“They shouldn’t be,” Young snapped, pressing the muzzle of the gun against Senan’s head, making him wince. “There’s someone more worthy. A true Killough.”
“Bullshite,” Tiernan sneered, his grip on his gun tightening until his knuckles turned white. “Fionn is Sloan’s blood and bone. Nothing realer than that, is it?”
“Don’t antagonize the man with the gun to me head, Teer,” Senan said, though there was a lulling amusement in his tone. Did the man never take anything seriously? “He might squeeze the trigger by accident and what am I without me brains?”
“Still the same person, aren’t ye? Ye don’t have any in the first place,” Tiernan replied, and Senan laughed, which was crazy considering he still had a damn gun pointed at his head.
“Who?” I asked, ignoring them. I stepped around Daire, waving away his hand as he reached for me. “Who do you think deserves to be boss? Tell me.”
Young balled his hand into a fist against Senan’s chest, holding him in place. His eyes blazed. “We all think he should be in charge.”
“Yeah?” I took another step forward. Cillian and Aspen started to head toward me, but I shook my head sharply at them. “Who?”
“Lorcan Lee.” Young grinned, obviously proud of himself. “He’s a Killough. Sloan Killough’s half brother.”
The tension in the room doubled, and the loyal soldiers gripped their guns tighter, Young’s words were dangerous in their ears. It was a big claim. I knew it was true; however, that wasn’t my secret to tell. I didn’t know how Lorcan Lee found out the truth, but I couldn’t focus on that now.
“And where is your great leader?” I asked, smirking. There was no hiding the Glock in my hip holster, but I had no plans to drag it out. Not yet. There were enough pointed weapons right now, and I needed to get Sloan’s cousin away from the danger first. “Left you to defend his honor? Shouldn’t he be here, too, or has he rallied his faithful troops so we can slaughter you while he hides?” I chuckled and glanced around at the men behind Young. “Look at you. You’re nothing but fodder. If you win, he wins and doesn’t become a crime statistic. If you lose, he denies having anything to do with this, and he stays exactly where he was. Is that what you want? A coward for a leader?”
“He wouldn’t abandon us.” Young’s jaw twitched.
I felt bad for him. He was deluded if he thought he was important to Lee.
“Where is he now?” I spread my arms and looked around the formal dining room. “Not here in this room with us. He wants power and expects you to give it to him, but he doesn’t care about you.”
Young hesitated and that was enough for Senan to throw his head back, bashing Young’s nose. Acrunchfilled the room. Young howled as Senan elbowed him in the stomach before seizing the gun. Senan twisted on his feet and pointed the gun at Young as he backed away, and all the other guilty soldiers faltered now that their hostage was loose and my words were starting to worm their way into their brains.
I grabbed my Glock and pulled it out, aiming at Young, and Fionn stepped to my side, his gun in his hand as well.
The tension thickened in the room and our men shifted closer to us, giving us silent support. Young groaned, holding his face in his hands as blood soaked his palms while it gushed from his nose.
“This is finished. Now,” Fionn said, voice strong and commanding. He sounded like a true leader. “What will it be? Quick and painless or shall we prolong your suffering?”
The men glanced around at each other, but Young snatched a gun from one of them and stomped forward regardless of the blood that poured from his nostrils. He came right at us, and I moved to protect Fionn. Young placed the muzzle of his gun against my forehead while I shoved mine to his chest.
“Is this how it’s going to end?” I stared at him seriously. “You shoot me, I shoot you. It doesn’t change the outcome, does it? Except the boss will get out of jail and he’ll torture every single one of your family members. He’ll make it hurt. Everyone who ever knew you will curse your name and yourstupidity.”
Blood oozed into his mouth and his tongue darted out to lick his top lip. His gaze flicked to Fionn, then back to me. I was sowing doubts.
“Do it,” I whispered, a crazy part of me wondering what death would be like. Sloan’s mom seemed to be having a good time.
Behind Young stood Dad again and his lip curled in disgust. “You’re weak.”
“Pull that trigger,” I murmured, wondering whether I was talking to me or Young. Maybe both. My arm began to shake as the continual ache took hold of it. I wouldn’t be able to hold my gun up for much longer. “Do you have the balls?”
“Doyou?” Dad snapped, storming up to stand right behind Young. “Doyou, Conall?”
This standoff between me and Young would end now, whether it was through bullets flying or him backing away.
“What is going on here?” Sloan’s voice filled the room.
I froze.
All at once, everyone spun around to look in the direction of the archway. I closed my eyes, too scared to do the same in case it was another hallucination. My heart couldn’t handle the pain if it was.
“Why do you have a gun pointed at my pet’s head, Young?” Footsteps echoed in my ears, and I opened my eyes again.
Young spluttered as he stared over my shoulder.
