“I’ll destroy her if I don’t. Gag them and tie them together.” Fallon is clearly finished with them. I do as she asks, my head spinning from her admission. It sounds like Aisling is going to get an older sister. Instant family, here we come.
“Let’s go.” Fallon storms off, and I’m left confused.
“Aren’t you going to shoot them?” She’s letting a good kill go to waste.
“No.” She’s clearly on a mission.
Heading straight into a room that looks like a library-slash-sitting room with a glassed-in bar, she nabs a very fancy Zippo lighter and two cigars from a shelf next to the whiskey.
“You mind?” I ask, referring to the swanky bottle of aged whiskey that’s just going to go to waste.
“Be my guest.”
I grab it and follow her into the kitchen. I see where this is going.
Fallon turns on the gas on all six burners before turning on both wall ovens. A loud hissing sound flows out into the air.
“We should definitely go.”I make my concern clear.
“Yes, we should.” She takes one last look around. She seems at peace. Content with what she’s about to do.
“You sure about this?” I ask just to make sure.
“I have been dreaming of this moment since I was sixteen years old.”
“Then let’s have a party.” I wave the whiskey bottle in the air.
“March always loves a party.”
Outside in the courtyard, I crack open the liquor while Fallon lights the cigars. She hands me one, and I pour a shot onto the ground.
“For March.”
“For March.” Her devastation is evident.
She exhales a cloud of smoke into the air, as if breathing for the first time in her life. With the Zippo lit, she throws it into the house and slams the front door shut.
Then we run. Hopping into the black SUV Ronan pulled up in, knowing the keys were still in it. We speed away, drinking three-hundred-dollar whiskey and smoking Cuban cigars. We’re halfway down the mile-long driveway when it happens. An explosion of epic proportions. We feel the energy push the truck and the heat overrun the interior. I fishtail from the brunt force, slamming on the brakes before we come to a complete stop. Adjacent to the driveway, we both watch the house burn. Flames lashing out in every direction.
“You okay?” I take her hand, the reflection of the fire dancing in her crippled, green irises.
“I can honestly say, I’ve never been better.” Her response is so calm, clear, so even-toned, you would never know six people were just murdered right before our very eyes.
“Where to now?” She’s the only one who knows Ling’s secret location.
“There’s a safe house. A few miles away. They’ll be waiting there.”
“Let’s go then.” I step on the gas, ready to drive away from one life and straight into another.
18
Fallon
“You might wantto clean your face off before we go inside,” Declan suggests as I stare out the front windshield blankly.
“Huh?” I barely hear him.
“Your face, Poppy. You don’t want the girls seeing that.”
