Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 98000 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98000 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 490(@200wpm)___ 392(@250wpm)___ 327(@300wpm)
It makes more sense to end this between me and Sloan. Maybe if he has me, then he won’t need to hurt anyone else.
I pick up my laptop and shove my phone into my pocket. One peek into the living room tells me they aren’t there. I’m not sure where they went, but that just makes this easier on me.
I sneak Tiernan’s car keys out of the bowl by the door and slip out.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Tiernan
My gaze shoots to my father when his cell phone rings. He answers it, but he’s too far for me to hear who it is. “This is a pleasant surprise. Let him in.” There’s a pause, and then he adds, “He can keep it.”
Dad sets his phone down again. “Your boyfriend is here. I thought I would need to make a call to get him here like I did you. I see he’s a computer science major. He must know his shit.”
“Don’t,” rushes out of my mouth, and I hate myself for how the word trembles, the fear in it, but still, I keep going. “I’ll do whatever you want. Just don’t hurt him.”
“We both know that’s not going to happen. He was supposed to die with his father. They all were.”
“He was a fucking kid!”
“So? That’s what happens when you betray me, and Liam betrayed me. That’s why you’ll never be as good at this as me. You’re too soft.” My father pulls his gun out of his jacket, walks over, and holds it against my head. “For security,” he says, clear enjoyment in his voice.
I get the job done, I’ll always do what needs to be done, but I don’t live for this part of it the way he does.
“Let’s see if he really cares about you as much as you think.”
The door opens, and Dean walks in, holding my second gun out in front of him. Oscar, of course, took mine when I arrived. I swear my heart fucking swells seeing him again, but I also want him gone, know that being here means he’ll be hurt, and I’ll do anything to keep that from happening.
“Dean! Go. Don’t fucking listen to him. No matter what he says, he’s going to kill you,” I rush out just before the butt of the gun hits me in the side of my head. Everything goes blurry, my ears ringing as I struggle to keep my focus and not pass out.
“Don’t fucking touch him!” Dean shouts, and somehow, through it all, I notice he’s wearing one of my shirts. I left the house in his hoodie, and he’s wearing one of my button-ups.
I’m sorry I failed you. I should have kept you safe.
“Temper, temper,” my father mocks. “You’re supposed to be dead.”
“But I’m not because you didn’t have it in you to get the job done.” Dean keeps walking forward, and I wish he’d shut up. “My mom was better than you. My father too.”
“Don’t,” I grit out, struggling to speak. Control, Dean. Keep yourself under control.
“How would you know? About Liam, at least. I put a bullet between his eyes before you could even get to know him.” He’s provoking Dean on purpose.
“Shut the fuck up about him!” Dean moves forward quicker, his gun shaking.
Blood runs down my brow, narrowly missing my eye. I try to shake the hair out of my face, but it falls right back, Dean visibly wincing from where he stands.
“Let’s cut to the chase. You have a gun on me, I have one on my son. I really don’t want Tiernan to die. He could be useful, but I won’t hesitate to kill him if I have to. We both know what I really want is you, and sure, I could have taken you myself, but this was more fun. Now, you can set that gun down, and I can kill you quickly the same way I did your father, or you can fight back. Maybe you’ll get the shot off before me, but that doesn’t mean my finger won’t slip and pull the trigger. You’re taking a huge risk with Tiernan if you don’t follow the rules. Liam was shit at it. I would have probably killed him eventually, even if he didn’t want out.”
“Stop saying his name!” Dean yells.
My father is trying to rattle him, and it’s working. Dean’s gaze shoots to me, his broken heart in his eyes.
“Don’t listen to him, baby. Don’t believe him. He’s not going to kill me. Do it. Do what you came here for. This is why you’re here.” The truth is, my father might kill me, but that could be Dean’s only way out of this. He kills me, and Dean kills him.
“Listen to him, making that sacrifice for you. Would you do the same for him? Or was this all a game to you? You’ve made Tiernan believe you really love him, but I’m not so easily swayed.” He takes a calculated breath. “Your father…he was more like me than you’ll ever know. He loved hurting people. It’s why I always sent him. He was ruthless. Liked knives. Said he could be more up close and personal that way. He only left because of your mom. The stupid bastard really did love her. What about you? Do you love my son?”