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Maybe he has
Conor fakes a punch to Finn’s right, who overcompensates to protect his body and leaves his face open at the wrong fucking time. Conor is there, leveling Finn with two jabs, the first of which has his skin opening up above his eye. When Conor lands a cross, I swear Finn fucking spins around.
My brother doesn’t let up. He sways and I can almost see how much it costs him to shake it off instead of throwing in the towel. Finn’s movements become sloppier while Conor is light on his feet. The juxtaposition has the crowd going wild.
I almost miss the next combination Conor lands, his movements and my anxiety blending and blurring my vision. I don’t have to see it to know how it ends. My brother is laid out in the middle of the ring while blood oozes from his face. There are already bruises starting to bloom on his torso and I can’t help but wince.
He’s going to be feeling that tomorrow.
Conor is announced the winner, but it’s all sludge in my ears. I clap, of course, playing the role, but my mind is already going to the next part of the night. The part where the plan is put into action.
Declan murmurs words in my ear, but I hardly hear them. When I do catch some of them, I realize he’s just repeating the details that I need to share with Finn.
I grip my man’s hand over where it rests on my knee, his thumb sweeping back and forth over the expensive fabric draped there. I’m not entirely sure I deserve to be coated in luxury, but I’ve already learned that arguing with Declan about it is useless. I don’t want his money, which seems to spur him on to spend even more of it on me.
Who fucking knew?
I’m not sure how long I wait, but I know I’m supposed to. It would be odd for me to rush after a man no one else knows is my brother. I can’t seem too eager when it comes to Finn, or he might not jump on the information I’m going to feed him.
I put my trust in Declan. Do I have any other choice?
“You’re ready,mo rós beag,” Declan coos, his lips ghosting along the shell of my ear.
He slips me the piece of paper I wrote the warehouse address on earlier. It’s something I would do so I don’t fuck up the information and my brother shouldn’t think twice about it since I haven’t been the most excited undercover agent the fight for Irish independence has ever seen.
Far from it.
I kiss Declan, moaning into his mouth when he takes over and kisses me like he owns me. A lot about tonight is performance. But that kiss? Nope, that’s all us.
Our connection sizzles between us and gives me the boost I need.
I smile at my man before I stand up and start to glide toward the locker room area, which is also near the bathroom. I don’t even glance over my shoulder when I slide into the room where I know Finn is.
My brother looks up at me when I walk in, a sneer already curling his top lip while disgust fills his eyes. “Well, well, well. Look what the loyalist trash dragged in,” he taunts me, but it doesn’t hurt. Not anymore.
I glance over my shoulder like I expect Declan to walk in after me. It’s not far from the truth. I can practically feel how much he hates me being out of his sight.
“Look, I’m not here to argue with you Finn. I’m doing exactly what I’ve been asked to do,” I try to reason with my brother, which is probably stupid of me.
“Yeah, you look really bothered by your role here.” He waves his hand in my direction. “Look at you, all dressed up. A whore for Declan McCarthy.”
His words land as barbs in my heart, but I pull them out quickly before I can bleed too much. My brother hasn’t been my family for a long time. It hurts, but I have something better now. I’m not looking back and I’m not going to beg for affection anymore.
I square my shoulders and meet my brother’s eyes. “Do you want the information I have or not?”
He scowls at me, his voice detached, “What information?”
I move closer even though it’s the last thing I want to do. Up close, Finn looks even worse. I make sure the gloating bubble trying to worm its way through me can’t be seen. “This is it though. I’m done after I hand this over. Make sure everyone,” I give him a pointed look, “knows.”
Finn shrugs one shoulder. “Not up to me, but I’ll pass the message along. If it’s information we can use to end this, it’ll go a long way.”
I sigh and drop my voice, “I overheard Declan talking to someone on the phone, I think it was Niall. Something about a deal at one of his warehouses tomorrow night.” I pass the slip of paper over to him, my skin crawling with even the barest contact. “I wrote down the address and the time I heard him say.”
“I guess you are good for something when you open your legs.”
I flinch at his words, hating that they hurt, but he’s my brother.
Finn grabs his bag and then breezes past me. When he opens the door, I hear Declan’s voice calling Finn’s name. Even though I can’t see him, it’s enough to soothe me.
