“It’s him. It’s Declan.”
Brennan widens his stance as he keeps his gun pointed at the side of Stephen’s head.
I pull out my gun once more and take aim. “Put it on speaker.”
“Stephen?” Declan’s voice has the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. “What the hell’s going on? You were supposed to check in an hour ago.”
Stephen glances at me. “I’ve got her. I’ve got Ciara. I picked her up and managed to get away without anyone tailing us.”
Despite the two guns pointed at his head, Stephen’s voice is calm. It seems the years of military training are coming in useful.
“You sure?”
“I’m sure.”
“All right. Where are you?”
Stephen recites the address I gave him earlier, and Declan grunts.
“I’ll be there in an hour. And don’t forget to wipe your phone.”
The call cuts off, and Stephen slowly lowers the phone, his eyes locked on mine. “I held up my end, now you hold up yours.”
“You have my word. Your family will be taken care of.”
Stephen bows his head. He doesn’t beg for his life or for my forgiveness. He simply closes his eyes, and I take my opportunity to turn to Ciara.
“Look away.”
She frowns. “What?”
“I’m not saying it again.”
Her face falls as she realizes what I’m about to do. “Ronan, wait?—”
I raise the gun and shoot right in the center of the forehead, sending Stephen’s body crashing to the ground.
Ciara’s scream pierces my ears as I stalk toward the body and crouch beside it.
Stephen’s phone is still in his hand, and I pocket it and holster my gun.
“Brennan, help me.”
Ciara is sobbing now, but I can’t go to her just yet. I can’t let myself feel, not when Declan Walsh is on the move.
I can’t think about the fact that my pregnant wife just witnessed me murder the man I considered a friend. It might make me a coward, but I can’t bear to see the hatred and pain in her eyes when she looks at me.
Brennan appears beside me, and we haul Stephen over to the trunk of the SUV, both of us grunting and cursing at the weight.
I slam the trunk closed. “Get someone out here to deal with the wreckage. I don’t want Declan seeing it.”
Ciara has climbed into the passenger seat of the car and curled up into a ball, her face streaked with tears. Her silence is louder than anything I’ve ever heard, and she refuses to look at me.
Brennan looks around. “What now?”
“We go to the meeting point.”
Brennan frowns as he glances at Ciara. “I thought the whole point was to get her away from Declan.”
