Page 21 of Revenge
“You know I haven’t.”
“Then why are you here? I gave you one fucking task. How hard is it to find one person?” I’m being a dick. I know he’s been looking for her. He understands the risk of her being alone and unprotected.
“We have another problem that can’t wait.”
“Yes, finding Ava.” I hit my desk, making everything rattle.
He takes a deep breath. “I understand you want her found but there are pressing matters we must deal with. Our father is driving the men to take irreversible actions. This needs to be dealt with or it will be the end of us.”
“Fix it,” I order.
“Do you want me to find Ava and fix it?”
I stand and go to him before he can react.
“Are you telling me you can’t do your fucking job?” I pick him up off the chair by his shirt.
“I’m not the heir. You are. The men need you, not me.”
“Fuck.” I feel exhausted. My world is fucking collapsing. I let him go.
“I know.” He’s sympathetic. “I swore to find her, and I will. You know I will, but you can’t neglect your duties. The men need reassurance. They need to know they aren’t alone. The McIntyres are taking over.”
I rub my forehead. He’s right. We can’t afford for the clan to divide. We need to show strength with Cillian.
“Close Eros down. Schedule a mandatory meeting. It will be an open forum. The men can bring up their concerns.”
“All of them?”
“Down to the lowest soldier.” I go back to my desk.
“It’s a great idea.”
I’m going to tell him I know. It’s why I ordered it, but my cell rings. The screen reads Tina.
“Have you heard from her?” I demand.
“I sent a text, but...” I don’t hear another word after she said Ava didn’t answer her text.
“I have to go, Tina. Let me know if you speak with her.” I don’t let her finish and end the call.
“Send me the details of the meeting. See that no one disturbs me,” I tell Oliver, he nods his agreement and leaves.
Staring at my emails is not helping me get any work done. I’ve been trying to work on Manarch Industries stuff for a distraction, but Oliver is right, I’m the heir, and I need to suck it up. If my father doesn’t stand by our men, I have to. Loyalty goes both ways. The men need to know I will walk through fire for them, just as I expect them to do for me. I think about the oath we all made.
I solemnly swear to serve my clan and never accept defeat. I’ll fight until my last breath and never leave a fallen brother behind. I’ll honor my brothers before me. I vow never to betray my clan. I’ll protect and live by the Manarch Clan Code.
I made the vow so long ago. I must have been all of fourteen, but it feels like it was just yesterday. The words run through my veins. The Manarch name represents loyalty and honor, something my father seems to have forgotten. His greed and blindness toward Cillian have started a war there’s no walking back from. My father might have forgotten the words or lost his way, but I haven’t. I won’t become my father. Our men need me to guide them and show them we are family and can overcome the tide we’re facing. I’ll stand with them, they’re my brothers, and I don’t take that lightly. I’ll not allow my father to destroy what was built before him. I’ll protect the clan even if it means treating him like the enemy, which in many ways, he has become. These men depend on us just as we depend on them. My grandfather would have had my father’s head for the shit he’s pulling. He’s become a disgrace to the Manarch name. He’s in bed with the Irish doing their bidding and can’t see it. I don’t have many fears, but I fear his greed will destroy us all.
After an hour of doing nothing, I decide it’s pointless to stay here. Opening the office door, I can hear Fiona’s voice. Not wanting to deal with her again, I leave the house and head for the SUV. A change of scenery is what I need.
Chapter Thirteen
Ava
My encounter with Fiona rattled me. I still don’t know how she found me or why she came to see me. She’s won, she got Viktor, and he married her. Why look for me? I have nothing. Maybe I won’t have to worry about her. She thinks only of herself, and that is in my favor. But I can’t deny seeing her growing belly was hard. It’s a reminder of what she’s sharing with Viktor that I’m not. He probably rubs her belly, talks to the baby, and goes to all her doctor appointments. All the things I wish he were doing with me. It should’ve been me. I should be the one he does those things with. At least nothing out of the ordinary has happened in the week since her visit, so I assume she’s kept my secret.
I’m working today, which is nice and should keep me distracted. Looking at the clock, I realize that I’ll be late for work if I don’t leave in the next few minutes. With my AirPods in and music blasting, I breathe the cool autumn air as I walk to the bus stop.
