"And what's your priority then?" Callum asks, his eyes narrowing.
"Keira."
The word comes out hard, certain.
"Not family politics," I add. "Not Nicolae's ambitions. Just her."
Callum studies me for what feels like an eternity.
Then he nods and cuts the ties from my legs. Blood rushes back into my feet, pins and needles stabbing through my calves.
He stands and walks behind me.
"I heard everything, by the way," he says, slicing through the plastic and freeing my hands. "Every word you said to my sister."
I feel nervous and exposed, but I get it. I'd be monitoring too, now that I think about it.
I bring my arms forward slowly, hissing through my teeth as my shoulders sting. I rub my wrists gingerly, smearing some blood across my palms.
Callum comes back into view. "Truthfully, I don't know if I respect you or hate you right now," he says.
"Either's fair."
"Well," he says, tucking the knife into his back pocket, "it's going to take time to bury this."
"I know," I reply. "But I meant what I said."
He crosses his arms. "So did she. And so did I."
He turns around. "For some time, you'll be watched. You understand that?"
"Of course," I say, wincing as I stand. "I have nothing to hide anymore."
"Good," he says, looking over his shoulder. "Let's go upstairs."
I follow Callum, my legs unsteady beneath me. Every step sends a jolt of pain through my shoulder, but I grit my teeth and keep moving.
We climb the stairs, my hand gripping the railing to keep from stumbling, and emerge into the main living room.
Declan is there, standing near the fireplace next to Lyra. His face is firm, and his eyes lock on me the moment I step through the door.
There are a few other men, Shane included, off in the corner, staring at me.
Keira is on the couch, legs tucked under her, an iPad in her lap. She's swiping and typing, her face deep in concentration. She doesn't look up.
Callum stops in the center of the room.
"I gave Keira the choice," he says. "We respect it."
He doesn't look at me. He looks at Declan.
Declan's jaw clenches. His hands ball into fists at his sides.
He nods once to Callum and looks back at me, his eyes full of fire.
He pushes off the wall and closes the distance between us.
"If you hurt her again," he says, his voice dropping low enough that only I can hear, "I don't care what Callum says. I don't care what Keira says. I'll bury you myself."
