Page 2 of Watch Me, Daddy

Aidan Murphy

I’d been watching Irina Morozov for days now.

She was being kept on the fifteenth floor of Tsar’s Palace, a Russian-built hotel that the Kozlovs had forced their way into and set up as their main base here in Boston. My team had breached their cyber security walls and hacked into their main security feeds. They had cameras all over the place, including the suite that Irina was currently pacing back and forth in.

I reached out to brush my fingers against the screen, wanting to comfort her with my touch.

I didn’t know what it was about her, but she possessed an allure that was as enigmatic as it was irresistible. Her jet-black hair cascaded in luxurious waves down her back, framing her delicate features like a silken veil. Her beautiful sage green eyes held me spellbound, shimmering with a mischievous glint that hinted at a spirit that was both sweet and unbelievably sassy. Yet beneath her charm and playfulness lurked a cunning intellect that was adept at navigating the treacherous waters of a life within mafia politics. She didn’t shy away from the guards that followed her every move, nor did she flinch in front of Anton or his men.

She was a force to be reckoned with.

I hadn’t had the chance to meet her father, Maxim Morozov, but from what my sister told me, I knew that he was a good man.

I understood the logistics of why we were planning to kidnap her. The Kozlovs and the Morozovs had arranged the marriage of Anton and Irina to secure an alliance between the two families, but Maxim had found out some damning information about his daughter’s husband-to-be and no longer found the match acceptable for her.

I understood why.

My sister Ada, one of the leading members of the Murphy family, had informed me that Maxim’s men had uncovered a series of transactions traced to offshore accounts between Anton and a high-end escort service. He was a regular user of the service. In addition, he had several mistresses throughout the city that he had no plans of cutting off after the marriage had been secured. Lastly and certainly the most alarming, there had been a shocking number of domestic abuse incidences that had been swept under the rug by the local police. He hurt women and had zero regret about it. I couldn’t stand for that either.

Knowing that had made me angry, but it wasn’t until I saw him hit her that my blood boiled.

He’d backhanded her so hard that it had thrown her to the floor. There was little doubt in my mind that her right cheek would likely bruise.

“How much longer do we need to wait?” I asked impatiently, staring at the screen as the resilient little thing pushed herself off the floor and held her head up high. Quickly, she swiped her hand across her cheek, likely wiping away a tear.

I saw red. I wanted to kill him.

“Tonight,” Liam growled. I could tell he was just as angry I was, but he tempered his fury better. As the Murphy family consigliere, he was level-headed, dependable, and wickedly intelligent. He was often quiet and introspective, but I knew he was always observing his surroundings while deep in thought.

“If he touches a single hair on her head, I swear, I’ll rip his head right off his shoulders,” I growled.

“That would be unwise, Aidan,” Liam replied.

“I know, but it would feel good after seeing him raise his hand to her like that,” I scowled.

“I know. In time,” he murmured, but I could tell that he was furious at what he’d just seen too. Liam may be tough on the outside, but I knew he was sweet, especially when it came to the women in our family.

He was a good man.

“According to her usual schedule, she’ll head to the gym around ten o’clock tonight. Since it’s a Saturday, most of the Kozlovs are out at their favorite local dive joint, the Kremlin Pub in Allston, leaving a skeleton crew for us to deal with as we make our way through,” he continued.

I went over the hotel blueprints for the thousandth time, memorizing the layout and preparing as much as possible just so that I could focus on something other than the image of Anton slapping Irina across the face.

This was a dangerous game, and right now, I just had to keep my mind on getting her away from him.

The hours ticked by, and I gazed out the window at the panoramic view of Boston. The setting sun cast a warm, golden glow over the city, turning the towering buildings into majestic silhouettes against the darkening sky. The fading light painted everything with a surreal beauty.

The Charles River flowed serenely through the heart of the city, reflecting the vibrant colors of the skyline like a shimmering canvas. The water glimmered under the fading light, and I could see sailboats gently gliding along the water.

Amidst the urban jungle, historic churches and buildings added a touch of old-world charm to the modern skyline. Their elegant spires and classic architecture stood as a testament to the city’s rich heritage, juxtaposed against the sleek lines of contemporary skyscrapers. It was a mesmerizing blend of past and present, a city with a timeless soul and a progressive spirit.

The Prudential Tower and the John Hancock Building basked in the last remaining rays of sunlight. Their glass surfaces seemed to catch fire, radiating warmth and brilliance that illuminated the city below. The streets started to come alive with a myriad of lights, each flickering like tiny stars and guiding people on their evening journeys on the streets below.

It was a place that the Murphys had called home for years now.

“It’s time, Aidan,” Liam said softly.

“Let’s go,” I commanded.

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