Tempting The Mafia Twins
1/8
Theories
Egan was in his room getting ready for the day while Genesis sat on the edge of her bed in confusion.
Waiting for one of the men in her life to come back to tell her what the hell was going on was painstakingly brutal. She could go down to the office on the main floor but somehow, she felt stuck in the space she was in, unable to move.
She wasn’t sure how long she’d been staring into space, as tuned out as she was but when Kiefer squatted in front of her and took her hands in his, she jumped.
“Shh. It’s me. You were zoned out.” He lifted his palm to cup her cheek and sighed softly. “We have a team in Chicago. We made sure to know where Astra was living in the event, she caused you any trouble.”
“Why would she cause me trouble, Kiefer?”
“We weren’t sure of her intentions after she abandoned you, Gen. Even Dad said it was highly suspicious for a woman who claims to care for you to simply walk away and not look back. So, someone was periodically checking in on her over the last week check. Nothing overt. Just making sure she wasn’t communicating with the feds or selling you out.”
“She wouldn’t.”
Theories
“Did you ever think she’d tell you to ditch your son?” He was trying to measure his words but there was still a sharpness to the accusation.
2/8
He had a point, and she shook her head exhaling loudly, “no.”
“No. Better safe than sorry. Anyway, when Dad knocked on my door and said Egan dreamed of Astra, so she was dead, I asked Jerren to get the guys over there to check on her.”
“And?”
“They peeked into the house to see her laying tied up in a chair on the floor of the living room with a bullet hole in her forehead. I made them call it into the police.
“Won’t the police automatically suspect them?”
“At our orders, they told the cops she was the best friend of the wife of Kiefer O’Reilly, the billionaire and she missed a call with you last night, so we sent them over to check on her. They didn’t enter the premises, and they only looked through a window. They have alibis for the time of death, and we sent them dressed. in their suits, so they look more like a billionaire’s security team than Iron Force Gang guys. We’re covered. However, her entire place was tossed, Gen. While she was tied up and assassinated, whoever was there ransacked the house she was renting.”
“Why?”
“Dad firmly believes in Egan’s dreams. He thinks someone went to her to find you.”
Theories
3/8
“But” she shook her head, “it doesn’t make sense Kiefer. Nobody in Chicago knew us. We picked the city because neither of us have ever been there. When she went there after leaving us, we didn’t speak again. It means nobody would have even known I was associated with her there. She was never around us here. when you and I were together before, so they weren’t going to know she was my friend there if I wasn’t there.”
“What do you think Egan meant about the test?”
“What test?”
“He said she made a mistake with the tests. What tests?”
“I don’t have the foggiest.” She shook her head.
“She told Egan she made a mistake with the tests and shouldn’t have sent them. Think Gen. I know I’m pressuring you when you’re hurting and I’m sorry but if it’s a clue to how we catch whoever might be out to get you, I want to figure it out.”
She was thinking hard and then her eyes shot to his, “the only tests I can think of is the DNA tests.”
“The DNA tests?”
“Yes. We were always worried about how angry you would be with me for going to the feds and getting you arrested. We both knew in this world, such a thing would normally get a bullet as a reward. One night we watched some movie, I don’t even remember what it was called, and the police were having to pull
Theories
4/8
DNA from a bathtub drain to try to identify a body and Astra commented we should register my DNA in the event the cops. have to do that for me. It was meant as a joke but the two of couldn’t stop thinking of it. We then thought if we sent my DNA in with my real name and stuff, you might find me and since I was hiding from you, I didn’t want my name in any data base. We decided if you ever caught up to me and took me, we would get my DNA sent into one of those sites. She ordered the test shipped overnight to her at the Inn she and Egan were hiding in until I met them. I did the test the morning you found us. When she left us at the restaurant, she dropped off the DNA kit in the mail. I know because a day or two later, I got the notification. they received it. She paid the extra to have it rush sampled. I noticed yesterday in my email the results were there from the day before.”
“I think we need to take a look at them, sweetheart.” Kiefer said. quietly. “I don’t want to leave any stone unturned. It could be this. It could be she did some kind of internet quiz for all we know but I don’t want to miss a thing. Please. Can you send me your results?”
“I haven’t even really looked at them. I got the summary on my email. I need to go in and look at the account she set up for me. so I can see what exactly the breakdown was but all I saw was the little summary. Kiefer why would my DNA be the clue here. It makes no sense.”
“I don’t know but let’s take a look at them together.”
She wrung her hands out, “Egan is supposed to start school. today. He’s missed so much time.”
Theories
5/8
“He’s a brilliant child, Gen. Missing a week or two of school in the grand scheme of things isn’t a big deal. I’ll call the school. and let them know we’re having a family situation and we’re keeping him home this week. I don’t want to send him until I know what this threat is. I can’t put a bodyguard in his class with him, no matter how much I want to and so to keep him. safe, he’s staying home.”
“But.”
“Gen,” Kiefer shook is head, “I failed you both on safety before. 1 won’t do it again. He stays where I am. The house is on lockdown right now. A cockroach couldn’t slip under a door crack without us knowing. I need you both to stay here and stay safe, please. Until I figure out who would kill Astra to try to get to you, then you stay here.”
She nodded sadly, “there is one thing I can’t stop thinking of. Something my dad said to Egan in his dream.
“What?”
“Granddad told her she did really good.”
“What do you think it means?”
11
“I think someone was asking her information about me and she kept her mouth shut and they killed her for it.”
“You don’t think she told them your location?”
Theories
6/8
She shook her head. “My dad,” she gave a snort, “wasn’t the high–praise kind of guy. I was little when he died, and my memories are faint but there are things I do remember. He was not the cuddly type, but I knew he loved me. If I sat on his lap, it was for a lesson where he would tell me a story and there was always a moral to it. He kissed me goodnight every night. However, he was stern and strict. I didn’t play with two toys at once because one always needed to be put away. I didn’t get to say I didn’t like the food on my plate because it was all I was getting to eat, like it or not. I didn’t dare argue because I would get a tap on the ass and sent to my bed, and it wasn’t one of those two–minute timeout things. I’d be there for the day. When I colored him a picture if I was outside the lines, he’d point out my mistakes and remind me to do better next time.”
“Sounds like he was tough.”
“He was. However, when he was proud of me, when I did something good, I knew.”
“Like what?”
“Like the time we went to the store, and I saved my tooth fairy money. I could buy what I wanted with my money but what I wanted was a doll. The doll was three dollars more than what I what was in my little change purse. My mom was going to pay the difference, but I could see he wasn’t happy about it. I told them I wanted to wait to buy it when I had all the money myself so when I bought it, it was with my money and only my money. He got right down on his knees and kissed my forehead and told me how proud he was of me for being strong and independent. I didn’t know what independent meant but I knew what pride was
Theories
and I think I glowed for a week.”
“Did you ever get the doll?”
7/8
She nodded, “I did. Dad gave me extra chores around the house to earn my own money. When I earned the full ten dollars, he took me back to the store and I paid for it myself. I was so excited to pass the money to the cashier all by myself. I felt like such a big girl. He carried me home on his shoulders that day.”
“It sounds like an incredible memory for you, Gen.”
“It is. It’s also why I find it compelling for him to have told Astra she did good. It was not in his nature to throw out compliments. She died protecting me, Kiefer. I know it in my heart.”
“I think you are right,” he agreed. “Also, how fucking eerie is it for Egan to have to cross a river to get to his brother?”
“It’s him passing from one plane to another. It’s a spiritual plane. I’ve done a lot of reading and research trying to
understand his gift. This one though,” she blew out through. puffed cheeks. “This one hurts a lot, Kiefer. I can’t believe she’s gone.”
“We’ll bring her back to Boston if you wish, and we’ll have her buried in the family plot here in Boston or we can take her to Ireland. She was of Irish descent.”
“Her grandmother is actually buried in Columbus. I think she’d want to be with her family.”
Theories
“Okay. I can make it happen.”
“Thank you.”
“Do you need a hug?”
8/8
“I really do,” she nodded and folded into his arms. The simple act of his embrace loosened the hold she had on her emotions and the tears she’d struggled to keep at bay, finally fell with abandon.
At some point, she felt Egan crawling onto her lap and Lorcan and Tadgh were both climbing onto the bed behind her, Lorcan’s arms wrapping around the family in consolation. Despite the deep loss in her heart, the love surrounding was healing and she leaned into it, accepting their warmth and affection.
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