AllFreeNovel
Share Us
We pull around the circular driveway with Sean driving Mac’s car directly behind us. As we get to the end of the drive and turn onto the street, Sean isn’t just following behind us; he’s right on Deklan’s bumper.
Deklan reaches into his pocket and slowly pulls out his phone.
“Keep the phone in your lap and text Teagan. Tell her Sean’s driving.”
“Okay.” I do as I’m told. A few second later, Teagan replies, and I read her message out loud to Deklan. “She says, ‘Two choices—lose him or we meet you there.’”
“If I try to lose him, he’s going to go apeshit. Any element of surprise will be lost.”
“Should I tell her to meet us there?”
“Not sure we have a choice.”
I type t
he message. Teagan doesn’t respond, but I assume she understands. Deklan increases his speed a little, but Sean is still right up behind us.
Deklan reaches over and gives my hand a squeeze. His expression is grave.
“Stay close to me,” he says. “When possible, make sure I am between you and Sean. If that’s not possible, get behind Brian. Understood?”
“Yes.”
We arrive at the intersection where we were supposed to exchange passengers. I glance in the side mirror and see Mac’s car, with Sean driving, looming close behind. As I read the words on the glass—“Objects in mirror are closer than they appear”—I’m reminded of that dinosaur movie from years ago. An image of the Tyrannosaurus Rex chasing the characters as they try to drive away fills my head, and I swallow hard.
“Where is this place?” I ask.
“Not far from here,” Deklan says. “It’s a basement warehouse off an alley. It’s below a restaurant the Foley family owns. Since it’s centrally located, we only use it when timing is important. It’s in the middle of the city, and there are often people around. It’s not as secure as the other place.”
“Just stay in the car,” Deklan says as he pulls up in front of a Thai restaurant and engages the parking break. “I’ll be back before you know it, and we can—”
Deklan is interrupted by my door opening and Sean pulling me out of the car by my arm. I let out a surprised squeal, and Sean growls at me to shut up.
“Move!” Sean grips my arm and shoves me toward the alley.
I glance from Sean to the wide alley and the tall buildings of the city skyline beyond. A stench comes from the nearby dumpsters used by the restaurant, and I’m not sure if my stomach is rebelling at the smell or the man who has me by the arm.
I can hear Deklan’s car door opening and closing, but the alley is full of potholes, and I’m being dragged too quickly to look back at him without tripping over one of them. Sean finally stops in the middle of the alley and stands near a set of large metal doors leading down to the basement of the restaurant. The doors are enclosed by an iron gate on either side and locked with a padlock and a thick chain.
Deklan stops only a few feet away, and Mac walks cautiously past him until he’s closer to Sean’s side. At the end of the alley, near the street, Brian appears from around the corner and heads in our direction.
“Sean,” Deklan says in his calm, deadly voice, “let go of my wife.”
“Fuck you!” Sean spits at the ground near Deklan’s feet. “You know what, Kearney? I’ve had enough of your shit. I’m sick of you not obeying your orders and walking around like this is your business when it’s not. You aren’t a Foley—I am! It’s time you understood that.”
“I never claimed to be a Foley,” Dek replies, his voice still calm, but his right hand is balled into a fist, “but Kera has nothing to do with any of this. Let her go.”
“Yeah, boss,” Brian says as he comes up behind Deklan, “Mrs. K doesn’t need to be here.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Sean says. His grip on my arm tightens, and I grimace. “You think I don’t know you’re on his side?”
“Boss,” Brian says as he takes a step forward, “I’m with ya all the way, but Mrs. K should go. I can call Teagan to come and get her if you like.”
“I do not ‘like,’” Sean says. He takes a step backward, pulling me roughly to his side as he moves. “This little bitch needs a lesson as much as you do, Kearney.”
“Sean,” Deklan says, his voice starting to reflect the look in his eyes, “let go of my wife right now.”
Deklan steps forward and then stops suddenly, his eyes widening as I hear a sharp click near my ear.
