(A.N. Thank you for the reviews. I love getting feedback. This chapter is told from Connor's point of view. I'll start flipping back and forth to give a little more perspective. Enjoy!)
Murphy reappeared at the hotel about an hour after he left. I looked up from the gun I was cleaning when the door opened.
"She kick you out?" I asked.
"Not so's you'd notice," he said. "She had someone with her. I think it was one of the other guys she was talking about."
"Is she still coming?" I asked.
"She said to show up at the house tonight," he replied, lighting a cigarette.
"Anything else?" Dad asked from the doorway.
"No, just to be there," Murphy shook his head.
"Do you honestly think she'll come with us? Help the people who killed her father? Maybe she's just baiting us so the rest of his henchmen can kill us," I said.
"I don't think so. She doesn't seem like that type," Murphy insisted.
"How would you know? Did she tell you? She's the daughter of an assassin," I said. Murphy gave me an annoyed look.
"I trust her. I don't think she'd trick us," he said. "If you don't want to come, you don't have to." I was about to reply when Dad interrupted us.
"We do things together or we don't do them at all. Erin is alone in this world because of us. It is our duty to do what we can with her. You must agree before we go any further," he said. He had a point. We couldn't afford to disagree at this point. Not if we wanted to live, anyway. Murphy believed her. It didn't matter how he felt about her otherwise, even thought it was obvious. As much as I expressed my doubts, I trusted his judgment. I heaved a sigh.
"We'll go," I said.
"Then we leave in two hours. Be ready by then," Dad said. It wasn't like there was much to do to get ready to leave. We'd been running for three years. All the stuff we had in the world could be shoved into a bag in under five minutes.
An hour and forty five minutes later, we were doing just that. As we threw our bags into our crap car, I thought about the prospect ahead of us. The last time I'd let a girl in, she'd done a fucking good job of destroying my life. I didn't want a repeat of it. We couldn't afford to have her turn on us. We had killed her father, after all. It was probably the stupidest thing Murph had ever done and he'd done a lot of stupid shit in his life. I wasn't totally on board with the whole plan. I was ready to drop her for the smallest reason. I didn't say anything the whole trip out to the country.
The sun was setting as we pulled up to the drive. The gravel didn't appear gray so much as gold. It was like some higher power was trying to rub it in my face that she was the key to our success.
"What's the matter with you?" Murphy asked, punching me in the arm.
"Nothing. Gimme a cigarette," I replied shortly. He handed me one and I lit it as we walked up to the door.
She was waiting for us. Even I couldn't deny she was attractive. Her red hair fell around her face like the angels in paintings. When she lifted her chin, you got a good look at some impressive cheekbones and perfectly formed lips. I shook myself out of it quickly.
"Hi," Murphy said, getting that same idiotic grin. I rolled my eyes.
"Glad to know you listened this time," she said. She turned her attention to me as I took a drag.
"No smoking on the property," she said.
"You're shitting me," I said. She shook her head.
"I shit no one," she plucked it from my mouth and stamped it out.
"Since when are you in charge?" I demanded. Erin crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes.
"In case you've forgotten, I'm the one holding the cash. You aren't getting ten feet without my help. I can have you killed with one phone call, so don't piss me off," she said. I couldn't believe I was hearing this. I wasn't about to take orders from a girl half my age.
"Enough of that, now. We need to move before dark," Dad said.
"We'll leave in the morning. Stay here tonight," she said. I looked over at Murphy. He looked about ready to piss himself from happiness. I found myself rolling my eyes for the millionth time in the last hour. She pushed open the door and let us in.
"There are plenty of guest rooms. You don't have to share unless you want to. Mathilde and Anne can show you where they are," she told us. As much as it killed me, it would be nice to sleep in a bed that cost more than I made in a year. It would be nice to have a room to myself.
"If you have any bags, Henry can bring them up," she said.
"Of course we have bags," I said. She turned and looked at me.
"Other than weaponry," she said.
"You think we wear the same clothes every day?" She surveyed me with an amber-green eye.
"Judging by those stains and holes, I'd say yes," she said. I felt like she was trying to get under my skin. It was working really fucking well. She walked ahead of us to talk to the maids. Murphy came back to talk to me.
"Would you stop picking on her?" he hissed.
"Only if she does. Your new girlfriend is a bitch," I mumbled back. If he'd had his gun, I probably would have had it shoved into my temple.
"You say that again and fuck brotherhood, I will kill you," he snapped. Dad looked at us, but didn't say anything. Before I could reply, Erin waved us over.
"Follow these two. They'll show you to your rooms," she said. Dad lagged behind, I suspected to sort out something with our hostess. I followed one of the maids, Anne I think, up to the second floor. She led me to a room that was the same size as our old apartment in Boston.
"This is where you'll be staying. If you have any problems, I'm at your service," she said.
"Thanks," I said. She went to leave. "Hey,"
"Yes, sir?" she asked. I smiled and shook my head.
"You don't have to call me sir. My name is Connor," I said.
"Yes, Connor," she corrected.
"What do you think of Erin? Is she always so...demanding?" I asked.
"No, she's grieving. Normally she's very laid back. She does most of her own laundry and cooking. The death of her father hit her hard. She was away at boarding school all year. He was her only parent. Her mother died when she was a baby," she explained.
"When she was a baby?" I repeated.
"Murdered by the mob or so the story goes," she said. "She's buried in the rose garden." I found that a little morbid.
"Is Erin the only one?" I questioned. Anne nodded.
"Her father never remarried. She was his pride and joy. I heard he saved her life that night in the store," she said. I decided not to say anything one way or the other. I had no idea if Erin had given them instructions to smother us in our sleep or if they were in the dark.
"Good of him," I said.
"He was a fine man. It's a shame she's not staying in the house. He built it for her mother. He loved this house," she said.
"It's a nice house," I said, not sure what else to say.
"Would you like me to bring you anything? If you'd like to change, I can have your clothes laundered," she said.
"Maybe later," I said.
"Certainly," she said and left. My duffel bag was already on the bed. I was surprised they'd even put it there. Might get their silk sheets dirty. I pulled out my other pair of jeans. They looked worn, but not too bad. I didn't see what problem she had with them. I wasn't even sure why I cared.
After I'd unpacked, I couldn't resist flopping on the bed. Dad opened the door and looked at me.
"For someone who was complainin' to his hostess, he looks mighty comfy," he said. I looked up.
"Might as well enjoy it," I replied.
"Miss Erin wants us down for supper at nine," he said.
"She's a miss now?" I said.
"'Tis only polite," he said. "Which you seem to know nothing about." He sat on the bed next to me.
"You don't know my history with women, especially younger ones," I said.
"I think I do. I loved your mother, but I wasn't too good at expressin' it. She was glad to see me go, even with a pair of twins to raise. Murphy loves her, so let him. 'Tis not for you to worry. The time will come when you trust her," he said.
"Forgive me if it's a long time," I said. He patted my knee.
"Take all the time ye need," he said. "I'll see you at supper." I shook my head and lay back down. It wasn't going to take as long as I'd originally believed.