Once I arrive at the hospital, I park my car in the guest lot and take the elevator up to the fourth floor. My dad is still in a private room and now our family is allowed to visit whenever we want. My mom visits every day and Finley usually goes with her.
Roberto pops in a couple of times a week like me and I’m not sure if Rylan has been back yet. I don’t know what’s up with Raff -my youngest brother has been a little distant and mysterious lately.
Maybe he met a girl, I think.
When I reach my dad’s room, I push the door open, walk around the bed and drop down in the chair on his right side. My gaze moves over his face, once so full of life. Now it’s sunken and shadowed. I’ve never seen him look so old or frail. It’s a hard thing for a son to see, especially when he was always so big and strong in my eyes.
I have no idea if he can hear me or not, but I say, “Hi, Dad. Glad to see they haven’t kicked you out of this nice private room yet. Although since you did donate a wing to this hospital, they better not.”
Smoothing my hand over the blankets, I study the gray at his temples that is now more evident than it ever was before. I hate seeing him hooked up to so many machines and my heart sinks like a stone in a pond.
He’s not getting any better. Only worse. That’s becoming more and more clear every day.
“I saw Matthais Volkanov tonight,” I tell him, my voice quiet, thoughtful. “Probably not what you want to hear, but I almost decked the smug sonofabitch. But I’m not a fighter like Roberto, as you know, and there was a, ah, woman there who I’m trying to impress. If she saw me punch Volkanov, she might not like it.”
I reach over and lay my hand on my dad’s arm, staring at my pinky finger which Matthais Volkanov cut off at the knuckle when I was 16-years-old. Bastard.
I’ll never forgive him for it. “I’m doing my best, Dad,” I continue raggedly. “Really, I am. But it isn’t easy and sometimes I feel like…”
My voice drifts off as I think about everything I’ve seen, learned and done over the past couple of months.
“I feel like the darkness is taking over,” I admit. “How did you do this for all these years and not lose your empathy? Your soul?”
Of course, my only answer is the incessant beep and pulse of the machines that are keeping him alive.
“As your oldest son, I know it’s my job to keep the business running smoothly and I’m really trying. I promise, I am. Keeping Mom and Roberto, Finley and Raff cared for is my top priority. So I understand when certain things need to be done. It’s not always easy, but I vow to do my best and make you proud.”
It’s not an easy promise to make, though. Especially since I’m turning into someone I barely recognize anymore.
–
“There was an incident last night that you need to be aware of,” Sean tells me.
I force myself not to sigh and instead I pinch the bridge of my nose.
“What now?” I ask. We’re in the middle of going through the morning reports and I’m wondering why he waited to tell me.
“One of the men was visiting the Doll House, and got a little too, er, handsy.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
The Doll House is a strip club where the enforcers like to hang out. There’s a steady stream of narcotics moving through the place, and it would be first on my list of businesses to eliminate.
“They were in one of the private back rooms and I guess she wasn’t interested in doing anything more than a lap dance. He got mad and beat her up pretty badly.”
I can’t hide the disgust that fills me and my lip curls up. “Who?”
“Brian Flaherty.”
Sean’s dark eyes shrewdly meet mine and he’s waiting for me to respond. But how do you handle a situation like this?
“If you presented this situation to my father which I’m sure you have before – how did he handle the situation?”
“He fired the stripper and scolded the enforcer.”
“Why did she get the harsher punishment?” I ask, slightly surprised.
“Because strippers are a dime a dozen and, apparently, she was too pretty and causing fighting among the men.”
“I don’t care if she’s a stripper or not. There’s no excuse to hurt any woman period.” My mind turns to Finley and the thought of any man touching her makes me ill.
And, of course, then I think of Trish. She’s the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever laid eyes on and punishing her for that beauty and because some overly-macho man needed to prove a point makes me sick.
Now, I’m in the position to make a decision regarding Flaherty and the poor woman.
“What’s her name?” I ask quietly.
“Bunny.”
“Her real name,” I snap. For once Sean Flannigan doesn’t have an immediate answer and I tilt my head, waiting rather impatiently.
Annoyed, I begin drumming my nails against the mahogany desktop.
Sean clears his throat and shifts a foot uneasily. “I’ll, ah, have to look it up.”
“You do that. In the meantime, I want Flaherty brought to me.”
“Here?” he asks in surprise.
“Here and now,” I grit out. “Can you make that happen?”
Sean frowns then nods and scurries out.
I don’t condone beating a woman up and it’s hardly a fair fight. I decide to give Flaherty a taste of his own medicine. Picking up my phone, I call Sully and tell him to come to my office and bring an extra enforcer with him. But to wait outside until I get them.
Within 20 minutes, Sean returns with Brian Flaherty who is a stocky, very muscled, cocky sonofabitch who I instantly dislike upon first sight.
“Would you like to explain what happened at the Doll House last night?” I say, keeping my voice calm and even, my tone neutral so he has no clue what I’m really feeling about the situation.
He shrugs a wide, beefy shoulder. “Sure. That bitch started mouthing off to me, so I had to shut her up.”
A red-hot anger burns through me, and I curl my hands into fists on top of my desk, nails digging into my palms. Clearly, this asshole doesn’t think he did anything wrong.
“And do you regret your actions?” I ask.
His ruddy face screws up and then he snorts out a laugh. “The only thing I regret is not forcing her to suck me off.”
A lethal calm settles over me. I’m picturing my mom, Finley and Trish. What if this asshole did the same thing to them? Not on my watch.
Pushing away from the desk, I don’t say a word, just walk past him and open the door where Sully and one of his men wait. I motion for them to both come in and Flaherty’s gaze slides toward them, suddenly not so confident any longer.
Good. He shouldn’t be. I like seeing the uncertainty flitting through his eyes.
Walking over to the window, I cross my arms and look out at the view as I’m figuring out what to say. The men wait and after a minute, I slowly turn around.
“I don’t condone violence against women, and I won’t stand by and watch it happen.”
“Aww, c’mon,” Flaherty says, trying to make light of the situation. “She was a bitch who got her due.”
“And now you’re going to get yours,” I tell him, enjoying the look on his face. How it goes from smiling to fearful. “Sully, I want you and your pal here to kick the shit out of this asshole.”
My order takes everyone by surprise, but all they can do is follow it. I’m the one in charge now and whoever goes against me will be terminated.
“Just do me a favor and do it outside. I don’t want Fiona to have to clean up his blood.” Fiona is our sweet, old housekeeper who I’ve known since birth.
When Sully hesitates, my gaze turns sharp.
“Is there a problem?” I growl.
“How bad do you want us to hurt him?” Sully asks uneasily.
“Well, that’s a good question.” I turn my attention back to Flaherty. “What condition is the woman you assaulted in right now? Do you know her injuries?”
When Flaherty shakes his head, Sean pipes up. “I do.”
“Please, do share,” I encourage him. For once, I’m grateful for the weasel.
Sean takes a moment to pull up the hospital paperwork from his email. “Ms. Lane suffered from a split lip, chipped tooth, broken nose, three broken ribs, a fractured wrist and multiple contusions over her entire body.”
That sonofabitch. My fists are itching to slam into his thick, ugly face, but I have other things to handle. More important things.
So I turn my attention back to Sully and say, “Do the same to him and then some. No mercy. Is that clear?”
“Yes, sir,” Sully states. Then he and his buddy grab hold of Flaherty and lead him out.
“I’ll expect proof” I say. Sully gives me a nod and they continue out. I look over at Sean who’s studying me closely.
“What?” I ask. “You don’t agree with the punishment?”
“It’s not for me to say,” he says.
“Since when?” I ask dryly and prop a hip on the edge of my desk.
“You’re going to lose Flaherty’s loyalty. Now he’ll probably go work for the Volkanovs.”
“Good. They can have the bastard.”
“That’s not the way to run a business, Connor.”
“Well, then, you’re really not going to like this next part,” I say and push off the desk, walk around and sit back down in the leather chair. I reach for the check register, throw it open and write a check out for $100, 000.
“What is Ms. Lane’s first name?”
“Uh, Lisa,” he informs me and moves closer as I fill in her full name on the line. His jaw drops and I’ve never seen the buttoned-up man ever look so flustered. “Connor, what’re you doing?”
“Isn’t it obvious?” I sign my name, rip it out and hand it to Sean. “Paying Lisa Lane for her pain and suffering. This is extra. Make sure all of the hospital bills are covered, too.”
“Oh, God,” he groans, taking the check. “Your father – ”
“He’s lying in a hospital bed and now I’m running things,” I remind him tautly. “I want that delivered now.” His nostrils flare, but he nods. Before he can say another word, I stand back up and decide to head outside and see what kind of damage they’re inflicting on Flaherty. I was going to just wait for the pictures Sully would’ve texted, but I want to go check it out for myself.
I don’t want them taking it easy on him.
In fact, I decide, rolling up my sleeves, I feel the sudden need to get some of my own pent-up aggression out. May as well smash that asshole’s face in just like he did to Lisa Lane. Maybe the idiot will actually learn a lesson.
I’m not going to hold my breath, though.