, I don't know why I'm here. I blurt out, "What am I going to say to Mom?" and start to cry again.

Sean helps me out of the SUV and then leads me into the house.

He steers us to the living area and opens the door.

I step inside.

"Fiona! Sean! What are you—" The color drains from Mom's face. She rushes over to me. "Fiona, what's wrong?"

I can't speak. I fall into her arms, hugging her tightly, knowing things will never be the same again.

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