Page 20

TWENTY

BOZO

“Is Gráinne okay?” Jerry asks as I enter Pyro’s office.

I glare at Jerry, my anger barely contained. "No, she's not fucking okay. She's been beaten, threatened, and is terrified. And you knew about it."

Jerry has the decency to look ashamed. "I wanted to tell you, Bozo. But she begged me not to. Said she didn't want to put you in danger."

"That wasn't your call to make," I growl, stepping closer to him. "She's my woman. It's my job to protect her."

"Your woman?" Jerry raises an eyebrow. "Last I heard, you two weren't together."

I clench my fists, fighting the urge to punch him. "Things change. Now, tell me everything you know about what happened to her."

Jerry sighs, running a hand through his hair. "I don't know much more than what she's probably told you. She called me after the first incident at the hospital, scared out of her mind. I increased security at her place, but..."

"But it wasn't enough," I finish for him, my voice hard.

He nods, looking defeated. "I'm sorry, Bozo. I should have pushed harder, should have made her tell you."

I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself. Getting angry at Jerry won't help Gráinne. "What have you found out about The Revenant since the card game?"

Jerry's eyes widen slightly. "The Revenant? What do they have to do with this?"

"Everything, apparently," I say. “Those two fuckers at the card game?” I say and watch him nod, his eyes narrowed. “Yeah, those fucks were at the hospital and it was the blonde one who hurt Grá.”

Jerry's face pales at my words. "Jesus Christ," he mutters. "This is worse than I thought."

"No shit," I growl. "Now, what do you know?"

He takes a deep breath, composing himself. "Not much, unfortunately. The Revenant keeps their operations tight. But I've heard whispers. They're expanding their territory, pushing into areas that were previously neutral ground."

I lean against Pyro's desk, my mind racing. "And what about this Dragomir character? Gráinne overheard them mention his name."

Jerry's eyes widen. "Dragomir? Are you sure?"

I nod, watching him carefully. "Yeah, why? You know something?"

He runs a hand over his face, looking suddenly exhausted. "Dragomir Popescu. He's a big player in the European underworld. Romanian, I think. If he's involved with The Revenant, this is fucking huge. It means that the Revenant spans the entirety of Europe and who fucking knows how much further."

"Fuck," I mutter, the gravity of the situation hitting me hard. "How the hell did Gráinne get caught up in this?"

Jerry shakes his head. "Wrong place, wrong time. But now that they know she overheard something, they won't stop until they're sure she can't talk."

My blood runs cold at his words. The thought of those bastards coming after Gráinne again makes me want to tear the world apart.

"That's not going to happen," I growl, my voice low and dangerous. "I'll die before I let them touch her again."

Jerry nods, his face grim. "I believe you. But, Bozo, this isn’t as easy as finding these two fucking bastards. We're talking about an international criminal organization. We need to be smart about this."

I push off from the desk, pacing the small office. "What do you suggest?"

Jerry takes a deep breath. "We need more information. About The Revenant, about Dragomir, about their operations here. Without that, we're flying blind."

"And how do you propose we get that information?" I ask, my patience wearing thin. “No one fucking talks about them.”

"Then it’s time to make them," Jerry says. "We have a whole fucking lot of power behind us. It’s time to use it."

"Time is something we don't have," I interrupt. "Every minute we wait is another minute those bastards could be planning their next move."

Jerry holds up his hands. "I know, I know. But rushing in half-cocked is only going to get us all killed. And then where will Gráinne be?"

I hate to admit it, but he's right. As much as I want to hunt down every last member of The Revenant and make them pay for what they've done to Gráinne, I know we need to be smart about this.

"Fine," I say finally. "But I want updates every day. And if anything, and I mean anything, happens to her, I won’t be held responsible for my actions.”

Jerry nods solemnly. "Understood. I'll put all my resources on this, Bozo. We'll find out what's going on and put an end to it."

I run a hand through my hair, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on me. "Alright. What's our first move?"

"We need to start with what we know," Jerry says, pulling out his phone. "I'll reach out to some of my European contacts and see if they have any intel on Dragomir or The Revenant's operations there."

"Good." Pyro nods. "I'll have Wrath dig deeper into their local activities. Maybe we can find a weak link, someone who might be willing to talk."

Jerry looks at me, his expression serious. "Bozo, you need to be prepared. This might get ugly. The Revenant isn't known for playing nice."

I meet his gaze, my jaw set. "Neither am I. Not when it comes to protecting what's mine."

He nods, a hint of respect in his eyes. He’s grown to love Gráinne as a daughter. I know that she loves and respects him as a father figure. He’s feeling her being hurt just as much as I am. I know that he’ll do whatever the hell it takes to get answers. This time, he won’t be alone doing it. "Alright then. Let's get to work."

As Jerry leaves to make his calls, I head back to check on Gráinne. I find her asleep in my room, her face still marred by bruises but looking peaceful for the first time since I saw her earlier.

I sit on the edge of the bed, gently brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I'm going to fix this, Sunshine," I vow. I won’t let anyone hurt her again.

I watch Gráinne sleep for a few moments, my heart aching at the sight of her bruised face. The anger I've been barely containing threatens to explode again, but I force it down. I can't afford to lose control now. Gráinne needs me to be smart.

As I'm about to leave the room, her eyes flutter open. "Connor?" she murmurs, her voice thick with sleep.

"I'm here, Sunshine," I say softly, moving back to sit beside her. "How are you feeling?"

She tries to sit up, wincing as she does. I gently help her, propping her up against the pillows. "Like I've been hit by a truck," she admits with a weak attempt at a smile. "But better now that you're here."

I take her hand in mine and press a kiss to it. "I'm not going anywhere," I promise. "You're safe now."

Gráinne's eyes fill with tears. "I'm so sorry, Connor. I should have told you what was happening. I just... I was so scared. I didn't want you to get hurt because of me."

"Hey, hey," I soothe, gently wiping away a tear that escapes down her cheek. "You have nothing to be sorry for. This isn't your fault."

She shakes her head, her voice trembling. "But it is. If I had just stayed away from the room… I knew they were dangerous.”

“Sunshine, you were doing your job. That’s not something you should ever apologize for.” My gaze roams over her face, my gut twisting at the sight of every bruise. “Okay, Grá, I know you don’t want to tell me, but I need to know. Where else are you injured?”

I watch as her eyes close and a tear falls from them. “Please don’t be mad,” she whispers.

My heart clenches at her words. "Gráinne, I could never be mad at you for this. Please, tell me."

She takes a shaky breath, her eyes still closed. "My side hurts, my stomach, my nose, and my neck. He punched me a lot, but it was the stab wound that hurt the most. I was in the hospital for a few days. I’m doing okay."

My blood runs cold at her words. "Stab wound?" I repeat, my voice barely above a whisper. "Gráinne, where?"

She hesitates, then slowly lifts her shirt. I inhale sharply at the sight of the bandage on her left side, just below her ribs. The white gauze is tinged with a faint pink, a reminder of how close I came to losing her.

"Jesus Christ," I mutter, gently touching the area around the bandage. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Gráinne's eyes fill with fresh tears. "I didn't want you to worry. And I... I was ashamed. I should have been able to protect myself better."

I cup her face in my hands, forcing her to look at me. "Listen to me, Sunshine. You have nothing to be ashamed of. You survived. That's what matters."

She nods weakly, leaning into my touch. "I was so scared, Connor. I thought I was going to die."

The raw fear in her voice breaks something inside me. I carefully gather her into my arms, mindful of her injuries. "I've got you now," I murmur into her hair. "I won't let anyone hurt you again."

We stay like that for a long moment, her body shaking with silent sobs as I hold her. When she finally calms down, I gently lay her back against the pillows.

"Gráinne… Christ, Sunshine.” I can hardly fucking breathe. “I could have lost you.”

She grips my hand tight, and I know she’s terrified. “I’m scared.”

I close my eyes. The sound of the fear in her voice is like a fucking slice to my heart. She’s always so fucking strong, always able to push through the pain. I’ve never seen or heard her so terrified.

“You’re safe,” I promise her. “No one is going to harm you again,” I vow. I’ll die before anyone even tries. “I’m right here with you, baby.”

“Stay with me,” she pleads, her eyes filled with tears.

"Always," I promise, carefully settling onto the bed beside her. I wrap my arm around her shoulders, letting her rest her head on my chest. "I'm not going anywhere."

We lay there in silence for a while, my hand gently stroking her hair. I can feel her trembling against me, and it takes everything in me not to go out and hunt down the bastards who did this to her right now.

"Connor," she says softly, breaking the silence. "What are we going to do?"

I take a deep breath, considering my words carefully. "We're going to keep you safe, Sunshine. Jerry and I are working on gathering information. We're going to find out everything we can about The Revenant and this Dragomir character."

She tenses at the mention of The Revenant. "Who are they?" she asks. “I’ve never heard of them, but I know they’re dangerous.”

"I know," I say, tightening my arm around her. "But so am I. Especially when it comes to protecting you."

Gráinne lifts her head to look at me, her eyes searching mine. "I don't want you to get hurt because of me."

I cup her face gently, mindful of her bruises. "Listen to me, Gráinne. You're worth any risk. I love you, and I'm not going to let these bastards take you away from me."

“I love you too,” she cries. “I’m so happy.”

I press a kiss to her forehead, wishing I could kiss her how I’d like, but she’s too injured for that and I don’t want to cause her any more pain than she’s already in.

I hold Gráinne close, savoring the warmth of her body against mine. "I'm happy too, Sunshine," I murmur into her hair. "We're going to get through this together."

She nods against my chest, her breathing starting to even out. I can tell she's exhausted, both physically and emotionally.

"Get some rest," I tell her softly. "I'll be right here when you wake up."

As Gráinne drifts off to sleep, I find myself on high alert, listening for any sound that might indicate danger. I know we're safe here, surrounded by my brothers, but I can't shake the feeling of unease.

My mind races, going over everything I know about The Revenant and the situation we're in. It's not much, and that fact gnaws at me. We need more information, and we need it fast.

I carefully reach for my phone, making sure not to disturb Gráinne. I send a quick text to Jerry.

Me: Any updates?

It doesn’t take him long to respond.

Jer: Nothing concrete yet. My European contacts are digging. Wrath's working on local leads. Will keep you posted.

I sigh, frustration building. We're working as fast as we can, but it doesn't feel fast enough. Not when Gráinne's lying beside me, battered and bruised. Not when I can still hear the fear in her voice.

Jer: How's Gráinne?

I glance down at her sleeping form, my heart clenching at the sight of her injuries.

Me: Resting. She's in a lot of pain. Jer, they stabbed her. She could have died. You should have fucking told me.

I’m beyond pissed that he didn’t inform me the moment he got word that she was hurt. I should have been there when she was in the hospital. Instead, I’m finding out when it’s too late.

Jer: We'll find these bastards, I promise you that.

Me: We’d better. Because if we don't, I'm going to tear this city apart until I do.

I put my phone down, careful not to wake Gráinne. My mind is racing, trying to piece together everything we know. The Revenant, Dragomir, the two men from the card game. There has to be a connection, something we're missing.

As I'm lost in thought, I feel Gráinne stir beside me. She mumbles something in her sleep, her face contorting in distress. A nightmare.

"Shh, Sunshine," I whisper, gently stroking her hair. "You're safe. I'm here."

She settles at the sound of my voice, her body relaxing against mine once more. I press a soft kiss to her forehead. I won’t let this lie. No fucking way. The moment I have a lead I’m running it down no matter what.

Grá is mine. She always has been. No one gets to harm her and get away with it. I’ll not have her living in fear, constantly watching over her shoulder. She had enough of that shit when she was a teenager living with that motherfucking cunt of a father of hers. I won’t allow it to happen again.

I’ve fucked around and fought against what I’ve been feeling for years. Now I’m finally giving in to what I want, what I’ve always wanted, I’m not going to lose the only person I’ve ever loved.

As I watch Gráinne sleep, I make a silent vow. No more running from my feelings. No more pushing her away to try to protect her. She's safest by my side, and that's where she'll stay.

I think back to all the times I've pushed her away, all the moments I've denied what I feel for her. It was all for nothing. She still ended up in danger, and I wasn't there to protect her. Never again.

My phone buzzes with another message from Jerry.

Jer: Got a lead. One of Wrath's contacts spotted one of the men from the card game. He's at a bar in Leopardstown.

My body tenses, every muscle coiled and ready for action. This is it. Our first real lead.

Me: I'm on it.

Jer: Bozo, wait. We need a plan.

But I'm already carefully extricating myself from Gráinne's embrace. I can't wait. Not when we finally have something concrete to go on.

I gently lay Gráinne back on the pillows, making sure she's comfortable. She stirs slightly but doesn't wake. I press a soft kiss to her forehead.

"I'll be back soon, Sunshine," I whisper. "I promise."

I grab my cut and pull it on, then I reach for my gun, checking to make sure it's loaded. As I head for the door, I take one last look at Gráinne. The sight of her bruised face hardens my resolve. These bastards are going to pay for what they've done.

I quietly slip out of the room, careful not to wake Gráinne. As I make my way down the hallway, I run into Pyro.

"Where are you going?" he asks, eyeing my gun.

"Got a lead on one of the fuckers who hurt Gráinne," I growl. "He's at a bar in Leopardstown."

Pyro's eyes narrow. "You're not going alone," he says, his tone leaving no room for argument.

I want to protest, to tell him this is something I need to do myself, but I know he's right. Going in alone would be stupid, and I can't afford to be stupid right now. Not when Gráinne's safety is on the line.

"Fine," I concede, knowing there’s no point in arguing. What the prez says goes. "Gear up. We leave in five."

Pyro nods and disappears down the hallway. I head to the clubhouse, finding Wrath, Preacher, Cowboy, and Tank gathered around the bar.

"Bozo," Wrath calls out. "Jerry filled me in. Are you going after that bastard?"

I nod grimly. "Yeah. Are you coming?"

Wrath stands, cracking his knuckles. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

I grin as I step out of the clubhouse, my brothers at my back. Tonight, we’re going to get answers. No more fucking around. Those motherfuckers went after the wrong woman. They’ll die for what they’ve done to her.