Children of Vice (Children of Vice #1)(50)

Her body weakened, her arms fell back onto the bed, I swiped the nurse’s card once more, getting out of the system, setting the dose back to normal, and moving over to her, I put the control for the drip in her palm.

“Burn…in…hell.” She sneered at me as I returned the room back to normal, even moving the machine back into place.

“I already did,” I whispered back, petting her cheek before moving back to the door.

When I opened the door, Greyson looked at me and then back at the woman glaring at my back.

“She doesn’t want to talk,” I said to him.

He frowned but nodded, moving for me to walk past. I stopped near the station, the nurse now gone, most likely happily celebrating. I dropped her card on the desk before we walked across the cream-colored lobby, towards the door. There, standing in his all black suit at the very top of the white staircase, was Ethan himself. The guards were gone, and he didn’t move, he didn’t say a word, but merely watched me.

“Was she supposed to be a mistress while I was the happy Irish wife to help get Boston’s support back?”

“The Callahan men don’t have mistresses.” He said unmoved and emotionless as always.

“I heard that once,” I replied stepping up and up until I stood on the same level as him. We turned to face each other. “I was kid, we were having a cookout, my parents just had their anniversary and my grandma said, ‘Say what you want about ’em Callahan boys but ain’t none of them ever step out on their wives.’ Her voice was the first thing that went through my mind as Nari told me about Klarissa.”

“Is it—”

Before he could say anything I punched him as hard as I could. His head went back, but he took it, lifting his hand to wipe the blood from his nose.

“Dona was right. You know how to throw a punch,” he muttered.

“And you know how to use people.” I snapped back at him. “The second thing that went through my mind was whether you knew. I quickly realized you did. And if you were going to keep her as your mistress, you would have made sure Nari had no chance to speak to me. But you didn’t and she did. So that means you must have told her to tell me. You did this so I’d kill her and you didn’t have to have that on your hands. You didn’t kill your unborn child, your wife did.”

He didn’t bother trying to deny it. “It was only three weeks old. It wasn’t a child. It was a bunch of cells.”

“And yet you still couldn’t do it.”

Again he didn’t deny it.

“Don’t EVER use me without my consent again!”

“I’ll handle it then—”

“In another two minutes she’ll be dead,” I whispered bitterly.

“What?”

“I knew what you’d plan by the time I got to that door. I knew and I was pissed, and you were wrong to use me, but it would be worse if you’d actually done it.”

His eyebrows came together in confusion. “I thought you drew the line.”

“Neither of us has a line,” I whispered, resting my head on his shoulder. “Her IV was part sodium chloride, sucrose, bicarbonate, and vitamins. That and the increased morphine I gave her will cause her to go into heart failure, if the doctors get to her on time and try to use panels she’ll die instantly. If not, she’ll die from lack of oxygen.”

By the time I finished speaking I looked to the door, hearing a doctor and nurse running and shouting. Greyson came into the stairwell looking at me first.

“She’s dead?” I asked.

He nodded.

“How sad,” I said, walking back up the stairs, leaving Ethan to stand alone. But not before adding, “Don’t be surprised if I do not speak to you for a while.”

I didn’t look at anyone. I didn’t speak as I reached the Callahan floor. One of the guards opened the door to the Evelyn’s room, the whole family sat around the suite, as if it were their home. Some of them resting on the couch. Some by the window, but my eyes went to dining table we had all just eaten at. Cora was packing away what was left of my wedding cake. Her brown eyes glanced over to me. I looked away, walking over to Evelyn’s bedside. Her eyes barely open. But a small grin was on her face as she looked over her family. Siting on her bed, I took the brooch out of my purse.

“A Claddagh.” I told her even though I knew she was aware what it was and what it meant. “Hands in loyalty.”

The corner of her mouth turned up and she nodded.





ETHAN


He handed me the ice for my face, which I took, siting on one the stairs.

“Exactly as you planned, sir,” Greyson said to me.

“No, Greyson.” I grinned. “This was much, much better.”

She knew I used her. She knew everything. This was guilt free, something I didn’t even think to achieve.

I didn’t want Klarissa.

She’d chosen to steal a condom and play God herself.

She played the game and lost.

She was never meant to be my wife.

Eleven fifty-eight p.m…Klarissa’s time of death. Ivy’s time of rebirth.

“She’s cold, sir,” Greyson said, partially terrified, partially impressed.

“Wrong again,” I replied. She was a Callahan and like all Callahans... “She’s ruthless.”