Sweet Little Lies

Chapter Ninety-Seven

The pressure in his chest started to ebb as he spoke with Harry. His sister was alive, awake and speaking. The doctor had confirmed that she was healthy, her scans coming back clear, her vitals looking good. Harry had informed him that she remembered what had happened and was speaking coherently, although she was getting tired easily. That was normal, apparently, her stamina would build back slowly.

His brother-in-law said he had to go, so Finn let him. He dropped the phone to the ground and buried his head in his hands. He was sitting at the top of the stairs, hidden by the banister. With a shaky breath, he closed his eyes.

Things were okay. As long as Ivy was still alive, his team healthy, that was all that mattered. Yes, he had lost men and women down in the tunnels, loyal comrades that he needed on his side. Especially with the Malone empire on shaky grounds. There were still too many of his father's men within the organization. Many had left, but there were still some hiding, Finn knew that for sure. His father was a smart man. He would have a contingency plan for when he finally got ousted, keeping some of his most loyal men on the inside.

Finn had put Rowan on the case, sussing out those who they couldn't trust. Unfortunately, with the shit show that was these past few days, they haven't been able to make that a priority. While they weren't finished with the Petrov's, they had more freedom to focus on the empire now.

"What's wrong?"

Finn looked up to see Willow standing a few steps down. "Nothing." Finn sighed, "It's good news actually. Ivy is awake."

Willow's tension dissolved. "She's okay?"

He nodded, "Doctor said the surgery went well. Her memory and speech functions are good. Harry said she gets tired fast, but that's normal."

"Good." Willow let out a deep sigh. "You think things will calm down now?"

"We still have one more."

Her lips pressed together in a flat line. "The sister. You're sure she wasn't down there during the fight?"

He shook his head. "I can't be a hundred percent clear, but I don't think so. She's been in the shadows for too long. Why would she join in a firefight now?"

''You're probably right." She conceded. "Alright, I'm gonna head to the hospital. See if Ivy and Harry need anything."

"I'll be there as soon as I can." Finn said.

She frowned, "Take care of shit here. They need you. Besides, Greta Bianchi asked for you."

He raised an eyebrow. "She did?"

"I think she's got your intel you wanted."

†††

Dev and Greta had set up shop in the back corner of the house, away from everyone else. Finn walked Willow to the front door, speaking of a few other things, then made his way towards the back. He passed by some of his men, checking in with them before continuing on.

When he passed by the kitchen, his eyes wandered, searching for her.

Abigail was leaning against the counter, her phone in her hand. She was frowning down at the screen, wild black curls hiding her opalescent skin. As if she could feel his presence, she turned and looked over her shoulder.

Static electricity crackled in the air between them, no longer confusing to him. He now knew exactly what that meant, why he was so affected by her. Although she was frowning, a warning glare burning into his gaze, he felt content.

It was like his path forward was suddenly clear. He knew exactly what he wanted. The future had always felt so murky to Finn. Yes, he knew that he would eventually take over the Malone empire, but that always felt so far off. Especially with the way his father acted.