Page 68 of Lucky Like Love


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“Did she hand it to you, or text you that she got it?” Seamus laughed. “You know how easy it was for me to change the contact information for my phone number to read Jenna’s name?”

Clare’s heart flailed at the trickeryand the fact that when she thought she’d texted Jenna, she was actually texting Seamus. Had she said anything important or private?

“Make me a new gown for premiere night,” Seamus said in a falsetto voice, repeating her request to Jenna. “I’ve got you now. You are the linchpin, Miss Clare Hart. You are the piece we need to set everything in motion.”

He yanked her hard, and she stumbledthrough the iron gate. It shut on its own, and the lock clicked in place automatically.

Clare made herself trip and fall near the bottom grate of the gate. “Ow, ow, ow, my ankle hurts.”

“Get up.”

“I can’t. Let me untie my boot and loosen it.”

“Fine, but no tricks.”

“I can’t see with the bag over my head.” She twisted her shoulders and wrestled with her boot toretrieve the gate key she’d tucked into her sock.

The dungeon underneath the fairy mounds was bone-chilling cold, and she wasn’t sure how long Griffin could last. Hopefully, rescuers could find the key. She’d make sure to call for help if she got the chance.

“Keep moving,” Seamus said gruffly. “We don’t have all night.”

He yanked her arm so hard she dropped the key. She hadno way of knowing where the key landed, so she kicked randomly at the pebbles on the path toward the gate.

“You’ve had enough time.” Seamus dragged her from the gate. “We have to hurry.”

“Why? What am I supposed to do?”

“Dress up and look pretty.”

She could feel him sneering, so she tripped on purpose and rammed into him. “My ankle hurts. I can’t walk any farther.”

“I’d leave you if I could.” He lifted the sack from her head and twisted the chain off her neck. “Ah, the Heart of Brigid. He was a fool to put it around your neck.”

“Give it back,” Clare cried. “You can’t take it. Griffin trusted me to help him. The Heart of Brigid belongs to his family.”

“Stop your sniveling. I can’t believe you’re still sticking up for him,” Seamus said.“I and my family are much better guardians than the Gallaghers. They’re incompetent and should never be entrusted with one of Ireland’s four hallows. Tonight, with your help, I will finish this first phase and rid Ireland of all foreign influences.”

“Why me? Why do you need me?” Icy fingers crawled down Clare’s spine as she realized Seamus or his henchmen might have stolen the Green Notebookfrom her and were ready to carry out the plan.

She’d been so thrilled at touring the city with Griffin and watching him look at landmarks with newborn eyes that she hadn’t been aware of her surroundings.

Could Seamus have been skulking around?

Had he been at the Kilmainham Gaol or the Crooked Style Pub?

“I knew you were the one when I found your DNA profile online,”Seamus said. “You’re a direct descendant of Richard ‘Strongbow’ de Clare, and the daughter of a prominent gangster.”

“Guh-gangster?”

“He’s a criminal art collector who buys and sells the treasures of Ireland,” Seamus said with a growl. “A real redheaded bastard. Killed members of the guardian families and ruined many young women.”

“Did he get them pregnant and leave them destitute?”Clare’s heart thumped at the big reveal. “Do you know who my mother is?”

“Not unless she joined the DNA website,” Seamus said. “She’s likely related to the Hart family you visited in the United States. Did they know her?”

“They didn’t know anyone in Ireland,” Clare said. “I’m guessing my mother gave me her surname. What’s my father’s family name?”

“O’Munster,” Seamus said.“Let’s move faster. The full moon crests tonight, conjoined with the spring equinox, making it the perfect time to extract our revenge.”