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“I may have called in a favor with Ron Brady,” she confesses coyly. “Before you get angry with me, he was the one who jumped at the chance to help. He and fifteen of Connor’s friends want to do this. We’re going to need all the allies we can get.
“We’re speculating that doing this won’t be met with retaliation,” she explains quickly. “But what if we’re wrong? If we are met with gunfire, at least we have an army to help us fight. I know we have Cian and Rory, but I won’t allow that bastard, myfather, to win, even in death.”
Once, we were strong, and no one would dare challenge us. We had the loyalty of all, but now, we’re fumbling our way through the dark. I don’t know who is friend or foe, but what I do know is that if Babydoll trusts Ron Brady, then so do I.
“You’re mad,” she states, sighing in defeat. “I thought—”
I don’t allow her to finish.
I grip the back of her neck and draw us both together, brow to brow. “Thank you.”
She opens, but soon closes her mouth, obviously not expecting that reply. “I just want this done,” she whispers against my lips.
I almost go weak at the knees at the feel of her wet mouth pressed to mine.
There is an urgency to our kiss because so much will change once the night is through. I wish I could predict how tonight ends, but I can only hope we’re all alive come morning. But just in case, I need her to know that I love her. That I’ve always loved her, even when I wasn’t supposed to.
“I lo—”
But she presses her finger over my lips, silencing me. I don’t understand why.
“Not now,” she whispers against my lips. “Tell me when we’re not fighting for our lives so I know you wanted to say it, not because you were afraid you couldn’t.”
With a sigh, I nudge my nose with hers, moving from side to side. “I’ll see ya soon.”
A quiver leaves her as she nods.
There will never be a good time, so we reluctantly break apart. She gives me my gold invite before opening the door and closing it softly behind her.
It’s time.
She will text me once it’s safe as she said she has everything under control. Until then, I’m to wait quietly.
I text Rory and Cian the updates as we’re no longer alone. Thanks to Babydoll, we have allies on our side, willing to fight with us. The plans have veered off course, but this plan was never foolproof. I was always hoping a better option would come about.
And it has.
Tonight, Brody Doyle will take his last breath.
I check in with Hannah, who says that Ethan is asleep. I worry he’ll try to sweet-talk her into cutting him some slack because if she does, Ethan will be lost to us for good. He’ll do anything to find his next fix and will tell her anything she wants to hear.
She promises me she won’t fall for his lies, but I know how convincing a junkie can be.
Anger courses through me when I think of the reason my baby brother is hooked. Sean no doubt pushed the drugs onto Ethan so he could control him. An addict will do anything to score, and this is how Sean has been able to control Ethan for so long.
He’s a drug-dependent zombie who is lost and alone in this world. The only thing which gives him joy is getting high. He won’t give that up without a fight. I know that. So I need to replace that high with something else.
Love.
Ethan needs to know how sorry I am for leaving him all alone. I never meant to abandon him, and I’ll spend the rest of my life proving to him that he is loved. I can only hope he finds it in his heart to forgive me.
My phone lights up, and when I read the message from Babydoll, the devil within rattles at the bars on his cage.
Let’s do this. Meet me by the ice sculpture.
With a deep breath, I take one last look at my reflection in the mirror and nod. This is the first time in a long time I’ve seen a man I recognize. There is passion and fire behind my eyes because this is the first step to taking back my life.
I send Rory and Cian a text, letting them know it’s showtime.
