Page 64 of Innocent Union
All of Killian’s men and family members are dead. On the day of his mother’s funeral.
“Killian?” I turn to him, clinging to his shirt. “What are we going to do? Where’s my mom?”
He looks around the room. A deadness enters his eyes, like the kind man I’ve gotten to know has disappeared.
I leave him and being searching the rec center. My mom has to be here somewhere. I find the bathrooms down a hallway and check every stall. But she isn’t there. I check the men’s bathroom for good measure, but still, no sign of my mom.
I can’t lose her. I just can’t.
I find another door at the end of the hall and try it.
It’s locked.
I pound on the door. “Mom? Mom!”
The door is wrenched open, and there she is.
My mom looks at me with wide eyes before pulling me into a hug. “Mia. Oh, thank god. Mia.”
We cling to each other.
“What happened?” I ask.
“I was coming out of the bathroom when I heard gunshots. I hid in here. I didn’t know what was happening.”
“Everyone is dead, Mom. All of Killian’s people. They’re dead.”
Mom gasps. “And Killian? Is he ok?”
“He’s fine. This was because of Patrick. He doesn’t want Killian taking over. He sent him a message.”
She hugs me again. “That’s horrible. I’m just so relived you’re all right.”
“Come on. We need to get out of here.”
We find Killian, frozen in place, staring at all the dead bodies.
He’ll need me more than ever now.
“Killian, we have to leave.” I grab his hand, jerking him out of whatever trance he was just in. “We have to go. Now.”
He eventually nods, and the three of us leave the rec center.
“The police will investigate,” Mom says.
“I have someone I can call who can clean up the mess,” Killian says in a monotone voice as we drive away.
I want to comfort Killian, but he looks like he’s beyond that now. He doesn’t even look angry. He just looks … dead.
He drives us to our house and, once there, calls the people he knows who can clean up the dead bodies. I know it must pain Killian to call his other family and friends that—"bodies.” But he’s holding up remarkably well given what just happened.
“Good thing Antonio wasn’t there,” Moms says to me. “In a strange way, this feud between him and Killian might have just saved his life. Those two were close. I know he would have been at the funeral, otherwise.”
“You’re right. But Antonio should have been there,” I respond. “He might be mad at Killian for killing his men, but he should have been there for his friend on the day of his mother’s funeral. I’m going to call him.”
I do, but his phone goes straight to voicemail.
That’s it. I’ve had enough with men telling me what to do. For blaming me for things that aren’t my fault. For getting me dragged into other people’s drama.
