Page 39 of Dark Succession
It was on the tip of his tongue to ask what the meeting concerned. He knew for a fact his father was coordinating things on his own without talking to Colm about them, so it only stood to reason that Colm was doing the same thing. But bringing business up meant taking away fromthe comfort and intimacy that came from just having a conversation with Callie. Business could wait, at least until tomorrow.
Instead, he said, “Soon, Callie. I want to see you soon.”
She shifted again, maybe rolling over on her bed. “Let me see how the meeting goes, and then I’ll have a better idea of when I’m free. I want to see you, too.”
“Deal.” It wasn’t an exact date, but the intent was clear. She wanted to see him as much as he wanted to see her. He yawned, a wave of exhaustion rolling over him.
“Go to sleep, Teague. You need it.”
“You too.” She wasn’t getting enough. He didn’t have to sleep next to her every night to know that. Every time he talked to her, she sounded more run-down and tired. Last night she hadn’t been able to remember the last time she ate when he asked. It was added motivation to get some alone time with her—at least then he could make sure she got a full meal and maybe a nap. “Good night, angel.”
“I will say, Callie, I’m surprised by what you’re proposing.”
Callie kept her nerves off her face through sheer force of will. In the days since Teague’s attack, she’d been petitioning hard for her father to let her in. It was only today that he finally relented and promised to hear her out. The admiration on his face almost made the fight worthwhile.
Almost.
She took a deep breath. Every time she brought up Brendan, Papa changed the subject, making it abundantly clear that he didn’t want to hear her confession, no matterwhat he might think happened. With that avenue closed to her, she’d focused on the war itself. “They’ll be expecting a full-frontal attack, which means they’ll be prepared for it. This will cripple a significant portion of their income.” And destroying the factory where the Hallorans stored their illicit goods dealt them a blow that was unlikely to result in casualties. It wasn’t a perfect plan as such things went, but it was better than what John was suggesting—work their way through Halloran territory, taking out every hub they used on the way. The loss of life would be devastating on both sides—she refused to sit back and allow it to happen.
Thank God Papa seemed intrigued by her plan.
He sat back, tapping his steepled fingers against his lips. “They’ll use more than one location—they’re too smart to store everything valuable in one place.”
“Even so, taking out one will hurt them with less chance of loss on our side.” She met her father’s gaze, her hands folded demurely in her lap. “When we go for their throat, I want it to be in a way that doesn’t put any more of our people at risk than necessary.”Please, God, let this end before we have to take such measures.
It was becoming increasingly clear to Callie that she was capable of doing just that if they backed her into a corner. She hated knowing that about herself, but there wasn’t time for her to wrestle with her bruised conscience. Brendan had been one thing. Even though she knew differently in her darkest soul of souls, she could still argue with herself that it had been solely self-defense. This was something else altogether.
But seeing Teague hurt and helpless had driven the stakes home in a way she couldn’t ignore. If leftunchecked, the Hallorans wouldn’t hesitate to kill every last one of them. By holding herself back, she might be putting the people she cared about at risk. Teague. Micah. Emma. All of them. When she weighed her conscience against those lives, it was no contest. She’d do what needed to be done to keep her people safe, no matter how unpalatable she found it.
Especially since she was the one who struck the match that blew a tense treaty sky-high.
He nodded to John. “Make it happen.” Papa waited until the door shut behind his man to pin her with a look. “Enough about business. How are the wedding plans going?”
It was on the tip of her tongue to remark that the wedding was just as much business as the strike against the Hallorans, but she wrestled the words back at the last moment and forced a smile instead. “My future motherin-law is a force of nature.”
Papa shook his head. “Yes, that’s one way to describe Aileen. Be careful, Callie. That woman is ruthless to the core—she’d smile sweetly while she gutted you if she thought the situation called for it.”
She’d suspected as much, but it was enough to make her wonder what the woman had done to make even Colm Sheridan feel it necessary to dole out a warning. There seemed to be so many things she could no longer talk to her father about, but this was safe enough. “What did she do?”
“Nothing in the way that you mean.” He laughed softly. “But any woman who could survive thirty-five years of marriage to Seamus O’Malley—and bear him seven children—is not one I’m inclined to take lightly.”
There was something beneath the words, but she couldn’t put her finger on what it was. “Perhaps Seamus isn’t as bad at home as he is with his enemies.”
Papa raised his eyebrows. “Do you really believe that?”
She thought over how even being within touching distance of the man was enough to raise the small hairs on the back of her neck, and the way Teague spoke of him. Her father could be ruthless when the situation called for it, but she’d never once doubted that he loved her and her brother with everything he had. And, when push came to shove, he was willing to let her make the decisions that ultimately impacted her life. Like agreeing to marry a stranger. All Seamus cared about was his children’s compliance. Their happiness didn’t even come into the equation.
Callie sat back. “I think that any woman who would go to bed with that man—and keep doing it—is someone I’m not inclined to underestimate.”
He nodded like she’d given the right answer on a test. “All the same, try to enjoy the preparations. I know you didn’t choose this, and after Brendan…”
She reached across the desk and covered his hand with her own. She might want to air her confession to make herself feel better, but her father obviously didn’t want to hear it. She wouldn’t burden him with her sins just to lighten the weight she carried. “It will be okay, Papa. Though I can think of a thousand things more important than wedding planning.”
“Unfortunately, it’s necessary. The wedding itself is as much a statement as the marriage.”
“I know.” Which was why she’d gritted her teeth andkept her complaints to herself. She squeezed his hand again. “We’ll figure out a way out of this.”
“Sometimes the only way out is through, Callie. You know that.” His smile was tired. “But we’ll get through it. We always do.”
