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"Shh," I say, trying to calm her, but she's a wreck. My hatred for Malachy intensifies, and I wonder again how he could have done this to her. "Princess, we have to go. Do ya want me to carry ya, or can ya walk?"
She sniffles and straightens her shoulders. "I can walk."
"Okay, let's go." I put my arm around her waist.
She glances at the door to the room where she and Malachy were held and starts crying again.
I don't give her any more time. I pick her up and hold her head against my chest.
Wails fill the air.
I move her through the tunnel, only putting her down when we get to the ladder. "I need ya to climb up, sunshine."
She sniffles, and I kiss her forehead.
Brody climbs the ladder, opens the door, and calls out, "It's clear."
"We have to get out of here," I reiterate.
Maeve nods and climbs up the ladder. My brothers and I follow, and we quickly get to the SUV.
Maeve sits between Devin and me. Brody drives several blocks, and her sobs intensify.
I pull her onto my lap and hold her face to my chest, kissing her head while she cries. It hits me that there are so many things I need to say to her that I never have before. So many words are jumbled in my head, and I scold myself for not being able to express myself when she needs me the most. So I simply state, "I love ya more than anything."
She sniffles and slowly looks up.
"I do," I say adamantly, keeping my gaze locked on hers.
She sniffles again. And then her lips slowly curve into a small smile. She hugs me tighter and murmurs in my ear. "I love ya too."
It's the best thing I've ever heard. I hold her tighter.
Brody drives faster through Dublin, and within the first hour, Maeve falls asleep against my chest.
We cross the border into O'Connor territory, and Brody hits the button on the screen.
Alaina's face appears. "Are ya in the safe zone?"
"Aye."
"How far into it are ya?" she questions.
"We just crossed."
"Call me back in fifteen minutes and confirm your location," she orders.
"Aye, will do." Brody hangs up.
Devin asks, "Is she really going to do it?"
Brody gazes in the rearview mirror. The whites of his eyes are the only things I can see in the darkness. "Aye. Alaina doesn't make idle threats, and ya know that."
Aidan whistles. "Really wish I could see that one."
"There's enough burning in Belfast," I point out.
He turns and meets my eye. "Aye, but it's our shit. I prefer other people's shit to burn."
