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Instead, Ronan’s cousin Cormac stares at me from the sidewalk.
He’s a decent-looking guy. Younger than Ronan, with dark hair and light blue eyes, a square jaw covered in stubble, and simple but expensive clothes. He comes closer and I fight back against the panic rising up in my chest.
“I thought you might be here, but I wasn’t sure.” He stares from me to my bag and back again. “Going somewhere?”
I don’t know what to say. If I admit I’m leaving, that implies I’ve been staying here. But if I deny it, that’s just as bad.
“I’m going to a hotel,” I tell him, deciding on the truth. There are no good options here, and at least this way is simple.
“You two have a falling out?” He sounds almost sympathetic.
“What the hell do you care? Why are you even here?”
He raises his eyebrows and looks amused. “I didn’t know you were a part of our family. For all you know, I stop by all the time.”
“I have a feeling that’s not true.”
“No, it’s not.” He keeps his arms crossed over his chest and affects a casual pose, but I can sense the danger lurking underneath him. “A lot’s been changing around here.”
“I don’t know what you think you’re going to accomplish, but you’re making a mistake.”
“Are you sure about that?” He tilts his head to the side. “From my perspective, the old boss dies, and the new boss rises up. Once that happens, things start going to shit. A random Italian girl’s making plans for us and men start getting hurt. You have a couple good wins, but that won’t last forever. Meanwhile, the new boss seems smitten and ready to sell himself out to an Italian.”
“He’s notsellinganything.” I’m breathing fast and struggling to keep myself under control. I think of Seamus calling me a bitch the night before and implying that I’m having sex with Ronan to get money and power from him.
“Ronan’s doing whatever he can to push the family into a new reality, but the problem with that is there are those of us who don’twantchange.”
“What’s your point, Cormac? I’m not a part of your family. I’m just consulting on some jobs.”
He tilts his head from side to side like he’s conceding that point. “My point is that you have gotten too close to the boss. He’s been denying it, but now the evidence is right before my eyes. How long did you stay with him? Just for the night? The size of that bag suggests longer.”
“It’s not your business.”
“Sorry, but you’re wrong about that, it’s verymuchmy business. Doesn’t matter, you don’t have to tell me, but now it’s clear that Ronan’s been understating his relationship with you from the very start. You aren’t just a consultant. You aren’t just a clever girl coming up with lucrative jobs. You’re more than that.”
He’s right. I know he’s right. Ronan and I are a lot more than that, but we’ve been hiding it all this time because we’re both afraid of what might happen if people like Cormac find out.
Now I can’t do anything about it. Everything I’ve feared is happening right here on this sidewalk. Cormac knows that I’ve been staying with Ronan, and he’s going to use it to pry the Hayes family apart.
“I think you should go.” I stare at him, doing my best to keep a straight face, while inwardly I’m falling to pieces.
“That’s okay, I think you’re right. Tell Ronan I stopped by to talk to him about Seamus. I was here to make peace, believe it or not, and never pictured I’d find—” He gestures at me as he turns back to his car.
“You’re making a mistake,” I call after him. “Ronan’s a good man. He cares about the family.”
“Ronan’s a flawed individual following a faulty ideology. The Hayes family needs someone stronger in the top position.”
It all clicks. Cormac’s sleazy smile tells me everything. He disappears into the car and pulls out, and I stand there watching him go.
This isn’t about disagreeing with Ronan’s vision for the future. This isn’t about me getting too close to their boss.
This is about power and money, just like Seamus said.
Cormac wants to be the boss. He thinks he’s better suited and in a good position to make it happen. This talk of fault lines and bad decisions has always been about Cormac’s personal ambition, and he’s playing the game with a master’s skill.
But now we know. Now we can do something about it.
I turn back to the house and my phone starts to ring. I think it’ll be Ronan, and I can’t wait to tell him about that conversation.
