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“What is it ye’re wantin’, Ronan’?” I bite out as I look at McCallum.
He’s the da of Cormac, a guy I knew in school. I haven’t seen Cormie in a few months, but I know he works fer his da now, doin’ things I don’t want to know about because it ain’t good. Ronan McCallum is one of the few men I didn’t want ta see while in this compromisin’ position. I know he’s not goin’ta let it go. And that’s what worries me.
“It looks like ye’re needin’ some help,” he tells me as he moves closer.
There’s no hidin’ the dead man in the swings, and there’s no denyin’ his life ended by my hand.
“I don’t need help from the IRA,” I tell him, but even as I say it, I know it’s no use.
These feckers know everythin’ that goes on in the city and indeed the country. There’s no point in tryin’ to hide this—he’s already seen me. There’s no denyin’ what I’ve done, and I know Ronan will never let this go. He likes’ta have somethin’ta hold over people.
I should’ve done the killin’ in the house, but I didn’t want Ma to witness it. And I didn’t need her cleanin’ up my mess.
Ronan steps up to me and lands a hand on my shoulder. Now I know I’m in shite. “I’m here, Sully, and I’ll make sure this goes away.”
“What’s yer price?” I ask him as I glance over my shoulder.
“Ye’ll clear yer debt by helpin’ out when I need ye,” he tells me, and I almost sag in relief because he doesn’t immediately ask me to kill someone, but I know it will be a short-lived reprieve.
Fer a long moment, I wonder if it’s worth it. If I accept this deal, I know I’ll live my life worried fer when he’s goin’ta collect. But if I refuse, I don’t know how to get rid of this body. All my experience of cleanin’ is in the warehouse.
I’m in shite either way, so I look at Ronan McCallum and nod. “Aye,” I say after far too feckin’ long. “I’ll do whatever it is ye’re needin’.”
“Ye have ta remember though, Sully,” Ronan tells me as he looks at me. “After doin’ this fer ye today, I can call on ye any time, any day. There isn’t any expiry date.” And I realise I’ve just sold my soul to the devil. And there’s no goin’ back.
It was a long time ago, but I still would do the same again. There’s never been a time I regretted what I did. Ma’s boyfriend deserved to die, and I’m proud to say I was the one who did it. But the problem is, the past is comin’ back ta bite me in the arse, and I can’t have that. Not with Clover in my life now. I can’t put her in danger—that’s somethin’ I’ll never allow. If anythin’ happens ta her, I’ll never forgive myself.
FIVE
CLOVER
The Past
It’s been a long day, and all I want to do is get into a hot bath, relax with a book, and not do much else. But even though I’ve been working for most of the day, the moment I walk into the house, I have to ensure dinner is started and on the stove.
I always have to be available when he needs me. It doesn’t matter what I’ve been doing all day, it’s up to him to tell me what I’m feeling.
Rogan is the man of the house, and he likes to remind me that he prefers things said and done in a certain way. He hasn’t always been like this, but now, a year into our relationship, things have changed. He’s become a stranger to me, and even though I still love him, something dark has taken over him.
We met at a bar one night just after Dad died. I was seventeen at the time, and still hurting from losing my father. Rogan knew a few of the men from the Kovenant motorcycle club. He was charming, friendly, and he stole a kiss when the guys weren’t looking. I was enamored with him—his buzz cut, dark hair, the stubble that covered his angular jaw, and his deep chocolate eyes that shimmered with amusement when he looked down at me. All the things I found attractive drew me in quickly, and soon I was moving in with him.
It didn’t matter that he was much older. He treated me like an equal and made me feel as if my opinions mattered, so instead of moving slowly, I raced into love.
He hasn’t said the word to me yet, but I know he feels it just as deeply as I do in my heart because there are times I glimpse that emotion shining in his eyes. But then he goes out drinking with the guys from the club and comes home angry.
