Does Liam know that Sean and I were planning on intercepting his loot and making an example out of him? I suppose it doesn’t take a genius to work it out. They once needed one another, but now, they’re fighting for first prize.
“Yer father was weak, and he was also fucking stupid. Killin’ him was far too easy.”
“You fucking cunt!” Liam roars, fighting me desperately. But he’s not going anywhere.
“So was killin’ yer brother.”
Alek stands and walks over to the radio. He turns it on, switching through the channels. When Bach comes on, I ask him to leave it on.
“Good choice,” he says, walking over to me. “What are we going to do?”
Alek has clued on that someone else wants in, and the only way we will find out who is by forcing Liam to tell us. But as we both look at him, we know that probably won’t happen.
However, I can always try…and I will take great pleasure in doing so.
“Who are ye workin’ with?”
Liam laughs in response.
Reaching for the stapler, I slam it into his temple, the staple imbedding into his head.
“The Kellys are finally beaten. That’s all that matters to me. So do what ya want to me ’cause I’m not tellin’ ya a thing.”
His resolve is firm, and I believe that Liam will take his secret to the grave, which means the plan has to change. By now, Sean would know that Aoife is dead or at least missing, as is Babydoll. He just lost his winning hand.
He’ll either flee or fight, and knowing my father, he’ll flee like the coward he is. This time, however, I have an army to help me hunt him down.
“He’s not going to talk,” Alek says, confirming what I know to be true.
His loyalty means he respects and loves this person. This is someone close to him and close to the Doyles. This isn’t just about power. It’s about honor.
He fights me, but I press his lips together and bring the stapler down, puncturing along his lips and sealing them shut. As he tries to scream, I punch him in the stomach, winding him, and continue stapling his mouth shut.
Over and over, I staple along the seam of his mouth, his pursed lips bleeding as he attempts to pry them apart. But each staple fastens them firmer, and before long, his mouth is no longer pink; it’s silver. As Liam attempts to push me away, I reach for the silver letter opener and jam it into his shoulder, impaling him to the desk.
Jumping up, I stand back and watch Liam Doyle squirm like a bug, muffled screams trapped in his mouth as he fights for his life. But this is the end of the line for him.
So much has changed, and the truth is, the only way we’ll ever be safe is if everyone is dead. I don’t know who I’m fighting anymore. But what I do know is that Liam and Sean…they die…tonight.
With my decision made, a crystal paper weight in the shape of a pyramid catches my eye. Bending down to pick it up, the heavy weight in my hand comforts me. I wish I had more time to torture him, but the truth is, Liam Doyle isn’t worth it.
He was Sean’s puppet, so it seems fitting I cut his strings.
Tossing the paper weight in my hand, over and over, I look at Alek, hoping he understands that things have changed. I wanted this to run smoothly, to be discreet, but the gloves are off. I’m going to slaughter every last fucker who betrayed me—oh yes, there will be blood.
Liam’s eyes watch my movements, wondering what fate is destined for him. “Really sorry, but you won’t be makin’ yer party,” I say coolly because the festivities are off. “You kidnapped the woman I loved. And you took my son. You killed his ma. I know what that’s like, thanks to yer dad. Yer rotten, all you Doyles are.
“So it’s time I ended yer bloodline, once and for all.”
Never breaking eye contact, I ram the tip of the paper weight into the side of Liam’s throat. It breaks the skin with ease. A muted cry wheezes out of his stapled lips, but we’re not done. Not yet.
Dragging the tip across his flesh, it rips away, hacking a jagged line across his throat. Blood squirts from the gash, covering my face and hands, but I continue sawing along his neck viciously. Liam is still alive, flailing weakly as he tries to break free, but these will be the last breaths he takes.
The gash is deep, but I make it deeper as I pry two fingers into the gaping incision and rummage through tendon and muscle. When I feel his tongue, I yank it out through the cut. His eyes bulge from his head, the realization of what I just did hitting him.
Smacking his cheek playfully, I grin. “Say hello to yer da for me.”
I watch as Liam’s rough breaths become shallower and shallower until eventually, they just stop. He’s dead…and I don’t feel a thing.
I drop the paperweight, and it bounces onto the carpet with a thud. Bach’s serenity contrasts the grotesque scene before us, but as I look at Alek, I realize he appreciates the brutality as much as me.
“What a masterpiece,” he says, sucking on his cigar calmly.
“Thank you. This is just a warm-up.” I wipe my hands on Liam’s shirt, leaving bloodied smears behind.
“I cannot wait for that. We must move quickly. So much has changed. Do you know who he was protecting?” Alek looks at a very dead and bloody Liam, his lips twitching. “Rather stupid move on his behalf revealing that piece of information.”
“Aye, yer right.” I begin to wonder…
“Ye don’t think it’s a trap? Him feeding us what we want to hear?”
“Would he sacrifice his life like that?”
I wouldn’t think so. But I don’t know for certain. “Someone is definitely helpin’ him out. I just don’t know who because honestly, it could be anyone.”
“This makes things very difficult for us. We need a new plan.”
Nodding, I take one last look at a very dead Liam as it sets a bar to what I intend to do to Sean. “Aye, but first, I need to find my father…and fucking kill him.”
Alek simply smokes his cigar, understanding my motives. “I’ll be at your disposal. Once you’re done, we will organize the next step.”
“Thank you. I’ll be in touch. But this may take a while.”
Alek smirks. “I didn’t suspect anything different.”
Spitting on Liam’s corpse, I leave the room, only half-sated. I want more.
Austin is waiting for me by the front door. I have no doubt Liam’s men have fled, their loyalty piss-poor.
“Do you need help?” Austin asks.
I shake my head. “No, this is somethin’ I need to do alone. I’ve dreamt of this day for ten years.”
“Sure, this is it.”
With vengeance fueling me, I march out the door, my bloody hands poised as I reach for my truck keys. Cami and Shay are safe as I know my men won’t let anything happen to them. They have an army ready to fight and lay down their lives for them.
That gives me comfort and allows me to focus on one thing only, and that’s killing Sean. I don’t know what I’m walking into, but I’m ready.
I jump into my truck and search the channels on the radio until Beethoven comes on. It was quite cathartic listening to Bach as I pulled Liam’s tongue through the gaping hole in his throat. Beethoven, however, sets an entirely different mood.
It’s time to fuck shit up.