Page 110 of Exile and Embrace

Something isn’t right with him. He’s too calm.

“Finnigan, I’m disappointed in you. You’re a spineless bastard. I’ve known that since you were young. This is an entirely new level. Instead of facing me yourself, you tried to hide your woman with the cartel.”

“I didn’t hide anything.” My entire body sizzles with the white-hot anger that flows through me. “She means nothing to me. Do what you want, I don’t care about her.”

Dad sighs. “I thought that you were smarter than that, Finnigan. I know how much that woman means to you. I’ve seen the pictures of you wrapped around her little finger. I taught you better than that, which is why I’m going to make you a deal.”

The world around me comes into sharp focus as time slows down.

Two things become clear in this instant.

Dad has taken Ava.

He’s going to kill her.

I spring into action, desperate to get to her before anything bad can happen.

Although, if my father really does have her, then bad things have happened, even if the worst is yet to come.

I have to play his game. I need him to confirm that he has her before I get on a plane. I need to know where he’s keeping her if he does have her.

“What kind of deal?” I haul on the clothing as fast as I can.

My stomach twists into a tight knot as the silence on the phone stretches.

I reach into the top of the closet and take down the box with my fake passport and a new unmarked gun.

I slip the gun into my waistband and tuck the passport into my back pocket.

If I have to fly out to Viriginia and deal with this in person, then that’s what I’m going to do.

Anything to keep Ava safe.

Dad hums to himself. “You want to live. You’ve never been one to give up and roll over. Which means that you’re willing to do what it takes to survive. And if that’s true, then you’re going to have no problem killing your little bitch.”

“Like fuck!” My blood boils as I yank on one boot and then the other.

“Now, Finnigan, that isn’t the answer I’m looking for.” Dad laughs, a deeper laugh joining him in the background.

Declan.

“You should’ve known that there would be consequences for trying to betray me. Killing your little love will set us back on track, and you need to be the one to do it.”

I exhale slowly. If I want to protect Ava, I need to play this smart. I’ve done everything I can to keep her out of this mess, but it seems like my father is going after her either way.

This is my fault. She never would’ve been put at risk if I hadn’t agreed to bring her to Oregon.

I should’ve picked someone else to play pretend with. Someone who didn’t make my heart race every time they stepped into the room.

Swallowing hard, I try to sound natural. “Well, unfortunately, Ava no longer lives in Oregon. And like I’ve already said several times before, there was nothing between us.”

“I’m already showing you great kindness in being willing to forget all that you’ve done, and yet you’re still trying to test me.” Dad’s tone is low and dangerous. “I am not a man to be tested, Finnigan. If you want to live, you’re going to kill Ava. Consider this practice.”

“If you fucking touch her, I will kill you.” I storm out of the room and head back into the living room.

Cillian looks up, his eyebrows furrowing.

“I swear to all that is fucking holy, I will kill you if you so much as look at her. Leave her out of this.”

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