“Hello?”
“About goddamn time, Kieron. I understand you’re infatuated with this girl but you still have fucking responsibilities and need to be accessible at all times. Do I make myself clear?” My father’s voice boomed through the speaker.
“Yes, sir. Won’t happen again.”
“Now, pack a bag for you both and get the fuck out of the building.”
My face paled and I felt my heart stop, my hand gripped the small phone a little harder. “What happened?”
“The Garzino’s, that’s what fucking happened. They infiltrated the security system and one of the grunts saw an unknown man leaving the basement structures. I’m not taking any chances. Get out and take anything of…a sensitive nature…with you.” With that, he hung up the phone and I was left listening to the frustrating dial tone.
I jumped into action, pulling my discarded shirt on and walking straight into Talia’s room.
“Kieron?”
I couldn’t answer, we didn’t have time. I didn’t want to scare her, but I needed to get her out. Luckily in this apartment, there was a canvas go-bag in the bedroom closet. I grabbed it off the top of the shelf and threw in as many new clothes as I could. Just blindly shoving clothes into the bag and hoping for the best.
“Kieron, what’s going on?” Talia’s voice was worried understandably, but my first focus was getting her out of the building. If one of Garzino’s men had infiltrated the building there is no telling what they did in their brief time here; poison the water, plant cameras and microphones, figure out a way to steal Talia from me…
“We have to leave. Is there anything specific you need to take?” I walk into the bathroom and pack anything on the counter I see.
“Why do we have to leave?” Talia followed me, stepping into leggings and throwing a dark crop top over her lacey bra that I loved.
“It seems at your ex somehow got one of his soldiers into the building and I’m not taking any chances. More than likely, we are going to evacuate the whole building in stages, then go over the entire thing with a fine-tooth comb. But right now, you and I are going to a safehouse. Your safety is my top priority. Now, hurry it up.”
My words were all fact and true, but my tone was short. I knew the moment I opened my mouth that my stress was going to make me sound like an asshole. I cringed slightly as I look to her and see in her eyes that she looked like I’d yelled at her.
We would have time to talk it through later, right now I needed to get her out of the building. I still needed to grab my own go-bag and the documents in Kellan’s office.
“Put on some tennis shoes, we’re going to make a run for it. I have a few more things to go grab.” I said, zipping up the bag and grabbing Talia’s hand on the way out of the bathroom. “I’m going to go grab the stuff in my apartment and some things I need in my dad’s office. Do not leave, do not let anyone in.” I set her and the bag on the couch, holding her by the upper arms and kissing her forehead.
“Okay.” Talia said softly, nodding and looking scared. She was looking around the room as if Luca was going to jump out from behind the door and her life would go back to how it was. Not on my watch.
“I’ll be back in five minutes. Promise.” I go to move away, those five minutes having had started, but my girl grabs the front of my shirt and pulls me in for a surprise kiss. It was quick and dirty, but filled with, dare I dream to think it, love.
“I love you.” I whispered, fully expecting her not to return my words. At least not yet, even if I saw it in her eyes. Talia gasped softly and her mouth opened and closed like a fish before I put her out of her misery with a smirk. “Don’t worry, baby. You take your time, but I want you to know how I feel.”
The urgency to get her out of the building was growing stronger with every pressing moment and so I kissed her forehead, hovering there for the moment in hope.
“I’m serious, Talia. Do not let anyone in here. I don’t know who is on our side at the moment.” I warn her and walk out the door, determined to be back to her as soon as humanly possible.
* * *
After leaving my apartment with my always prepared go bag over my shoulder, I sprint to my father’s office.
“What are you still doing here?” Kellan’s voice booms as soon as I slip through the door. “I told you to get the fuck out.”
“You told me to grab the documents.” I snap at him, noticing that he’s going through the sensitive documents and packing up the ones that would be the worst to fall into the wrong hands, but shredding the rest. Each document was getting a tenth of a second of contemplation before they met their fate.
“I told you to grab anything of sensitive nature. Not to break into my office.”
“If you’ve got the documents, I’m going to go back to Talia.” I say to him quickly and turn to leave.
“You need to make a decision and quick, Kieron. This is getting messier and if she had our last name there would be an additional level of protection for her.” Kellan said, his eyes never leaving the documents in his hand.
“We’ve already had this conversation.”
“And you didn’t give it the proper thought.” Kellan snapped. He wasn’t my dad in this moment, he was the Skipper, the leader of the Boston mafia, the head of the Irish clan. “The only reason I’m giving you this much time is because you’re my son. Otherwise, I would have had you marry her the moment you brought her into the fold and we decided to start this fucking war.”
