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I glance down. Sean has a large, black handgun pressed against the side of my head. Brian stops his advance and looks quickly between Deklan, Mac, and Sean. Mac takes a step away as Sean waves the gun at all three of them. I stumble as Sean moves us both away from the group and points the gun at my side.
I brace myself for the shot, but nothing happens. I want to run or fight, but I can’t move—I’m completely paralyzed as tears start to fall down my cheeks.
“Please, Sean,” I whisper, but he ignores me.
“Open the fucking door,” Sean says to Deklan.
Deklan nods, holds his hands up passively, and then locates a key on his key ring. He crouches at the basement door and unlocks the padlock. He loops the lock over the iron gate and then pulls the chain from around the door handles before standing up and backing away again.
He stares into my eyes, but I don’t understand the look in them. Does he want me to stay calm or to fight? What am I supposed to do now? Though there was talk of a couple alternative scenarios, this wasn’t covered in the briefing with Teagan.
“Mac,” Sean says, “go get Charlie.”
Mac glances quickly at Deklan. Deklan gives him a quick nod, and Mac pulls open the doors and carefully navigates the stairs into the darkness below.
“Now, let me tell you how this is going to play out,” Sean says with a wicked grin. “Charlie is going to come out here, and he’s going to take your place as my bodyguard.”
“That don’t make no sense, boss,” Brian says. “You know Dek’s the best, and with everything we got coming up, you’re going to need him.”
Brian tilts his head and smiles at Sean, but I can see his hand slowly creeping towards his waist.
“I don’t need him,” Sean says. “In fact—I don’t need you, either.”
I see the flash before I feel Sean’s arm jerk and hear the blast. Brian’s eyes go wide. He looks at the gun in Sean’s hand before glancing at Deklan. Brian opens his mouth to say something, but Sean levels the gun and shoots two more times, blowing holes in Brian’s jacket and sending him flying backward and onto the ground. Sean turns the gun on Deklan, but Deklan is moving to Brian’s side when the shot is fired.
I scream as Deklan crumples to the ground, grabbing his shoulder and landing just a few feet from Brian. Sean shoves me forward until we’re right next to both men, and then he pushes me by the shoulder until I’m on my knees.
I cover my mouth with my hand as my gaze focuses on the blood seeping through Deklan’s jacket. The shot must have gone through, since there’s more blood on the back of his jacket than the front.
I shake my head in disbelief. This wasn’t supposed to happen, and it’s all happening too quickly for me to wrap my head around it. I have no idea what I should do.
Sean stands right next to me and points the barrel of the gun at Deklan head.
“I was his son!” Sean yells. “I was his only son, but you are the one he looked to. You are the one he talked about. You are the one he wanted to be his flesh and blood. You took everything from me, even the woman that was supposed to be my wife!”
Deklan’s eyes go wide.
“You wanna kill me, boss?” Deklan rises up on his knees and tries to get between me and Sean, but Sean uses his foot to shove him backward. Deklan rights himself and looks back at Sean. “Fucking kill me if you want, but leave Kera out of it.”
“Leave her out of it?” Sean laughs and looks up to the sky as his eyes dance in the sunlight. “This is all because of her! Don’t you see that? She’s the reason for everything! She’s why Fergus had to die! She’s why Neil had to die! She is the catalyst to everything that has happened to you!”
“You wanted this, boss,” Deklan says. “Remember? You wanted me to marry her. This was your idea, and you’re the one in charge. That’s why I did it. I’m loyal to you, and so is Kera. You don’t have to do this.”
“No you aren’t, and it’s all her fault.” Sean giggles for a moment, the sound reminding me of a schoolgirl. “She’s your downfall, Deklan Kearney. Love killed you both.”
He takes the gun and places it against my temple. I close my eyes, wishing I could somehow reach out and hold Deklan’s hand when all of this comes to an end.
“Open your fucking eyes, bitch!” Sean screams.
I startle and b
ite down on my lip, drawing blood. I slowly open my eyes and look up to Sean’s wild eyes as they sparkle with lightning and fire. I remember at one point, back when I was a teenager, how I stared at his picture on my nightstand and dreamed of the day I would be married to him.
How did we get here?
I stare up at that maniacal grin as the end of the gun presses into my skin, and the asphalt presses into my knees.
“How does it feel, Dek?” Sean asks slowly. “How does it feel to lose everything?”
