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“Now. And once I am done with him, I will do the same to my father.”
I open my mouth but soon close it because I want that as much as Puck. But there can be no room for error. If we do this, then we do it without fail.
“Do you have a plan?”
Punky shakes his head slowly. “No plan. I’m just goin’ to find that fucker and blow his brains out.”
Punky is known for his temper, but I’ve never seen him this angry before, which is why I have to be the one who sees reason for us both. “You do that, and then what? We continue to fight for the rest of our lives? I am done running, and I know you are too.”
“Then what do ye propose we do? Just wait around for them to attack us? I’ve waited long enough. When ye were gone—” But he soon stops himself from continuing.
I never thought our reunion would be so fractured, and that’s what Sean wanted. He knows Punky and I are stronger together, everyone does, and that’s why they’ve tried to tear us apart.
“We kill them without a plan, a solid plan that is, then this will never end. There will always be another enemy who will want retribution. This feud will never end. I’m tired, Puck. I just want this over with.”
He runs a hand through his hair, exhaling heavily. “I do too. But the thought of Liam and Sean still breathin’…I can’t handle it. With them alive, yer always at risk. I won’t lose ye again. I can’t.”
He’s still standing, appearing not to want to touch me. We both need time.
“Maybe I should take away the prize they’re all fighting for then,” I state while Punky’s jaw clenches.
“Yer not goin’ anywhere.” He steps forward, his dominance almost suffocating me…and I like it. “I’m not lettin’ ya out of my sight.”
A wave of heat washes over me because I like the thought of Punky being close by.
“So what do we do?”
Those astute blue eyes examine me closely while I feel every part of me respond in ways that have my cheeks turning a bright shade of red.
“Let me think it over, but yer right, we need a plan. We’ve got an advantage now, somethin’ we’ve never had. Sean has no more collateral over me, and that…” He inhales sharply, needing a moment before he continues. “And that’s why I’m findin’ it so hard to restrain myself.
“People fade, piece by piece. I barely remember my ma anymore. I don’t know if the memories I have are real or if they’re my mind making up recollections I desperately want to be real. But regardless, I still need to avenge her.
“Simply killin’ Sean won’t be enough. I need him to suffer and be humiliated after everythin’ he’s done. But this isn’t just about my mum now. It’s about all of us. His greed has destroyed all our lives, and his time has come.”
“You’re talking like a man who has an ace up his sleeve.” I have no doubt Punky had a plan before I broke free. Things may have changed, but whatever Punky was planning, we can now carry it out together. “What can I do to help?”
A twitch touches his lips, and my stomach somersaults because seeing Punky smile is a sight that always steals my breath away.
“Ye can rest.”
Before I can protest, he leans forward and gently presses a kiss to my forehead. The moment we touch, memories come flooding back, almost winding me with the force. When a low hum escapes him, I know he feels it too.
He quickly pulls away while I nervously tuck a piece of hair behind my ear. “Okay, I’ll rest because I’m tired. But when I’m not, I want to know everything.”
And I mean everything. For us to move forward, I need to know the good and the bad.
He nods, reading between the lines. “I’ll call on ye later. Believe it or not, being here, at Fiona’s, it’s the safest place for ye at the moment. But ye can’t stay here much longer as I’m sure Sean will find out soon enough.”
I have no idea where Fiona is, and I doubt she would be so accommodating to house me here. I know we’re on a tight deadline.
Punky looks at me, absentmindedly toying with the hoop in his bottom lip. The simple action shouldn’t get me so hot, but it does. However, my attraction for Punky has never been the problem. It’s all the other stuff in between that has been the issue.
And that other stuff now includes a maybe son.
“All right. I’ll talk to you soon.” It’s all so formal, and I hate it. But I need to sort my head out and not act with my heart. And I think Punky feels the same way.
The pull between us leaves me breathless, and I almost throw caution to the wind—almost.
