I lifted my hand and rubbed my fingers over the back of my head.
“I remember,” I said softly. “I thought I just passed out from drinking.”
“Nope, it was all orchestrated,” Morgan replied. “Though, I did stop Trent from raping you.”
I choked on air.
“What?”
“My brother was sick and twisted, Alannah.”
I had to take deep breaths.
“He never touched you,” Morgan pressed. “I carried you into the club, then I left because Trent went to collect Bronagh from one of the back rooms.”
“Oh, my God,” I said, wrapping my arms around my waist. “Oh, my God.”
“I’m pressing on because I’m not finished yet,” Morgan said.
I wasn’t sure if I could handle hearing anymore.
“A few years passed by after that,” Morgan continued. “I’ve been here the whole time, and I kept my ear to the ground once I found out Alec developed a connection with Brandy Daley. I didn’t even reconnect with my uncle, though he was still alive. Everything back home started to fall apart, thanks to Brandy Daley interfering, and the feds started sniffing around, so I knew Marco would have made me do something that would get me killed.”
My entire body was shaking.
“Alec killed my uncle,” Morgan said, devastating me. “Word travels amongst Daley’s circle, and since I know a few h is men, I got information fed to me. That’s how I knew Big Phil showed up a few years later, gunning for revenge for Kane killing his son, and the others for killing Marco and Trent.”
“What?” I asked, my voice cracking. “What the fuck?”
“If I stop to explain every detail, your head will explode, angel.”
“Stop callin’ me that.”
Morgan ignored me. “You know that fire your friend Aideen was in at the school? Big Phil started that to kill her. He failed and got away. But he got Branna, and bloodied her up good, judging from the reports in the news. Big Phil was the man who Kane reported to during his time working for my uncle, and when Kane didn’t do what he was told, he was scarred. Kane killed Big Phil’s son for attacking a kid, and the man was hell-bent on revenge. He never got it … he died; Kane killed him.”
I felt like I was going to be sick.
“You’ll be glad to know that’s where all the killing ends.”
Tears that were pooled in my eyes, fell and splashed on my cheeks when I blinked.
“Ryder was involved with the feds for a while, though I’ve no idea what for, but they’ve backed off him now, and as far as I can tell, life is as normal as can be for the Slaters. Unbeknownst to them that I’m in your life, of course.”
“I should have never hired you.”
“I’m glad you did,” Morgan said with a snort. “Your system was a mess. I cleaned everything up for you, and you know it.”
“Shut up.” I sniffed. “Just stop talkin’.”
“You won’t be able to process all of this information, Alannah, not when you still don’t believe it’s true.”
I focused my blurry vision on Morgan’s face.
“How do ye’know I doubt you?”
“Because I can see it on your face every time I told you a Slater did something awful,” he answered gently. “The men you know aren’t capable of what I’ve described, but that’s my entire point. You don’t know who they are, and they were never going to tell you so I had to.”
“I need to see them,” I said. “To talk to them.”
“Go ahead and call them,” Morgan encouraged. “Invite them around.”
I hesitated.
“Go on,” he urged. “I want to see their faces when they realise that they’ve lost you.”
With a trembling hand, I dialled Damien’s number and prayed he’d answer.
“Hey babe,” he answered on the fourth ring. “I just saw your messages. I’m at work.”
“Da-damien?”
Things went quiet. “Alannah?”
“I need you and all your brothers to come to my apartment right now.”
“What’s wrong?”
“Do ye’know a Carter Miles?”
Silence.
“Damien?”
“Where did you hear that name?”
“From him,” I answered, looking Morgan dead in his eyes. “He is sittin’ right in front of me, and he has told me all sorts of lies about you and your brothers.”
“Lock yourself in your bedroom,” Damien demanded as rushed movements could be heard. “Get away from him, right now.”
“He isn’t goin’ to hurt me. He said so.”
“Alannah, listen to me. Get away from him. Now. You don’t know this guy.”
“But I do.” I frowned, or at least I thought I once did. “He’s been workin’ for me for the past couple of weeks.”
“Drink your tea.”
“I’m goin’ to be sick, Morgan.”
He chuckled. “Why won’t you call me Carter?”
“Because I only know you as Morgan.”
“Fair enough.”
I glanced towards my sitting room door, waiting for Damien and his brothers to burst through it any minute. I phoned them fifteen minutes ago, and I knew they were going to arrive anytime now. Morgan knew it too, that’s why he moved us into the sitting room so we could sit down and relax. His words, not mine.