Da raises a brow. “What happened?”
“Rowan’s sister. She hit her panic button. She was supposed to be with Taryn. Might be connected.”
Da doesn’t hesitate. “Let’s go.”
We’re only five minutes away, and I explain quickly that the signal came from the east side of campus as we pile into one of the black SUVs parked outside. Darragh slides behind the wheel and I don’t argue. As the car tears out of the driveway, I lean between the seats and reach for the lockbox I know one of my father’s men keeps stashed under the console.
“Give me the SIG.”
There’s a beat of hesitation—enough to piss me off—before Da’s voice cuts in beside me.
“Liam,” he says tightly, “you’ll want to take in the scene before you do anything stupid. You get caught on campus with a firearm and you’ll be expelled before your last semester’s even over.”
I whip my head toward him. “This isn’t about school.”
His eyes narrow, like he’s trying to read how far gone I am. I don’t give him the chance.
“It’s my wife.” My voice is low and hard. “If something happens to her—if I’m too late—I will burn that entire fucking school to the ground. What would you do if it were Mom?”
He doesn’t answer right away.
My hands are fists at my sides. My whole body’s coiled tight, buzzing, like I could tear the car apart with my bare hands if it got me there faster. I’m not thinking about grades or headlines or fallout. I’m thinking about Taryn. And how I told her I’d always find her. Protect her.
Da exhales sharply through his nose.
Then he turns toward the front seat. “You heard my son,” he snaps. “Hand him the feckin’ gun.”
Darragh unlocks the case with his free hand, pulls out the SIG, and presses it into my hand without a word. I check the chamber—loaded, clean, ready. Good.
I settle back in my seat, grip tight, pulse pounding. We’re still two minutes out.
“Drive faster,” I growl.
TARYN
I stop just shy of the east gate. My fingers hover over my phone. I want to check out my surroundings before I text Liam. Or Gráinne. I haven’t decided who to reach out to yet. I’m still on campus. There are plenty of people around.
“Hey, there you are.” Timmy’s voice cuts through the quiet. I turn to see him jogging up casually like we’re old friends meeting for coffee.
I try to smile. “Got your message. Just seemed sudden.”
“Yeah, things are moving fast,” he says, stuffing his hands in his coat pockets. “We got word of increased chatter. Rowan wants you somewhere safer for a few days.”
Before I can respond, a new voice enters the conversation.
“What’s going on, Timmy?” Gráinne’s tone is deceptively light, but her eyes flick between us with sharp precision. She walks toward us slowly, deliberately, like she’s trying not to spook a wild animal.
Timmy doesn’t flinch. “Nothing serious, miss. Just a precaution. I’m taking Taryn off campus.”
Gráinne tilts her head, smile fixed. “Rowan must have forgotten to mention that. Seems like campus would be a much safer place.”
Timmy’s jaw tics, but he covers quickly. “I’m only following orders. They must have discovered a new threat.”
She stops beside me. I watch the muscles in her shoulders tense—just enough to make the hair on the back of my neck stand up. She doesn’t believe him.
“Yes, it’s hard to tell where new threats will come from.” She puts her arm around me and angles my body away from Tim. “Come on, Taryn,” she says softly. “Let’s call Liam first, make sure he’s in the loop before you head off anywhere.” Her eyes implore me to begin walking away.
I take a step forward.
