Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 93929 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93929 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 313(@300wpm)
“You mean murdering my brothers?”
“Call it what you want, but we need to be more careful.”
“Since when did you care about that? Here I was thinking all you wanted was their corpses. I thought you were willing to go to any lengths.”
“I’m concerned about you, Caroline.”
I can’t help but laugh. The idea is hilarious. “And yet you basically dragged me into your revenge murder scheme without a second thought, remember?”
“I shouldn’t have done that.”
“Too late now, asshole.” I lean forward, voice dropping. My finger stabs into the table. “I want to kill Dermot. I think Liam’s working on a plan.”
“I don’t care what Liam’s doing. You’re not going to be involved.”
“What? Are you kidding me?”
“I mean it, Caroline. You’re out of control.”
I’m tempted to throw my drink in his face. It’s infuriating. That smug fake concern drives me absolutely insane. “You weren’t worried when you were fucking me, remember?” I don’t even know why I throw that in his face. I’m frustrated and angry, partly because of this sudden twist, but also because I’ve been feeling abandoned for the past week.
He flinches but doesn’t look away. “You’re right. I wasn’t worried then. All I could think about was touching you more. That’s all I can still think about. That’s why we need to slow down.”
“Great, I’m glad you’re worried about getting more sex from me, but that’s not happening unless I’m getting something I want.”
That’s not fair and it’s definitely not nice. Finn’s hands lace together and I notice he’s gripping them tightly. He’s fighting to stay calm right now while I’m doing everything to bait him into anger. I throw back my wine and take a breath before I say something I’m really going to regret.
“I know you’re angry. I can’t even blame you. I promised I’d let you go after we finished off your brothers and your father, and I swear I’ll give that to you when this is all over. But right now, if you want to have any life after this is over, we need to be smart. It’s not about me and you, Caroline. It’s just about you.”
I make myself pause before I answer. My first thought is some cutting retort, but I’m being a bitch and I need to settle down. When I’ve taken a second, I lean in.
“I’m going to lose my nerve,” I say plaintively. “If we stop, all these ugly thoughts in my head are going to catch up, and I’m afraid of when that happens.”
“You have nothing to be ashamed of. They’re the abusers.”
“And now I’m a murderer. Look, I don’t want to get into a discussion of who’s worse. We’re all monsters here, right? I’m just saying that if we’re going to do this together, we need to keep going. I’m like a giant rolling boulder with all my momentum behind me, but the second I come grinding to a halt, I doubt I’ll ever get back up to speed.”
“I hear you,” he says, sliding sideways from the booth. “But that doesn’t change anything. I’ll be your push if that’s what you need when the time comes. For now, get some rest.”
“That’s all I’ve been doing. I’m tired of resting.” He starts to walk away. “When are you coming home, Finn? Where have you been sleeping?”
He doesn’t answer. I watch him go. Frustration rolls down my spine and I have to dig my fingernails into my thigh to keep from crying. Nothing is more pathetic than a girl sobbing alone at a booth in a dive bar.
Screw him. He can run around the city all he wants. I’m not slowing down and I’m sure as hell not stopping. If he doesn’t want to help, that’s fine by me.
I’ll take matters into my own hands.
26
CAROLINE
“Idon’t know how you idiots do this,” I grumble to myself. I hunch down lower in the driver’s seat of a plain black BMW I borrowed from my husband’s fleet of cars. He won’t notice it’s gone and he wouldn’t care either way. “Come on, Liam. Do something!”
I’ve been sitting outside that same dive from two days earlier for hours now, ever since it was light out. I know Liam’s inside because I saw him get dropped off from an Uber a little after sunset. Now it’s full-on night, getting close to one in the morning, and I’m exhausted. My back aches, my legs are itchy, and I peed on the sidewalk like a freaking animal when nobody was around after struggling to hold it like a crazy person.
This isn’t fun.
I thought following Liam would be easy. Stay far back so he doesn’t notice, creep around after him, and figure out what I need to know. Since my husband isn’t being helpful, I figure I’ll take care of it myself.
But this stinks. He’s just in there doing god knows what. Probably drinking and having a great time with easy access to a toilet while I’m in this stinky car feeling miserable.