Does he really think I’m going to believe he’s willing to surrender? No one goes to the trouble of kidnapping a Sullivan heir without cause. He knew it would start a full-out war.
The question that still remains is why?
“Nice fucking try,” I spit.
Adrian’s voice is steady despite the chaos surrounding us. “One way or another, you’re going to pay for keeping my grandson from me all this time.”
And there’s the answer I didn’t want to consider.
I stagger backward a step as reality hits me.
He knows about Scout, about Nadia, about the lie I built brick by brick to keep my son safe.
Adrian’s lips pull up into a sneer, as if he can read the thoughts racing in my head.
“What did you just say?” I keep my voice low.
“Cormac,” Ronan warns from behind me, but I don’t listen.
Right now, my only focus is on Adrian.
“You heard me, Sullivan. I know Scout is my grandchild.”
I explode. “You kidnapped my child, and this is how you chose to tell me youknew?”
“Cormac!” Ronan yells, but I don’t hear him as I stalk forward.
Adrian seethes. “You stole him from me first. You had no right?—”
“You don’t get to talk about rights after what you did to him.” I press my gun to his chest.
His gaze flicks to a spot over my shoulder. “He’ll recover. Children are resilient.”
Something inside me fractures.
How could he possibly justify this? Then again, this is the man who killed his own daughter without batting an eye.
I guess I underestimated Adrian Smirnov. He’s more of a monster than I could have ever believed possible.
My voice shakes with rage. “He couldn’t speak. He is so traumatized he couldn’t even form words!”
For the first time, uncertainty flickers across Adrian’s face, but it doesn’t last.
“You don’t get to erase me from his life. My blood is in his veins.”
I shake my head slowly, doing everything I can to fight the urge to pull the trigger. A bullet in the chest is a mercy he doesn’t deserve.
“Any chance you had of being a part of his life is gone, and you only have yourself to blame.”
“You can think that all you want, but this fight isn’t over.”
I lean in close, my voice low and lethal. “It is, for you.”
I leave Adrian standing there, only because killing him tonight would cost more than it’s worth. I’m done giving any more of my time and energy to that son of a bitch. Right now, I just want to be with Scout.
The second I climb into the backseat of the SUV, Scout is in my arms.
He clings to me as the engine roars to life and Adrian’s estate disappears behind us.
