Page 40 of Careless

My friend just isn’t as obsessive as I am. The most obvious clue is that Duncan Malloy is still alive. That kid has been putting his hands on the Gray whore for years.

Tiernan sets his stuff down and takes the proffered bottle. “What do you think is in it?” he asks as he twists the top off. He carefully dumps the capsule in his palm. He lifts it between two fingers and holds it to the light, squinting with concentration.

“Her mother doesn’t seem like the type to offer her daughter any real help, so I’m guessing poison of some sort.” It’s not very likely, but I wonder if there is some kind of microscopic tracker or something of that sort in it. I have no clue what we’re dealing with, but I know one thing for sure. “Sorcha has good instincts, and that’s enough for me.”

“Especially if you know the backstory of Carmen Muerte.”

I’m taken aback by this admission. It’s shocking to me that he not only knows Sorcha’s mother’s name, but also some of her history.

“Back story?”

“Yeah,” Tiernan says as he straightens and puts the pill back in the bottle. “Woman is a psycho. She tried to do everything in her power to kill Sorcha before she was born. Even stabbed herself in the stomach when Nigel got a court order to stop her from having her pregnancy terminated. Used a butcher’s knife, too.”

Not many people are so determined to end someone’s life that they’ll gladly take themselves out as well. I'm not even that psychotic. I’m not going to lie. I want to end Carmen just because she wanted to hurt my woman, even if she doesn’t anymore. Sorcha almost didn’t take her first breath because of that wench.

“Why do that, though?” I wonder out loud, not really looking for a response.

“I overheard my dad talking about her once.” Tiernan rubs the back of his neck as if the subject physically pains him. “He said the bitch would walk around screaming about how Sorcha was evil. Lots of mumbling, didn’t make sense to most people. I think she called Sorcha a prophet, something about her eventually seeing visions of the future that would make her go mad and kill innocent people.” He pauses mid-knead of his neck and meets my eyes with that last tidbit.

I open my mouth, getting ready to ask more questions, but that stops any further words from leaving my mouth. Sorcha does have premonitions in her dreams. How the fuck did the bitch who birthed her know that before Sorcha was even born? This is suspicious as fuck.

“After she stabbed herself, she was hospitalized and strapped to a gurney until Sorcha was born. She signed papers to have Sorcha handed over to the state, but luckily, Nigel has friends all over the place who stalled the process until he could claim Sorcha.” His face sours as his eyes dart down the hall to where the bedrooms are. Making sure the doors are closed, he leans in close. “My dad’s lips always get loose when he drinks. I’m not sure how accurate his information is, but from what I gathered, Sorcha isn’t even Nigel’s biological daughter. There’s a rumor that they had a paternity test done when she was born and there was zero chance of the two being kin. After that he had the paperwork buried, so he could take custody of her.”

Well, that’s one big crazy piece of information I’ve never heard whispered in town. I was under the impression that the biggest scandal of Sorcha’s life was her crazy mom abandoning her. This other bit is something much bigger, and much more private.

If it’s true, Carmen is a much bigger piece of shit than everyone thought. Only Carmen holds the answer to the identity of Sorcha’s biological father, but if it turns out it’s not Nigel, Sorcha will be devastated. Her family is important to her, so important she was willing to throw our future together away over it.

“Thanks, man,” I say dryly.

Tiernan nods as he slides the bottle in his front pocket, then bends and grabs his bag off the floor. He turns and heads for the door.

“Wait, are you leaving? Where are you going?” I question as he steps off the porch.

He turns to me, “This is going to require my full lab. I’ll let you know when I have the results.”

I know the longer I hold him here, the longer until we can provide Sorcha with some peace of mind. I don’t stop him or ask any more questions. The rest of my questions will have to wait until I have Carmen in my warehouse and can torture all the information out of her before I kill her.

She freaked Sorcha out, and that alone is enough of a reason for me to end her. Now knowing that she’s tried to kill my woman before is just the nail in her coffin. The fact that Sorcha hadn’t taken her first breath is the only thing that saved Carmen from The Five Families back then. I have my own set of morals. They don’t always align with my predecessors or my comrades.

I close and lock the door before making my way down the hall, but before I can pass Nigel’s room, a muffled voice calls to me through the crack in his door. I could have sworn it had been shut when I put Sorcha to bed.

I stop dead in my tracks as the door slowly opens and the man steps out of the shadows. “Now, you know the truth.” He crosses his arms over his chest. I’ve never had a problem with Nigel, but then that was before he confirmed the validity of Tiernan’s words.

“So It’s true then?” I ask, but it’s more of an acquisition.How can this be?I’ve never suspected that Sorcha wasn’t his daughter. He’s always cared for her and looked out for her best interest, so this is mind-blowing.

“Yes. I didn’t know she wasn’t mine until after she was born, but it doesn’t matter to me. She’s still my daughter, and I’ll never stop doing what’s best for her.” His words are an encrypted warning as he glares daggers at me.

“Sir?”

“I’m not blind, Rian. Anyone with eyes can see your…attachmentto Sorcha.” He stresses the word like it’s a horrible thing that I’m always here for her, no matter what. Why would he have issues with that? With me? It’s never been so blatant and now my eyes are wide open.

“And?”

“You’re a good man, Rian. Anytime my daughter needs help, you’re always the first one to volunteer, and I appreciate that.” Why do I feel abutcoming on? “But… Sorcha isnotsticking around Grove Hill. She’s not going to become like the rest of us. She’s going to graduate high school, go off to some big college out of state, then hopefully she’ll meet someone, get married, have a family, and do more with her life than anyone this side of Grove Hill ever has. She’s going to beat the statistics and find happiness far away from this town. I’m not going to let you stop her. Do I make myself clear?”

Everything he just said is everything I want for her and I have no plans of getting in her way. However, the only man she will be getting married to is me. The only man she will be starting a family with is me. It will be my cock that fucks kids into her. I know I’m supposed to stay in Grove Hill, but if Sorcha leaves, so do I. I’ll follow her wherever she goes and support her no matter what path she wants to take.

She’s mine and what he says doesn’t matter, but I’m not about to start an argument with him.

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