AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Roberto Bartiste is a resourceful man. Cunning. And vengeful.
He’s doing everything in his power to keep us.
Keep me.
CHAPTER 14
RONAN
“You’re sure he’s coming?”
Finn is getting on my nerves, asking this exact goddamn question for the third time now. Second time since we arrived at our meeting location, midway between our cities—about three hours away from Queenscove.
I’m struggling to keep it together. I haven’t slept in two days, since Annika was taken away from me. Yet somehow it feels like it’s been longer. Much, much longer.
I never knew love could be like this. So ruthless and all-consuming. Giving you the very essence of your existence, only to feel like your soul is ripped away from your very being when they’re not around.
“How do you know we can trust him?”
“I swear to God, Finn, ask me one more time and I’m gonna put you into a grave myself.” I turn to him, my lips in a tight line, glaring as I flex my fists.
“Well, fuck you too! Like this whole thing is easy! What kind of cold bastard are you?! I can’t fucking breathe, Ronan! I can’t breathe knowing she’s out there. That these motherfuckers put their hands on her! Knowing I can’t get to her fast enough! I can’t risk it, not on some guy who’s supposed to be family, who I’ve only met a handful of times and don’t know if I can trust!”
I wipe a hand over my face, tightening it around my jaw like I can physically rub away the weight of it all. The weight of my brother’s pain… my own.
“So ex-fucking-cuse me for asking a million times! We can’t all be cool and collected like golden boy Ronan!”
“You’re crossing a line, Finnigan,” I seethe.
“Guys, this is not the time,” Madds tries to interrupt.
“Stay the fuck out of this!” I turn and shoot him a look that makes him raise his palms at me in defense, before backing away and joining the others by the car.
Then I spin back to my brother. “You think I’m cool and collected? You think I’m not in pain?” My tone lowers the angrier I get. “That I can close my eyes and suppress her helpless cries, ignore how they get louder with each echo inside my head? You think I can allow myself to breathe, knowing I’m the only thing that can get her and our baby out?!”
“W—what?”
Finn’s eyes bulge, and I’m confused for a second, before I realize what I said.
“Is Annika…”
“Fuck!” I grab onto the sides of my hair, pulling hard enough that the pain reminds me I need to chill the fuck out and stay rational.
Anger will fuel me, but I can’t allow it to turn reckless. I let out a long, strained breath before I turn back to him.
“Yeah, I think, I don’t know. Before it all went south on the phone, she said she thinks she’s pregnant. She obviously didn’t have tests to take on the island… It doesn’t matter. Even if there’s the smallest chance, I can’t ignore it.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
I don’t know… denial?
“I needed to stay focused. If it’s true, more than two lives depend on me. I can’t fuck this up. Thinking about it too much distracts me.”
Finn’s finally speechless. There’s something in his eyes that resembles pity, and I would erase that expression off his face with a punch if I didn’t see headlights approaching from the distance. Blood pressure rises in my veins at the prospect of what’s to come.
Three SUVs stop before us. Passenger doors open and a bunch of men with fierce, hard features, climb out. But it’s the one with the thick, short beard, disheveled black hair, and vivid green eyes who we’re interested in. Sloan Buchanan steps out and wastes no time as he walks straight to us.
He’s different from the last time I saw him. It’s been less than a year, yet he seems older, tougher, wiser somehow. Being both a young single father of a teenager and the head of a crime syndicate has taken a toll on him. Yet the man looks fitter than ever. Sharp. His strong shoulders pulled back, head held high, chest pumped, he walks like each step shakes the earth around him. But there’s a softness flickering in his eyes at the sight of us.
