The Untouchables (Ruthless People 2)

His eyes widened and I could only grin.

“Keep your cock on lock, we’re late for the rally,” I said, pushing him away before leaving the closet.

“At least I get to look at your ass,” he yelled behind me and I held my middle finger up.

LIAM

“I know a lot of you don’t know me,” Olivia said to the crowd. “I know a lot of you don’t think you can relate to me, or the life I have been so blessed to live. However, I want to tell you a story. About a young college student, who was fresh faced and naïve to the world around her. Her father, the man who always checked under the bed for monsters, and who read to her in animated voices, wanted to do everything in his power to keep his daughter safe. Sadly, sometimes the world is a dark place. Sometimes, a young college student with everything going for her is given a new title: rape victim. It’s a title I have tried so hard to hide because I didn’t have the voice to stand up. I didn’t have the courage to tell my father until last night. He pulled me into a hug and said, ‘when I become President, there will no longer be a statute of limitations for rape.’”

The crowd cheered and screamed, blinding us with flashes as they ate up her words like candy.

“When people ask why do I think my father is the best man for the job, I think about moments like last night. When he held me and promised to always fight for justice. He will fight for me—he will fight for men and women all across this country. My father is a good man, and with your support, he will be a great president.” Senator Colemen hugged his daughter once more before taking his place behind the podium to give his own scripted political bullshit.

Neal held on tightly to Olivia, which I’m sure would have made a great cover photo for the New York Times.

“She’s good,” I whispered to my wife as we stood like dolls on stage.

“She is. They will love her, and those who don’t will get backlash for not supporting a rape victim,” she replied, waving into the crowd.

That was my wife, always planning and trying to figure out how to get a leg up on all those around her.

I felt like we’d been on display for hours, waving and smiling as Senator Colemen talked about how he was going to save the environment, bring down the unemployment rate, and make sure borders were secure; the same bullshit all presidents say.

By the time we were free to go to the private screening rooms up stairs, I had almost forgotten all about Shamus…until I saw the asshole already eating his lamb, in the head chair of the dinner table. Behind him stood two much stronger looking guards, who eyed my wife with both lust and fear.

A misguided fear.

Taking Mel’s hand, I pulled out her chair for her before taking a seat on the opposite side. The moment I sat down, the rest of the family took their seats as well.

“So, this is your big plan? Have the fool and his family as president?” he asked, but I didn’t answer. Instead I took a sip of my brandy.

“We do not discuss business at the dinner table,” Mel said kindly, throwing me off. I looked into her eyes and for a second I thought maybe the bodyguards were right in fearing her.

This seemed to be our new thing; the ability to look into each other’s eyes and just read them.

“Don’t be sweet, Giovanni. It doesn’t suit you.” He snickered like an old pig before turning to Olivia. “Did some men violate ya’ or was them some lies you told to the public?”

Olivia glared, but nodded. “Yes, sir…”

“Neal, I hope you’ve corrected this situation,” he cut her off to give his attention to his favorite.

“Actually, grandpa, Olivia has been handling things just fine on her own,” he hissed out. But that anger had more to do with Olivia’s rape, and the fact that we couldn’t find Harvey yet, than grandfather’s words.

“Huh.” He frowned, looking over at Coraline. “Nice hair, when did you become a lesbian?”

“Never,” Declan and Coraline said at the same time. They didn’t speak much when Shamus was around.

“How far you all have strayed from tradition,” he said, cutting his lamb.

For a decrepit old man he had a strong grip.

“How long do you plan on staying, Shamus?” Evelyn asked softly as she ate.

“As long as I please,” he snapped, causing my father to grab his knife. However, my mother held his arm. I wished she hadn’t.

“For someone who says he came so far to see me, you and I haven’t spoken much. I don’t care how long you stay, my question is: why are you here?” Mel glared.

Shamus chuckled at her, taking his time to chew. “It’s a shame you aren’t male. I could respect you more.”

“It’s a shame you don’t have manners. Now answer my question, old man, or I will pull it out of you,” was her reply, causing Shamus to just laugh, allowing us to see all the food in his mouth.

“You try so very hard to be something you can never be. A woman will never be a boss. No matter how many people you kill, no matter how much you threaten. You will always be a cunt. All women are cunts, I wish my grandson would have found one with even a drop Irish blood in her veins to make up for it.” I expected Mel to flip out, but instead, she regarded him carefully.

“You’ve lowered your standards. I’ve heard even being half Irish wasn’t good enough for you,” Mel stated, much calmer than I was.

He had come into my home uninvited and insulted us all. He spoke as if we were nothing but gum under his shoe. As if we weren’t even family. Shamus was a pig. Every time he spoke, the pressure from keeping my mouth shut built up behind my eyes.

“I was not unreasonable. After all, if my son had chosen the woman I’d gotten for him, I’m sure he wouldn’t have a dumbass, a mouse, and a cripple as sons. But apparently, my words fall on deaf ears.” The pig snickered.

A dumbass…Neal

A mouse…Declan

A cripple…Me

We all knew our titles, he had made it clear to all of us when we were children, but he always said he’d rather have a dumbass than a mouse or a cripple.

“I would have sooner killed myself than marry Catharine Briar,” my father snapped, and again my mother held him back.

“Maybe you should have and saved me so much trouble!” Shamus yelled. I prayed the man would have a stroke.

“So you’re here due to the Briar’s,” Mel stated, eyeing him carefully. “Let me guess, you wanted Liam to marry her daughter.”

“Look at you, using that pretty little brain of yours. I wish you would have done the same when you locked Natasha Briar away.”

I tried to figure out where the dots connected. As far as I knew, the Briar family didn’t have anything worth taking, and yet he seemed adamant we marry the trash.

“That was your grandson’s idea. I wanted to kill her. I came close one time in church,” Mel confessed.

How she could manage to stay composed was beyond me.

Shamus turned to me as I watched him, biting my tongue once again. He looked me over, held his nose up high, as if I were filth.

“How did you two, of all people, become the Boss? You, Liam, will never be great,” he said. “You will always be the crippled boy trying so hard to be a man. I guess that was why you can handle being married to someone with bigger balls.”