Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 92629 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92629 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 463(@200wpm)___ 371(@250wpm)___ 309(@300wpm)
Carrigan just shook her head like he’d said something sweet but unbelievably stupid. “There’s no escape for people like us, little brother.”
Callie spent the day trying to pin down Papa into telling her something about what he’d found out about the shooting, but he was closeted in his office all morning and then gone from the house all afternoon.
She’d done some holing up of her own with Micah. Whatever came from this conflict, she wanted to make sure the people in their territory who depended on them for protection were taken care of. Micah had grown up in this life, the same as she had, so he understood. His father had been one of her father’s most loyal men, until he’d died in a shootout with the MacNamaras’ men. As a result, Papa brought both Micah and his mother into the family home—his way of honoring his fallen man.
That loyalty wasn’t something that could be picked up and put down at the Sheridans’ convenience. If they couldn’t keep their people safe, they didn’t deserve the territory they had.
They were currently camped out on high stools, just like they used to when they were teenagers, while Micah’s mother puttered around the kitchen. She’d taken to the space when she’d first moved in here and made it her own. Even Papa didn’t dare cross her when it came to this room of the house. Emma Jones was a force of nature in her own right.
Micah braced his elbows on the granite counter. “You can’t bring every person loyal to your family into this house, Callie. You know that.”
Yes, she knew that, but it didn’t make the impulse disappear. She frowned at him. “What other option do I have? Patrolling the territory won’t do a damn bit of good. We don’t have enough men to keep an enemy out, so it’s a waste of resources.”
Micah’s dark eyes saw too much. “You’re not solely responsible for this. Colm will have some thoughts, I’m sure.”
Yes, Papa would, if she could just corner him long enough to talk. She’d suspect he was avoiding her if there wasn’t so much else going on. Still, she didn’t like being left out of the loop. Callie traced the dark-veined pattern of the countertop with a single finger. “They’re our people.”
“And they knew what they signed up for.” He reached over and squeezed her hand. “But I’ll talk to the men about getting a few extra patrols out until we figure something else out.”
It wasn’t enough, and they both knew it. But it was better than nothing. “Okay.”
He stood. “Don’t you have a date to get ready for?”
Emma chose that moment to swoop in with a plate of toast. “Eat something before you go, Miss Callie.” She straightened her apron and gave Callie a stern look. “You’re so nervous, you’re jumping at shadows and God alone knows you won’t be eating while you’re out with this O’Malley boy. This will settle your stomach.”
Since her stomach was currently tied up into a maze of knots, she wasn’t sure she could manage even the light snack. But she’d learned a long time ago that Emma was usually right about these things, so she dutifully picked up a piece of toast and took a bite.
Emma nodded. “Good. And you—” She pointed a dark finger at her son. “You watch our Callie’s back tonight. You keep her safe.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Micah ducked his head. “It’d be easier to do if she wasn’t slipping her guard every time I turned around.”
“Stop trying to get me into trouble with your mother.” When he just raised his brows, she glared. “I shouldn’t have even told you about going out with Teague tonight.”
“If you hadn’t, then I would have had to track your ass down, and gotten my ass reamed for letting you drive off without an escort.”
“Micah! Language.”
“Sorry, Mama.” He nodded at the door. “Callie, go get dressed up. Knock that O’Malley bastard’s socks off—sorry again, Mama—and see what his family is up to while you’re at it.”
She laughed, even though her stomach did a slow turn at another go-round with Teague. “I’ll be sure to get all his dirty little secrets.” She grabbed the plate and stood. “I’ll bring this back down when I’m done.”
“Thank you, Callie.” Emma’s dark eyes, so similar to her son’s, were sympathetic. “You try to have a good time tonight, you hear?”
“I’ll do my best.” As soon as she left the safe haven of the kitchen, all the fears that had been plaguing her rushed back to the forefront of her mind.
Where had Papa been all day?
She dreaded finding out what he’d been up to. Or, rather, what he’d commanded his men to get up to. This was a significant step in the wrong direction. Worse, it was all her fault. If she hadn’t gone looking for Brendan, things never would have gotten so out of control, and he’d still be alive.