Into Temptation (Deliver Us from Evil Trilogy Book Two) Page 22

  “Not after word spreads about what you did. We just need to make sure Sean doesn’t get to them first. With enough people on our side, we can still beat him. We can still stick to the original plan.”

  “Everythin’ has changed now. With Ethan and Eva gone, it doesn’t matter how many men and women we have on our side, Sean will always have the upper hand.

  “He will undo all the progress we made with Ethan and just get him hooked on that shite again. If that happens, then he’ll be lost to us for good.”

  I’m not trying to be negative, merely realistic because no matter how big an army we have, Sean will always have an advantage point. Until I can find his collateral, then we’ll always be playing with a losing hand.

  “I know, but it can’t hurt to see who’s on our side, right?” she says, half pleading. “We can’t just sit around doing nothing.”

  She needs to do something because something is better than nothing. And then, I’m suddenly struck with an idea. Probably the most foolish one I’ve ever had.

  I think I’ve found Sean’s collateral.

  “Yes, yer right.” I remember the conversation I had with Logan Doherty the night I introduced myself to Brody’s men.

  He was supposed to run the list I asked for over to me days ago. It slipped my mind, seeing as I had other shite to deal with.

  Babydoll recognizes the look on my face and smiles.

  Reaching for my phone off the wooden rail, I quickly dial Logan’s number.

  “Hello?” he answers, unsure who the caller is.

  “What’s the craic, Logan?”

  “Puck?” His voice raises an octave.

  “Aye, it’s me. I’m awful sorry if y’ve tried to reach me. I’ve been busy.”

  “Yes, I heard,” he says, hinting the news has spread. “I have the list. Do ya want me to run it over to ye?”

  “No, I want ya to organize a meetin’ with those names on that list.”

  “All of them?” he questions, his concern clear.

  “Aye. Will that be a problem?”

  “Naw, no problem. It might take me some time.”

  “How about tomorrow?”

  Logan exhales, realizing this isn’t optional. “All right. I’ll see ya tomorrow.”

  “Grand. Ya remember where yer loyalties used to lay?” I don’t wait for him to reply. “The meetin’ will be held there.”

  I hang up, hoping this works. This might be the smartest or the rashest idea I’ve ever had. We will see how loyal these men truly are. They made their choice when they sided with the Doyles. But a second chance is coming for them.

  Babydoll looks at me, waiting for me to explain.

  “Logan Doherty used to work for us, but he got lost along the way. He’s got one chance to make amends for his error. He’s organizing a meetin’ at Connor’s old factory.”

  “The same factory Sean is at?” she asks, putting two and two together.

  “I don’t know if he’s there. But he wanted Ronan to overhear him for a reason. We’re safer going there with numbers behind us. Well, I hope so. We’ll find out soon enough.”

  “What if they all turn? What if Sean got to them first?”

  “I can only hope their loyalty to Connor will lead them in the right direction. If not, we’ll come prepared.”

  “Prepared for what?”

  “For war,” I reply firmly. “I’m countin’ on Sean being there. No more waitin’. We bring him, then we bring all of them to us. I’m certain one of those arseholes will tell Sean what I’m plannin’, and he won’t miss an opportunity like that.”

  Babydoll inhales deeply, understanding the seriousness of what I have planned. “So you want the men we do trust, like Ron, to wait hidden, and we ambush Sean?”

  I shrug because I’m going into this blind. “Maybe. I don’t know. It didn’t work for me ten years ago, but I’m done waitin’ for him to show himself. We entice him and offer him somethin’ he can’t refuse.”

  “And what’s that?” she asks, her slender throat dipping as she swallows deeply. She knows what, but she needs me to say it.

  “Me.”

  I needed to find Sean’s collateral, and I have.

  I offer myself to Sean if all else fails in exchange for Ethan and Eva. I don’t want it to come to that, but I’ll be prepared if it does.

  Sean needs me alive to help him gain face. He can’t do it alone. Ten years of fighting for dominance proves this. If we play happy families, then the men who were once loyal will return to serving the Kelly name. And the men loyal to the Doyles? They can have them.

  I want no part in Ireland.

  It troubles me that Liam hasn’t struck yet. I thought he’d have attacked last night, but this proves he doesn’t have the numbers on his side. These men don’t want a part in a personal war. They don’t care that our families have been feuding for years.

  They just want to do their job, get paid, and not get caught.

  I have a feeling Sean won’t settle for just part governance. He’ll want it all. But we will tackle this one step at a time.

  Babydoll lowers her gaze, chewing on her bottom lip.

  “Hey.” I lift her chin with my finger. “This is the worst-case scenario. We don’t know that he’ll be there.”

  “We both know that he will be,” she says, reading between the lines. “This is you challenging him again. But this time, he’ll show.”

  “If that happens, then we’ll be ready for him.”

  Every step we’ve taken has led to this. No more guessing who’s on our side because tomorrow, everyone’s true colors will show. It was an impossible task to determine who would be loyal because loyalties shift with power.

  But this will force them to choose.

  “What if it’s not only Sean you’re fighting?”

  I stroke the apple of her cheek with my thumb. “I expect Liam will be there too. Three men fightin’ for power. Only one man can win.”

  What I’m proposing will be an all-out brawl. There will be many casualties, but this is needed to start over. We can’t live in the past, only the future. The men who survive will be loyal because there will only be one leader standing come tomorrow nightfall.

  “Don’tcha be worryin’ ’bout me. I’ll be all right,” I assure her, but she’s not convinced.

  “I’m coming,” she says with conviction, just how I knew she would.

  “We can talk about it later,” I reply, pressing my mouth over hers to stop the argument we’re bound to have over this.

  She melts into me, whimpering as I kiss her softly. I love how receptive she is to my touch. Most recoil when I’m near, but not Cami. She always wants more.

  Standing on her toes, she wraps her arms around my neck, deepening the angle. Even though the world is falling to bits around us, at least we’ve got this. I don’t know how I lived without her for so long. But I suppose I was half living.

  “I love you,” she says against my lips, running her tongue across the piercing in my bottom lip.

  I’ll never tire of her saying it. “Say it again.”

  “I love you. I love you. I love you.”

  With a growl, I steal her breath and kiss the ever-living fuck out of her. I am insatiable when it comes to her. But as much as I’d like nothing more than to lose myself in her for hours, I can’t. For that to be our future, though, I need to get ready.

  “Not yet,” she whispers, sensing my retreat.

  I can’t say no to her.

  Lifting her up, she wraps her legs around me, kissing me frantically. I slam her back to the wall, pinning her with my body as I devour her whole. She tugs at my hair, moaning when we break apart, only for me to kiss down her neck.

  Sliding my hand up her thigh, I touch over her underwear, hissing when I feel she’s already wet. I can’t leave her wanting, so I sink two fingers inside her. Her body shudders, a tiny whimper escaping her as she rocks her hips.

  I’m not gentle, but she doesn’t want me to be as sh
e places her hand over mine, encouraging me to go faster, harder. I give her what she wants, stretching her wide and savoring the feel of her coming apart in my hand.

  She pumps against me, eyes locked because the connection isn’t just physical; it’s emotional as well.

  A single look can express so much, and the desperation in Babydoll’s gaze reveals she’s frightened. We’re diving into the unknown with a lot of what-ifs. The odds aren’t in our favor. But they never have been.

  “Promise you won’t leave me?”

  “I’ll try my best,” I reply, not wanting to lie to her because if I have the choice to save Ethan, Eva, and her, I’ll take it.

  “I don’t want to do this without you.”

  I know this means living because I feel the same way.

  “I’ll always be with ya. Death isn’t the end. Our bodies may perish, but the memories will last forever. No matter what happens, remember that. Remember that you gave me a reason worth living for.”

  She nods, holding back her tears because that’s the best I can offer her right now.

  “I love you, Camilla. I always have. And I always will.”

  Using her name, which is a rarity, has the desired effect because she comes with a sated groan when I circle her swollen clit. I slam my mouth over hers, wishing to share in her orgasm because it’s the purest of things.

  Watching her be vulnerable and free is a turn-on within itself. We are finally whole. Together. And I’ll do everything in my power to ensure we stay that way.

  Once the last tremor rocks her body, I remove my fingers from her, only to slip them into my mouth. Her eyes widen, and her cheeks redden further. But she’s too delicious to waste.

  She lowers her feet to the ground, bashfully brushing her wild hair from her face. I love that after everything we’ve done, she’s still so timid.

  “Are you hungry? I can make some breakfast. Hannah needs to eat as well.”

  Nodding, I kiss her forehead. “Thank you. I’ll be there in a minute. I need to make some calls.”

  She smiles, but it’s strained.

  Once she’s gone, I reach for my phone and dial Cian.

  “I know yer angry with me for what I did to Rory, but I need yer help.”

  He sighs, hinting he’s listening.

  I tell him my plan and that although it’ll probably end in a lot of bloodshed, it’s the only way we can end this once and for all. Hearing it aloud confirms this is possibly the worst idea I’ve ever had. This is an open invitation to all my enemies.

  But I’m ready.

  “Well, what d’you think?”

  “I think yer goin’ to need a fucking arsenal to pull this off. And double the number of men to help.”

  “Aye, yer right. I was thinkin’ of payin’ a visit to Ron. Surely he knows where I can get what I need.”

  Cian is quiet, clearly processing what I’m proposing.

  “Ya do realize Liam and Sean won’t pass this opportunity by. It’s open season on ye if ya do this.”

  “I know that, but I’m done waitin’. I’m hopin’ Sean’s arrogance will have him slippin’ up somehow. He has collateral over me, and this is the only thing I have on him.”

  Cian doesn’t need me to draw him a diagram. He understands. “Yer goin’ to offer yerself to him, are ya not? In exchange for Ethan and Eva.”

  “I hope it doesn’t come to that. But I won’t be blackmailed again. That’s why he took them. That’s what he wants. He either wants me to surrender or work with him ’cause he can’t do this on his own. I’ll do what I have to, and I hope y’ll be by my side when I do.”

  “Course I will,” Cian says with gusto. “We’re in this together. But don’t be actin’ the martyr. We fight first. Promise me that.”

  “I promise ya,” I reply, and I mean it.

  The last thing I intend to do is surrender. I will fight until the very end. But if defeated, I’ll have one final ace up my sleeve. A proposition Sean won’t be able to refuse. I just need to uncover what his motives are. And I can only do that with a face-to-face meeting.

  “All right then. Pick me up, and we’ll go see Ron. What about Rory?”

  And that is one problem I don’t think I’ll ever solve.

  “I think I’m the last person he wants to see right now. It’s better if he keeps his distance.”

  “I hate this. I wish things were different.”

  “Me too, but I hope to make things right. I’ve fucked up a lot in my life, Cian, but Cami isn’t a mistake. If I could do this all over again, I would always choose her.”

  I need him to know that this isn’t some phase that will pass.

  “Aye, I know that. Love is a tricky thing.”

  Things were a lot simpler when our fathers were in control. The older I get, the clearer that becomes. I was so hard on Connor, but looking back on what he did, on what he achieved, I realize I’m only half the man that he was.

  But tomorrow changes that. History is about to be made.

  “This is a suicide mission,” Ron says, blowing out a puff of smoke. “Sean will be there, ready and waitin’ for ye. As will Liam Brody.”

  “I’m countin’ on it,” I reply with a grin.

  We’re in the alleyway behind Ron’s butcher store, talking business in hushed voices because everyone is the enemy until we can prove otherwise.

  This is risky, and if Ron decides to opt out, I’ll understand. I really hope he doesn’t, though, because he is the link to the past that I need. He proved his loyalty last night. He can be trusted. So can the men he vouches for.

  “Y’ve my support, Puck. And the men who served Connor. We want change, and we want yer uncle gone. He’s done nothin’ to help us. Our loyalties will always lie with you.”

  Inhaling, I can’t hide my relief at hearing those words. “Thank you, Ron. I’ll not forget it. D’you think ya can get the word out about tomorrow? We need men who are willing to fight for what’s right. Men we can trust.”

  “Aye, leave it to me. I suppose ya need guns? And other weapons?”

  I nod. “I hate to ask this of ya—”

  “Don’t be concernin’ yerself with that,” he interrupts. “Just bring back the Belfast we all know and miss.”

  “I promise ya, I’ll do my best.”

  All of this is possible because of Cami. If she didn’t keep in touch with good men like Ron, we wouldn’t be able to pull this off.

  I won’t fail them.

  “I’ll make a few calls and let ya know who’s with us. I think it’ll be a good idea to have men surroundin’ the factory on the lookout.”

  “Yes, definitely. But I need to find out about Ethan and Eva before we use violence.”

  Ron nods, but I know he can’t guarantee that’ll happen.

  The truth is, we are going into this blind, where every possible scenario is probable. We need to be prepared for all circumstances and not be blindsided.

  “I think a lot of Brody’s men are goin’ to retaliate. Liam will lead that pack. Sean will have his. And you will have yer army behind ye. It’ll be who shoots first in the end. Are ya sure this is what ya want to do?”

  “I’m not sure of anythin’,” I reply honestly. “But what I am sure of is that I won’t cower in fear. Connor taught me better than that. I will do this to honor him and everything he worked so hard to protect.”

  “Happy days!” Ron says, tossing his feg onto the ground. “I will get everythin’ sorted and phone ya.”

  We bid him farewell and cautiously make our way to the truck. We can’t be too careful because no doubt, Sean and Liam have their allies watching us.

  Cian’s phone rings, and when I see his reaction to who’s calling, I guess it’s Amber. I haven’t seen her since the engagement party, but I suppose like Rory, she’d have preferred I stayed where I was. Since returning, all I’ve done is drag Cian into my mess.

  Even though it’s his choice, I can understand why she’s not my biggest fan.

  “I ca
n’t tomorrow night,” he says to her. “Why? Er, ’cause I’m busy doin’ some things.”

  Cian is the world’s worst liar, which isn’t a bad thing. I just feel terrible that he’s in this position because of me.

  I can hear her yelling at him through the phone before he yanks it away from his ear to see she’s hung up on him.

  “Fuck,” he curses under his breath before putting his mobile away.

  “I’m sorry, mate. If Amber is goin’ to be ragin’, then don’t worry about tomorrow.”

  “She’ll be fine once everythin’ sorts itself out.”

  “And until then?”

  Cian sighs and slouches back in the seat. “Remember when life was easy?”

  Laughing, I signal to change lanes. “When was that exactly?”

  “Sure, this is it.”

  “We’ve always been fightin’ for our lives in one way or another. But now, there’s no one to blame but ourselves.”

  Cian nods, mulling over my statement. “Will ya speak with Rory before tomorrow?”

  I know why he’s asking this.

  If tomorrow turns to shite and we lose, then he wants to make sure I enter the afterlife with a clean conscience. And for Rory’s sake as well.

  “I’ll try,” I reply. “But I don’t think he’ll want to speak to me. Sometimes, I think youse would have been better off if I’d died alongside Connor.”

  “Don’tcha be sayin’ that shite,” he rebukes, shaking his head.

  “It’s true. I’m not sayin’ it ’cause I want sympathy. But so many people have been hurt because of me.”

  “Yer worried about tomorrow, are ya not?”

  “Aye,” I confess. “Not for me, but for everyone else stickin’ their neck out for me. Cami wants to come, and I know I can’t stop her. But the thought of her being there makes me sick to my stomach.”

  “Maybe ya can,” Cian says with caution as I turn to look at him.

  “How so?”

  “Everyone who is connected to us is in potential danger. They’ll be safer together. Cami, Rory, Hannah, Amber, Darcy, fuck, even Fiona, they’re all at risk of ending up where Ethan and Eva are. But together, they have a chance. Someone has to defend the kingdom we’re fighting so hard to protect.