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“It was a big deal, and he got the shit beat out of him for it. He could have blamed that on you.”

“It wasn’t him,” Mac confirmed. He looked at Freyja, then back at me. “It was Brian.”

Freyja spilled the coffee she was walking over with when she stumbled at Mac’s announcement. “Brian? Why?” She grabbed a paper towel and immediately wiped up the spill. Then she looked at Colleen before looking back at me. “Who is she?”

“This is my niece, Colleen. Duane’s daughter. Colleen, this is Freyja.”

Colleen looked up at me and grinned. “You have a girlfriend, Ducky? Wait until I tell Mom.”

“I don’t have a girlfriend. I’m too fuckin’ old for that. I have a woman. And yea, your mother will give me shit, I’m sure,” I said and tussled her hair as she swatted me away.

“He wanted to kidnap her,” Freyja whispered.

“Why would he kidnap Colleen?” Cian asked, looking at Freyja.

“Why would he kidnap me?” Freyja asked, looking between us. “He’s trying to hurt Duncan.”

“But why? Duncan never did anything to him,” Sal commented.

“Maybe not specifically, but his family did.”

“Freyja, what are you talking about? My family never did anything to Tyran.”

“Tyran’s a mean girl.” The conviction Freyja spoke with had me looking at her the same way I did when she told me about Lucille.

My woman was fucking batshit crazy. There was no other explanation. My face must have told her what I was thinking because she rolled her eyes at me, then looked at Sal.

“Duncan told me Darcy was your girlfriend. And that Tyran likely did something that made her run.” When Sal nodded, Freyja continued, “Were you planning to marry Darcy?”

“I was. I loved her.”

Freyja looked at the rest of us. “You really don’t get it?”

Colleen was the first one who understood what Freyja was saying. “Tyran was jealous of Darcy.”

“Yes,” Freyja confirmed, pointing at my niece.

“Dad was looking for Aunt Darcy. He told me he was close. He had a trip planned for California when he died.”

I stared at my niece, my mouth hanging open. “You knew?” When she nodded, I asked, “Did your mother know?”

Had Maureen lied to us?

“No, she didn’t know. Dad asked me not to tell her. He didn’t want to get her hopes up.”

I looked at my boss. I didn’t have words to express what I needed to say. Instead, it was Cian that spoke up, “We’ll go through everything again. Duane must have had the information somewhere.”

“Then it was Tyran who killed my brother. Because he didn’t want him finding Darcy and bringing her home,” I said to no one. My hands gripped the countertop. Someone murdered my baby brother because he was looking for his missing sister. Because Tyran was a jealous motherfucker.

“I’m so sorry, Duncan.” Freyja rubbed small circles on my back. I put my arm around her and pulled her close. Tyran had tried to kill my woman, and she wasn’t even really mine yet.

“You can’t go home, Lollipop.”

“Where will I go?” she asked.

“She can stay here,” Freyja offered, and I kissed her hard.

“No,” Sal interjected. “She’s not safe here.” Sal ran his hand through his hair and then looked at Colleen. “You’re going to Nebraska.”