Page 114 of Shattered Veil
As if he has anything to jeer about after the fucking disaster he created in Las Vegas because of Jillian.
Kieran ends his call, and the meeting begins. Lachlan once again boasts about his rather gruesome black site kill last night, making my stomach queasy for the first time in a very long time.
Is Ella pulling my center away from this crazy life?
I breathe in and out until Kieran asks me for an update. I report the progress I made with the drone weapon testing using the custom chips.
I used Lachlan’s house to launch a few prototype drones since he lives on Astoria Harbor. I flew them up and down the tributary to test speed and agility.
Ella came with me. She and Katya seem to be getting friendly. It sparks warmth in my chest knowing she’s comfortable with my family. Heck, if she can handle Lachlan without passing out and Eoghan yelling at her, she can handle anything.
“Is that all, Balor?” Lachlan asks, practically stifling a laugh.
“What the fuck is so funny, Lachlan?” I bark.
“Nothing.” He turns icy.
“What’s going on between you two?” Kieran asks, looking from me to Lachlan like a peacekeeper.
Dragging this out is wrecking me. It’s not that I got awoman I’m falling for pregnant. It’s the unfortunate baggage she comes with. And none of it is her fault.
“Ella is pregnant,” I say, just to get it out there.
“Congratulations.” Kieran sits back. “When are you marrying her?”
Except that...
I exhale. “We’re...figuring that out.”
“I would figure that out soon.We don’t have babies in sin, I heard Ewan say once.” Kieran lets out a soft chuckle, mimicking his best friend.
“She’s my assistant. That makes things sensitive. Plus, her father...”
“Aww, fuck, Snow. That’s right,” Riordan says, shaking his head.
“I wasn’t on board with killing him.” I slide a glance at Lachlan. “I have the means to keep people in line without burying them six feet under. And with this new...”
“We won’t kill him,” Kieran gives the order. “He’s going to be family. And like you said, his attack wasn’t personal against us.”
“How is your audit on him going?” Eoghan asks, his elbows now on his knees.
“He’s done the work I’ve asked him to do.” Well, I hope he has. “When it all comes out, I plan to tell him that I know the global attack was him and demand the ransomware code he used as assurance.” I stare at each of my brothers. “He knows who we are. He knows what we can do to him.”
“And if not, then I’ll bring him to Dunbar Valley to change his mind,” Lachlan warns.
“I can live withthat,” Kieran says, nodding to Lachlan.
“I’m trying to get this woman to marry me, you brats. Do not ever fucking say any of this to her. Do you understand?” My eyes fly to Eoghan. “And do not say anything to Jillian. These women... They look out for eachother.”
I consider the pack of she-wolves I had to impress two weeks ago.
“It’s sensitive all right,” Kieran says.
“Do you love her, Bale?” Riordan asks.
I sit back and throw a hand over my mouth. Love wasn’t part of the plan with many of their marriages. In that respect, I’m not an anomaly.
Her father is just one hell of an albatross hanging around my neck.