The pull between us leaves me breathless, and I almost throw caution to the wind—almost.
Shuffling under the covers, I turn my back to him and allow the tears to fall in time with his receding footsteps.
I can’t focus on anything because this rage inside me threatens to eat me whole. All I can think about is Aoife holding Babydoll prisoner while I was feet away.
I failed her.
I promised to protect her, and I’ve failed in every sense of the word.
I can’t imagine how she felt finding out about Shay the way that she did. I was just outside her door while she was handcuffed to a fucking bed. It kills me to know she was within reach, and I couldn’t do a thing about it.
But I can now.
Those who hurt her will pay, and pay in ways unimaginable—Aoife included.
I’m pacing back and forth in my living room when the door opens. Cian, Ron, Ronan, Ollie, Logan, and Ethan enter. I called them because they are the only men I trust.
Some sit. Some stand. But I get down to business the moment I have their attention.
“Cami is back,” I start, which comes as news to some of the men. “She escaped on her own. She’s fucking braver than any of us.”
“Aye,” they say in unison.
“This means Sean and Liam no longer have the upper hand. I was doin’ Sean’s dirty work because of her, but now that she’s free, it’s time those fuckers pay. I called ya here because I can’t trust anyone involved with Liam or Sean.
“That was one of the many mistakes I made last time. I won’t make it again. Those men aren’t loyal, and if anyone found out about Cami, they’d have collateral over me, and I refuse to allow that to happen again.
“Yer the only ones I trust because no one can know about this. I need ye to help me pull this off.”
Cian sits taller in his seat. “Pull what off exactly?”
I haven’t slept since leaving Fiona’s because there is much to plan.
“I need to know if Liam or Sean are aware that Cami is no longer a prisoner,” I say, hating that she ever was. “If they are, we lose the element of surprise. And we can’t be havin’ that.
“The woman who was holdin’ Cami…was a nurse I met in prison. Her son may be mine.” I don’t need to go into further detail. “As much as I want to punish her for what she’s done, I cannot. Not yet. Sean has wormed his way into her world, knowin’ she would be useful to him.
“If she tells him that Cami is gone…we’re all dead. Cami was the only reason I was doin’ his biddin’. If he finds out she’s gone, he knows I’ll be huntin’ him. And he will do everythin’ in his power to get to me first.
“He won’t bother with games this time, which is why the stakes are so much higher.”
The men nod, understanding my reasoning.
“I need him to believe he’s still in control because that will make him complacent. That’s what will make him weak…and that’s when I will strike. If I could, I would go over to his gaff and kill him right now. But I cannot.”
“Why not?” Ollie asks, his dark brows knitted together.
“’Cause this will never end. This feud will live on for generations. I don’t want that for my son. For any of our sons. We need to be smart about this. I need to end it—once and for all. I need Liam and Sean to be slain at the same time, so there is no chance for escape or for retaliation.”
“And then what?” Ron questions.
“And then, I give it all away.”
The room falls silent as they were clearly not expecting that.
“Punky,” Cian says, shaking his head.
His feelings have clearly changed from when we spoke the other night. He now sees how serious I am about giving it all away and doesn’t agree.
“Belfast is rightfully yours. It belongs to a Kelly. It’s been that way for generations. What of Connor? Of my da? Of all the fallen men who fought wars they believed in?
“We just forget them, is that so?”
“No, Cian, I’m doin’ this because of them. There is no victory. Only surrender.”
Yes, we will win the war against Liam and Sean, but for that to happen, I must surrender my beloved Belfast. It’s time she’s ruled by another.
“I spoke to yer friend, Ron, Austin Bailey. Although things have changed, the deal is still on. If he and Alek help me defeat Liam and Sean, then they can have it all.”
“Let’s go over there and just kill that son of a bitch!” Cian spits, anger leading him. “We’ll deal with the consequences. Y’ve got Cami back now. What’s stoppin’ us?”
“Losin’ ten years of my life is what,” I counter with reason. “We are in this mess because we continue to underestimate Sean’s power. How do we know he doesn’t have a backup plan where Amber, yer families”—I look at each man—“are the next best things for collateral?
“No one is off-limits. And both Liam’s and Sean’s men will retaliate if we don’t assert our dominance. If we simply kill them and don’t make an example out of them, then someone will take their places in a heartbeat, and we’re just back to the beginnin’.
“No, we need them to see we cannot be fucked with. That there is new blood in town.”
Ron sighs, and I know he understands why I’ve chosen this path. “Yer right, Puck. For Alek to assert his place in Northern Ireland and Ireland, he needs to earn the men’s respect. Otherwise, they will simply see him as some Russian who doesn’t belong here.
“They will challenge him, and that’s hardly a deal Alek will want to agree to.”
“Exactly,” I agree, thankful he understands. “If Sean gets wind of this, he will run, but not before he kills everyone we love, ensurin’ we suffer and forcin’ us to chase ghosts our entire lives.
“I’ve lived that life, and I am done with it.”
There are too many factors in this equation. Too many men who may rise up and challenge a place for the throne. We need to simplify it. There can only be one king. And I will offer that to Alek in place for my freedom. And for the freedom of those I love.
Cian stands, curling his lip in disgust. “If this is what surrender looks like, then count me out. I won’t sit back and watch ye spit on my father’s grave. This makes no sense. We could go over there, right now, and end it for both Sean and Liam.
“Yet yer choosin’ to hide. Yer choosin’ to give everythin’ away! We could do this together, but yer choosin’ the coward’s way out!” The door slams shut as he storms outside.
It upsets me to see Cian this way, but this isn’t negotiable. This is happening my way. “If anyone else feels the same way, then now is the time to leave,” I calmly say. “I know it seems simpler to just kill them both.
“But that will mean we are constantly lookin’ over our shoulders for the rest of our lives. I don’t want that. Not anymore. I don’t want to fear walkin’ into a pub in case I get shot in retaliation by some cunt who thinks they are doin’ it in the name of their fallen leader.
“We do this, we demonstrate our influence and the ties we have, then no one will fuck with us ever again. If ye choose to deal with Austin and Alek, that is yer choice. But me, I want out. But before I do that, Sean must pay, and pay in ways unimaginable for what he did to my ma. What he did to me.”