Smolder (Steel Brothers Saga 22)
“What the hell are you talking about?” Donny asks.
“Human trafficking,” Dad says. “The people who took your father. The people who may well have been involved in taking you and Dale. They’re all dead now, and the FBI broke up that ring decades ago. My father… He wasn’t involved. At least not directly. But I’m pretty sure he had knowledge of what was going on.”
“My dad told me that our grandfather paid five million dollars, and that the money was used to abduct him, my father.”
Dad nods. “That’s correct.”
“Still think good old Gramps didn’t have anything to do with this?” I say sarcastically.
“I don’t know.” Dad shakes his head, threads his fingers through his hair again. “I believe he loved our mother. I believe he loved us. I don’t think he would’ve intentionally caused any harm to any of his children. But there are other circumstances at work here.”
“It’s time for you to level with us, Dad,” I say. “We shared our information with you. We deserve the same in return.”
“Yeah,” Donny echoes, “and I also want to know why you originally thought that the attempt on my dad’s life was meant for you.”
“We’re getting into some delicate areas,” Dad says. “Your uncle Bryce and I… We’ve uncovered some things over the years. Things my father did. Things his father did. Things we tried to reverse. We haven’t always been successful.”
“Where does this new half brother come in?” I ask.
“I told you the basics. His descendants have come out of the woodwork, and they want a piece of the pie.”
“Who are these people?”
“And what exactly are they asking for?” From Donny.
Dad takes a seat in his chair, faces us directly. “I have to talk to Uncle Bryce.”
Anger heats my body. “You have to talk to us. Right now. Or I’m going to put another fist through your damned wall.”
“Brock.” Dad rises once more. “I am still your father, and you will not address me that way.”
“We’re on equal footing now, Dad. Our lives are being fucked with. Not just yours. Not just Uncle Bryce’s. Mine. Donny’s. Everyone else in this family.”
“Now listen—”
Then a knock on the door.
“Damn it,” I say under my breath.
“What is it?” Dad demands, his tone full of rage.
The door slides open, and Mom peeks her head into the room. “What are you so angry about, Jonah?”
“I’m sorry, Melanie. What do you need?”
“I just wanted to let you know I’m done for the day.”
“Good, sweetie.”
“What are the three of you doing in here?” she asks.
“Just family stuff.”
“Well, last time I checked, I’m a member of this family. Fill me in.”
“It’s nothing, Melanie.”
“Don’t tell me it’s nothing. I see the look on your face. I heard how harshly you spoke to me before you knew I was the one knocking. Although I’m not sure who else you thought it might be.”
“Damn.” Dad clears his throat. “The boys are here. Things are…”
“Does this have something to do with Talon’s shooting?”
“We don’t know yet. But probably.”
“You can’t keep this stuff from Mom,” I say.
“Our son is right, Jonah. You will not keep this from me.”
My mother is my father’s true Achilles’ heel. He’ll do anything for her. Anything. She trumps all of us.
Dad says, “I suppose it’s time for a family meeting.”
“When you say family…” Donny says.
“We will include you, Brock, and Dale, since you already know a bit about what’s going on. But the others…”
“Were children,” Mom says. “Maybe it’s time.”
“Four of our nieces are still in college,” Dad says. “We can’t.”
Mom sighs. “I suppose you’re right.”
“Damn it,” I say. “You can’t protect us forever. For God’s sake, someone is storing human bodies in our—”
Mom shrieks. “What?”
“For God’s sake, Brock.” Dad walks to Mom, takes her in his arms. “It’s okay, Melanie.”
“No. This can’t start again,” Mom says. “Not again.”
“It won’t. I’m going to take care of this.”
“Jonah, please. Whatever this is, stay out of it. Keep our sons out of it. Have you forgotten they tried to kill me?”
My jaw drops. “What the hell, Mom?”
“Quit using that language in front of your mother,” Dad says.
“It’s all right,” Mom says. “I’ve been listening to you talk like that since we met.”
“Who the hell tried to kill my mother?”
“It was a long time ago, way before you were born.”
Donny and I look at each other. My God, what the hell is happening to our family?
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Rory
The call comes around seven thirty p.m.
“I need you,” Brock says. “Now.”
His voice reeks of pain, of anguish, of something I can’t quite pin down.
“Okay. What do you need?”
“You. Can you come over?”
“Your place?”
“Yeah.”
“We’re just getting ready to sit down to dinner. Sunday dinner.”
Silence for a few seconds. Then, “Please.”
Something in his tone. It’s different from anything I’ve ever heard. Anything I’ve ever experienced.
I can’t say no to him. If I do, something terrible will happen.