Her blood bein’ spilled at my feet.
Buryin’ her and my babes on that hill.
I shook out of it, and a second before they turned, I pinned her against the wall. I turned the hood of my sweater up, shieldin’ our faces, then set my arms on each side of her like I was about to kiss her.
“Move toward the restaurant when it seems natural,” I whispered.
“I’ve seen those men before,” she barely breathed out, pullin’ at my sweater like she was pullin’ me closer. “The night I was at Oran’s for dinner. The night I met you. Do you know them?”
We took another step toward the door.
“They killed my parents and siblin’.”
She made a distressed noise, then tilted to the side some, holdin’ on to me even tighter. “I think they’re coming this way.”
I could see them through the reflection of the window. Spider and Web were glancin’ at each other, tryin’ to decide if they should make the trip across the street or not.
“Don’t even look at ’em. Keep your eyes on me.”
Her hands fisted into my sweater and she nodded, doin’ exactly like I told her to do. Slidin’ closer to the door, I opened it and set her inside.
“Call Keenan,” I said. “Tell ’im to put the pot on, we have company.”
“Cian,” she hissed at me. “Where are you going?”
I was already out the door, steppin’ directly into their line of sight. I lowered the hood and opened my arms.I’m the son of Conor and Mona. The boy you could never kill.
Spider and Web looked at each other, then crossed the street after me as I started movin’ away from the restaurant. I wasn’t runnin’, but my pace was clipped. I watched them through the reflection of the windows until I turned the corner.
I stopped.
A breath.
Two.
They stepped around and stopped.
Only a few paces stood between us.
“About time,” Spider said, spittin’ on the sidewalk.
“I’m going to enjoy this,” Web said. “More than I did killing your worthless parents.”
“While you’re drowning in a pool of your own blood, I’m going back for that beautiful little bitch. I’m going to make her cry and beg before she meets you at the grave.”
“You going to run this time, littleCillianO'Callaghan?”
I had imagined this scene many times. Watchin’ them strangle on their own blood while reachin’ out for a hand that would never hold theirs back. Keepin’ them barely alive and shackled to a bed. No food. No water. Nothin’ but their own filth to rot in.
Starin’ at their faces, all I wanted was for them to finally be dead, hell not even far enough between them and my family. Maeve had changed the course of my retribution, and it was all about keepin’ her safe.
I pulled the gun out of my pocket and pulled the trigger so fast, both of their faces registered shock before they fell to the ground. I sank my hand into each man’s hair before their last breaths and exposed their throats, slicin’ each one with somethin’ close to a ferocious joy.
After draggin’ their bodies close to a tree and proppin’ them up, I ran back to the restaurant. A crowd had formed inside. I couldn’t see my wife. Bodies moved out of my way as I forced my way through. I took a breath of air when I spotted her in the center of the crowd, an older woman’s hand on her shoulder.
Maeve’s eyes locked with mine, and I could see the woman had to hold onto her tighter. “Cian,” she almost cried.
“Are you her husband?” The woman’s wide eyes took me in as I grabbed Maeve, and she rested her head against my chest. She took my bloodied hands and stuffed them in my hoodie.
