Page 26 of Monsters in the Dark

“Oh, for fuck’s sakes,” he complained. “Just what we fucking need.”

When I glanced back at the computer screen, Taylor was finally taking her something to eat, and I felt like a pussy when I thought about how hungry she must be. Honestly, I couldn’t even be mad at Noah for his irritation with me, because his plan was perfect for getting rid of Cooper Donaldson. I was the one that was making shit complicated by acknowledging that I had feelings for her beyond simple revenge for Ren and Jacob.

Looking back at Noah, I asked, “How long is Donaldson expected to be in town?”

Noah’s eyes narrowed a bit. “He’s booked at the Glossmier for two weeks.”

“I’ll talk to her,” I finally said, the words like acid on my tongue, but also seeing Noah’s point.

Chapter 16

Keavy~

As soon as the guard got close enough with the tray, I yanked my hands from the loosened rope, then fisted my hands together, bringing them upwards between his legs, and the tray went crashing to the floor as he howled in pain, his body dropping like I’d been hoping.

Standing up, I dropped all my weight onto his withering frame, and when I heard him howl some more, I knew that I’d done some damage with the metal chair. For good measure, I stood up, then fell on him a second time, needing him incapacitated long enough for me to untie my legs from the chair.

Working at the speed of light, I freed myself from the chair, then knelt down to push his large body over, and the second that I did, I saw the gun tucked in his waistband, thanking God for the Mob’s predictability. Yanking it out of his pants, I raced towards the cage door, but he was able to grab my ankle, pulling me down with enough force to make my shoulder rattle against the stone floor.

Kicking with all my might, I landed a direct hit in the middle of his head, then ignoring the crunching sounds of his face caving in, I scrambled to my feet again, then raced out of the O’Brien’s makeshift prison. With the gun held close to my chest like Cian had taught me, I ran up the stairs, then pushed open the door, ready for whatever awaited me.

Turning the first corner to my left, I found myself inside a kitchen, and looking around, the place looked like a simple home, but I knew that it wasn’t. With not having any idea of where I was going, I ran through the kitchen, but as I turned right, then ran through the small hallway, I came out the other end to Declan, Noah, and two other men stopping in their tracks once they saw me.

The goddamn cameras.

I raised the gun, knowing better than to point it at anyone other than Declan O’Brien himself. The guards-if they were just guards-were disposable, and though Noah Murphy was an important player in the organization, it was Declan’s life that mattered the most, so as long as he was being directly threatened, then the others would fall in line.

Declan put his palm out in a calming motion as he said, “Baby, put the gun down.”

“Because your men are going to put theirs down?” I snorted, three guns pointed in my direction, not fazing me one damn bit.

“Keavy-”

“I’m getting out of here, Declan,” I told him. “Over your dead body or with you holding the door open for me, I don’t care either way.” His chin went up at that, and it really was a shame that he was such a good-looking bastard. “However, I am getting out of here.”

“They’ll kill you before you make it even one step towards the door,” he said, and if this wasn’t a Mexican standoff, then I didn’t know what was.

Learning from my mistake earlier, I moved to the right, putting the wall at my back, so that no one could sneak up on me from behind, and all three guns followed my every movement. It was also unfortunate that I was going to die this way. I knew that killing Declan was the only way that I was going to get out of here, and I also knew that his men were going to kill me before his body even hit the floor. Still, staying here wasn’t an option.

“They might kill me,” I conceded. “But not before I take you with me.”

“Baby, put da feckin’ gun down,” he bit out, and that was the second time that he called me baby, but I chose to ignore it because I had more important things to deal with at the moment. I also chose to ignore how his accent only came out when he was angry, something that I’d consider charming if my life wasn’t on the line right now.

“Not going to happen,” I replied, my voice making it clear that I wasn’t messing around.

“If ye shoot me, ye better aim straight, lass,” he said, and nothing was sexier on a man than confidence. “If ye miss…well, ye better no’ miss.”

“Get out of my way, then we can all move on with our lives and live happily ever after,” I said, knowing that he was never going to let me go freely.

“Declan-”

“Dinna, Noah,” Declan bit out, and I knew that Noah had been about to ask permission to kill me.

Making my second rookie mistake, I should have made sure that the guard was dead or passed out before taking off, because just as Noah Murphy had been ready to kill me, the guard from downstairs came barreling around the corner, and with no choice but to protect myself, I turned the gun from Declan to the guard, then shot him in the chest twice, sending him flying backwards.

His warm blood coated the right side of my face and shoulder, but that hardly mattered before I felt someone’s arms wrap around me from behind, trapping my arms at my sides, Noah appearing before me, yanking the gun from my hand, winning this round. His glowing blue eyes were filled with a mixture of anger and pride, and it was a point against him that he was just as good-looking as his cousin.

“Well, that’d be ‘ree of our men da she’s killed so far,” he drawled out. “Inna sure if I should’a be pissed or impressed.”

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