It’s always been him and me. Try as I might to deny it, it’s always been us against the world.
It’s never been more apparent than now. Nico is our enemy. When we ran the streets, we had to contend with De Luca’s men and dodge their hits. We made daring runs through their territory. I can’t count how many times Killian was ordered to kill one of theirs.
Yet, he’s willing to stay—to protect our enemy—for me.
“Why?” I ask, searching his eyes. “I know what the hospital means to you. Why would you help me? Help Nico?”
It’s a loaded question. The hospital is where he said goodbye to his mother—a woman I never met, but whom I know through his soft, late-night memories. When my nightmares awakened us, he’d tell me about her. How gentle she was—too gentle for the world they lived in.
It soothed us both.
“I don’t know what I have to do—say, for you to believe me,” he whispers, holding my gaze. “But I am here for you. When the days are dark, I’ll be in the shadows with you.” Glancing at Nico, he continues, “He means something to you. So, he means something to me.”
He’d risk his own fears, his own demons to help me. That damning love shines, and I exhale, hiccupping in his hand as the tears threaten to fall. I always said Killian would be the death of me—but he’s also the reason I’m alive.
I’m not alone in the dark when he’s here.
Slipping his hands under Nico’s frail form, he exits the kitchen. I gaze down at Maria and wipe my nose on the back of my bloody hand.
Bending down, I brush the hair from her face reverently and press a soft kiss to her brow. She smells like classic gardenia, and I commit it to memory. “I’m sorry,” I whisper. “Thank you.”
Folding her hands over her belly, I let my cold fingers linger on her warm skin. They were just here. They entered Nico’s home and destroyed everything.
Because of me.
You’ll never be the leader we need.
Fury ignites in my gut, and my hands shake. Pulling the red and white tablecloth, I drape it over Maria’s body. It’s not a proper funeral, but she doesn’t deserve this. She deserves more.
Nicodeserves more.
And I’ll make sure they pay for what they’ve done.
24
MAEVE
“… a
nd I should’ve been the first person you called!”
Rubbing my temples, I stare down at the many folders full of names and secrets, and the ballpoint pen. The brass sides are engraved with my father’s name. Hisspecialpen. The one he signed all his deals with, the one he kept in his pocket for important meetings. I should’ve thrown it out when I gutted this godforsaken office months ago. But there is a perverse satisfaction in using it when he wouldn’t let me lead.
Now it signs my name, my deals, in my clan.
And yet, I can’t focus on any of it.
“Are you even fucking listening?”
Rolling my eyes, I look up at my brother-in-law’s harsh face. The bags are darker, deeper, and his hair is uncharacteristically unpolished. He’s in a rumpled dark T-shirt and a pair of sweats—so unlike him. His burns flicker in the pathetic firelight behind me.
Apparently, he’s comfortable here. I’ve never seen him show any skin before.
“I would be, if you’d stop yelling.” The clock on my desk reads almost four in the morning. We stayed at the hospital until the doctors finally told us what was happening.
It took convincing. A knife to the sternum usually helps, and only then did they decide to be more forthcoming. A gunshot to his shoulder, another on his thigh, they were worried about his recovery. With a body riddled with cancer and his advanced age, they weren’t optimistic.
After threatening them, I called Lex to send his men to sit on his uncle. Briar checked them out, but that doesn’t say much. He didn’t find anything in Reese’s background either, and somehow he’s connected to this.
