Page 66 of Coup De Grâce
“If they live? You’ll never regret it. Not even for one second.”
The key in the lock rattled just before the door swung open. Claire’s eyes met mine immediately. While I wasn’t necessarily on friendly terms with her, I also didn’t blame her for the actions of my father. In my opinion, she was just as much of a victim as I was.
“Hey, Cash,” she smiled. “Michael said you were getting in tonight. I picked up some food for us.”
“Thanks.”
I tried to sound grateful, but it was so fucking hard when hate was simmering in my gut.
“How’s Isabelle?” she asked hopefully.
“Uh…” I rubbed the back of my neck, ashamed to say that I hadn’t really checked on her. I’d been too wrapped up in plotting the end of the world. “I think she’s doing okay.”
Disappointment etched her features as she nodded, hoping for news I couldn’t give her. “I want to see her, but…I know it’ll be a problem.”
“You have to give her time,” Michael said, holding out his hand to her.
She was by his side in seconds, taking his hand for comfort. It was so strange to see them together, to watch as he doted on this woman when it should have been my mother. And I was just supposed to go along with it, to pretend that our fucked up family was completely normal.
“I just wish she would stop fantasizing about her time with that asshole. I really think she needs to see a psychiatrist.”
“Claire,” Dad sighed. “Give her time. She was on that island for years.”
“Oh, suddenly I should give her time? You were all about pushing her toward a doctor before.”
“Can we not fight about this?” Michael snapped. “There’s not a goddamn thing either of us can do right now. She doesn’t want to see us. We have to trust that Eva’s taking care of her.”
Eva. Her name was fucking painful to hear.
I had spent weeks pushing her away. I denied myself sex. I wouldn’t allow myself to snuggle up against her at night. Hell, I never even went home the past few months. I couldn’t. Because if I did, I never would have been able to leave.
I still battled with the fact that I had walked away from my team without giving them a chance to help me. That’s exactly what Rafe had done, and look how that turned out.
“I see what you’re thinking,” Michael said, cutting into my thoughts. “I know that look.”
“You know nothing,” I argued, taking another sip of my drink.
“You’re wondering if you made the right choice. You did. You needed to leave her behind.”
Slamming the glass down on the table, I glared at him. “Actually, I was wondering why the fuck I’m trusting you over my own goddamn team. I’m wondering why I would leave them when I sure as fuck know they would all have my back. A whole goddamn team to support me, and instead, I’m here with you.”
Claire ducked her head, slipping from his lap. She busied herself in the kitchen while I had it out with the old man.
“Because you fucking know if they got involved, there’s no fucking way we’d be able to take them down. Too many people would make it impossible to keep this under the radar. You can’t infiltrate the fucking Shadow Government with everyone wanting to get involved. This is a solo job, and you need to start remembering that from now on. Your life as you know it is over. OPS no longer exists in your mind. If you want them alive, you cut them from your life and move on. That’s the only way forward.”
“Yeah, at the funeral.”
I paused on the stairs, listening as my old man spoke to someone on the phone.
“No, he’s a liability that needs to be dealt with. Take him out.”
I inched closer, peeking around the corner. Michael was pacing the room, his hand running through his hair in the same way I remembered seeing him as a kid when he was stressed.
“Yeah, make it clean. Send a message.” He stopped and looked out the window for a moment. “No, he doesn’t need to know about this. Right…Yeah, call me when it’s done.”
Michael hung up the phone and sighed, tossing his phone on the table.
“Everything alright?” Claire asked, walking up behind him.
