“I really fucking do. Beyond the fact you took important information from Regan’s father, I don’t like you. It’ll be very satisfying to blow your fucking brains out.”
“Please—“ His face contorts. “I’m engaged! To marry Vera!”
I laugh in pure delight. “Are you joking? She agreed to that.”
“Yes! And if you kill me, her father?—“
“You think I give a fuck what the old Russian thinks? Killing you will distract him from the fucking war he started. That’s even more of a reason to paint your brains all over the ground. Now start talking, Kieren, before I run out of patience. Who helped you?”
“I don’t… I can’t…”
I lean back, move the gun down to his hand, and pull the trigger.
The gun barks as a bullet blows his palm to pieces. He screams in agony, twitching and struggling against my weight. I put the now-hot barrel against his neck again, holding it steady. He’s breathing, spittle flying down his chin as he gasps in and out, bloodied and ruined hand clutched to his chest.
“Last chance.”
“Please,” he moans, crying now. I should put him out of his misery. “Please, don’t… I can’t… If I say…”
“Fucking tell me. Who helped you, Kieren?!” I punch his injured hand, not even putting much force into the blow, but it’s enough to make him howl in pain.
“Luke!” He screams the name, bucking against me. “Luke did! He showed me where everything was hidden! Luke helped!”
Kieren sobs into his mangled hand as I get off him and step away.
Fuck.
God damn it.
I knew we had a leak… I didn’t think it would be Regan’s brother though.
Fuck.
This is going to crush her. There’s no way Luke can be spared from punishment, and I doubt the Whelans are going to be interested in mercy, not after all the blood that’s already been spilled.
Horror rings through me. I start pacing, cursing quietly under my breath. What the hell am I going to do? If I tell Finn, that means Regan’s brother is finished, and that’ll kill her. She’ll lose her damn mind, and I don’t want to do that to her.
But Luke deserves it. He betrayed his own family, stole from his father, gave critical secrets to the enemy.
All for what?
What the hell could he possibly want that he doesn’t already have?
“Liam.”
I twitch and look over, gun half raised as a shadow strides toward me, a massive man in all black. His eyes are grim and his face shows no emotion. I lower my aim, gritting my teeth, as Kieren rolls side to side, hand bleeding all over.
Cormac Whelan stands beside me, looking down at the pathetic spectacle.
“This is him?” Cormac’s scowl is terrifying. “He’s not much.”
“No, he’s not, but he’s been a damn pain in our ass.” I feel sick as I edge away from the pair. “And now he’s your pain in the ass.”
Cormac grunts, his attention is entirely on the crying, whimpering Kieren. “I’ll handle him.”
“Tell Finn we’ll debrief later. I’m going home.”
“Enjoy your night.” He says it like we’re having a normal conversation.
