Page 58 of Guarding Salvation

Lotus, never one to back down, was determined though. “I know you care about her, Bein, but we both know in any other situation you would’ve suggested it already.”

He knew she was right, but this wasn’t some random person, it was the woman he was in love with. “I said no.”

Bás waved his hand impatiently to silence them. “Shut the fuck up. I can’t think. Titan, do you agree with the MC taking over?”

“I’d need to know more about them before I comment but I agree with what Rykov says about a void. If you leave one, it will be filled by someone.”

“Rykov, are you vouching for these people?”

“I will on my honour.”

“Good because if this goes south, you’re the person I’m coming for.”

“Understood.”

“Handle Popov and have these men ready to move.”

Bás looked at him. “Word is Doyle put out a reward for any information on Aoife. That just upped our timeline. We know he has men still loyal to him and his right-hand man, Conlan O’Neill, never leaves his side. We also know O’Neill has some pretty disgusting tastes that run to barely legal girls or boys. Speak to Aoife and see if she can remember anything else that might help us. We know we can’t get close to him physically, but we might need to consider luring him to us.”

Bein shoved the chair back as he stood abruptly, slamming his hands down on the table. “I fucking said no.”

“Not your call, Bein. This is bigger than you or Aoife now. We can’t allow a man like him to continue running one of the biggest cities in Ireland. It’s a threat to national security and you know it.”

“There must be another way.”

“Like?”

Bein was glaring at his boss, fear wrapping around the edge of his throat and cutting off his air. He couldn’t risk Doyle getting near Aoife again. “What if I meet with him? If I can get close enough, I can kill him.”

“That’s fucking suicide.”

Bein remained silent, he knew it was, but he’d rather do that than risk Aoife.

Bás was looking at him in shock. “You really ready to die for this girl?”

“Yes.”

Three little letters but they meant more than any declaration of love. If it meant she lived free he’d happily take his chances.

“No, I won’t lose one of my men to insanity for pussy.”

Bein didn’t know what happened, but he had Bás across the table before anyone could move. His hand around his throat, tight as his vision swam red with rage. “Never fucking call her that again.”

Bás didn’t fucking blink, the man never even made a sound. Everyone around them was moving and shouting but they seemed to have an unspoken conversation before Hurricane and Titan grabbed him and pulled him away.

“What the fuck are you thinking, Bein?”

Lotus punched him in the face hard, waking him from his rage-filled trance. His cheek throbbed as he pulled out of Titan’s grip. “Get the fuck off me.”

Titan still had a hold of his arm. “You good?”

“Yeah.” He shook off the hold and walked through the kitchen.

He needed fresh air, his lungs burning, his head swimming. He felt like he was losing control with everything spiralling. How had he gone from calm and rational to attacking his boss and the man who had done so much for him?

Sitting on the step of the back door overlooking the coastline he shoved his hands in his hair. It was like Ray Walsh all over again.

He felt a presence beside him and turned to find Snow sitting beside him, silently watching the horizon. “When I was small, I used to believe that monsters were real. My dad told me the real monsters were in our heads. That we were the ones who gave them control and allowed them to take up residence for free and rule.”