Page 67 of Cassio (Belles & Mobsters 3)

Blowing the motherfucking place into dust.

ChapterTwenty-Three

ÁINE

Ireread Hunter’s message again.*After your business trip to Turkey, I’m taking you to my favorite restaurant. We’ll set some ground rules.*

I have been back for two days and haven't had a text. I sent him a note the moment I landed. I never claimed to be a patient person. But Hunter still hadn’t replied. It was slightly uncharacteristic of him. After weeks of texting back and forth, I came to pick up on some things.

Hunter was incredibly patient. Unlike me. He had an eerily innate way of picking up my moods. Even over texts. When I asked him how he always knew, he said my texts were my tell. Usually the shorter the text, the worse my mood.

So, he’d have flowers delivered. Or a basket of chocolates. Or my favorite, Irish apple cake. Hunter found a way to send deliveries to me, no matter where I was. Croatia, UK, Spain, or New York.

When I told him about my favorite dessert, he laughed. His favorite was cannoli. He blamed it on his Italian grandfather. I blamed it on my Irish stepfather.

All through the weeks we talked, he’d never,ever, not responded. And now… It seemed uncharacteristic of him not to respond. I had a bad feeling about it. Besides, what in the hell did he mean by setting up some ground rules? And how did he know I was going to Turkey? First, I thought it was something kinky but that didn’t explain his comment about my location. Either way, I was at a loss.

“Hello, Miss Áine.” Jack’s guard, Connor, greeted me as I walked through the entrance.

“Hello, Connor,” I greeted him back. “Get rid of that Miss. We agreed that you would just call me by my first name.”

“Ah, nay.” He shook his head. “You agreed. I just kept quiet.”

I rolled my eyes, though I couldn’t stop the grin from spreading across my face. He got me there.

“Mom and Jack home?” I asked, rather than admit defeat.

It was one thing Hunter and I had in common. Neither one of us ever admitted defeat. Not sure if it was a good quality, or not, to share.

Remains to be seen,I thought wryly.

Connor nodded and I continued on through the vast foyer. Usually, Jack was in the study at this time of day. I wasn’t in the mood to hang around here tonight, but I came to offer Margaret my support. She would have done the same for me. It was the night the engagement would be announced. But only to the family and friends. Obviously, I was curious to meet her mystery soon-to-be husband. So was she. It wasn’t every day that you got engaged to someone you never met or knew his name.

I hated to admit it, but I was fucking glad not to be in her shoes. I’d spit fire if I was cornered into marrying someone. Might even employ some of the torturing techniques I learned about but rarely got to exercise - sleep deprivation, diet manipulation, sensory deprivation, false friendship.

Margaret’s sobs stopped my thoughts dead in their tracks. The sounds traveled through my stepfather’s office door and my steps faltered. Callahan could be intimidating, but he would never upset a woman. I stilled, alarms going off all throughout my body. In all my years that I’ve known Margaret, she never cried. Not even a hint of a tear.

So why is she crying now?

This arrangement wasn’t of her choosing, but she seemed resigned to accept it. She said it wasn’t uncommon to see it happen in families like hers. She had known about her engagement for the past three months although she didn’t know to whom exactly. All she knew was that it was a business partner, and it would allow for a strong alliance.

It had been over a month since we partied in Las Vegas. While I’ve thrown myself into work and the new project that started, among other things, she reluctantly started the wedding preparations. The whole ordeal was weird to me, but the whole Callahan business wasn’t exactly what I was accustomed to. Jack Callahan made my mother happy and made her feel safe. That was all that mattered to me.

Another sob and I had enough. Whoever it was, I wouldn’t let them upset her. I swung the door to Jack’s office open.

“Jack?” I called out to my stepfather and took the situation in. Jack was pacing back and forth while Margaret sat in the chair, her eyes red from tears. “Margaret, are you okay?”

She gave me a jerky nod, but she wasn’t okay.

My eyes traveled to the guests. Shock and recognition sank in. My heart sprinted in my chest but then bewilderment followed.

“Hunter?” I called out in confusion.What is going on here?

Hunter titled his head, but there was no emotion on his face. It was like watching a stoic mask. So unlike the man I met in Las Vegas and the club two years ago. Unlike the man I have been texting with for the past six weeks. My forehead scrunched as I took them all in. Both wore a formal, three piece suit.

Is he-? No, it couldn’t be.

“Áine, I didn’t realize you were here.” Jack walked over to me and took my hands in his.

---