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On instinct, I punch him straight in the jaw.
Brody’s head snaps back with a crack, and I rein in the urge to punch him again. “Don’t you dare speak so casually ’bout what ye did,” I warn, ensuring he knows my threat isn’t empty.
“Ya wanted the truth, so here it is,” he says, spitting out a mouthful of blood. “Connor would be fine with me fucking his wife, but if he knew I was workin’ with Sean, that would be unforgivable. Sean had that over me.
“But I agreed because I knew it would hurt Connor, and after he hurt my family for generations, I was more than happy to give him what he deserved.”
Clenching my fists, I take three calming breaths. I wanted the truth, and no matter how painful it is, I need to know it. “Why would ya trust Sean? He is a Kelly, after all.”
“Sean offered me a partnership, and I couldn’t say no. Once yer ma was gone, Sean took a step back. I think he was worried yer da would find out he was the one who organized it. But his greed could only lay dormant for so long.
“The rest, ya know how that goes. We worked together as we were stronger. We could put our differences aside as working with Sean was more profitable than him being dead.
“But then he got greedy.”
“Ya both did,” I amend, disgusted with them both. “I can’t believe the aul’ lad didn’t see it. How did he not know Sean was goin’ behind his back?”
“Sean is a very good liar,” Brody says. “He’s also a fucking psychopath.”
“So he is,” I agree. “I suppose I didn’t see it either.”
“No one did. People are just playthings to him. Once they stop being valuable, he disposes of them like nothing but rubbish. That’s what he was planning on doing to me.”
“Ack, dry yer eyes,” I spit, not interested in his sob story. “Ya made yer choice. Ya got in bed with the devil once ya agreed to kill my ma. Sean had that over ya. He’s always been ten steps ahead of us all.”
Brody’s nostrils flare because the truth hurts. “I don’t trust ya, bucko.”
With a chuckle, I reply, “Good, ya shouldn’t.”
I want to make that clear. Just because we’re forced to work together doesn’t mean he’s going to leave this with his life intact. Once I get what I want, he’ll go down too.
“If this is going to work, then we both need collateral on the other,” he wisely says. “So what happened with Sean won’t happen with you.”
“All right, sounds fair.”
Brody smirks, and I know what he’s about to say next will change the course of everything. “So, whose life do ya want to gamble with?”
Money, land, and possessions are all meaningless to us because this collateral has to be one worth fighting for.
It seems fairly obvious what choice I’ll make. “Mine.”
Brody’s eyebrows shoot up into his hairline, surprised by my choice. “Yers?”
“Aye, no life is more important than mine,” I reply firmly. This is true to some degree. But I’m not prepared to gamble with the lives of those I love.
“If I double-cross ya…and ya catch me,” I add with a smirk. “Then I won’t fight ya. A’ll go down without a fight.”
Brody doesn’t seem too happy with this bargain, but too bad. This is my final offer. However, I don’t plan on getting caught.
“I’m just meant to trust ya, is it?” he asks, incredulous. “Ye killed my son and my brother, and God knows who else. I need more.”
“There is no more, Brody. My life for yers. Seems fair as ya took the life of my ma. A life for a life.”
Brody weighs over my demands, realizing there is no room to negotiate. “If ya fuck me over, lad, y’ll pay.”
“Same can be said about ye.”
Brody cocks his head to the side, watching for any signs of deceit. He won’t see any.
