Page 157 of Dust to Dust

Bringing his hand up from Isla’s waist, he sent a stinging slap across her cheek, causing me to lunge forward. “Don’t fucking take another step.”

I froze. Desperation pricked along my spine. I didn’t know how the fuck I was going to get Isla out of this.

“After tattling to your brothers, the next thing I knew she and her sister were packing up and coming here to hide from me.” Turning his attention to Isla, he maniacally laughed. “I bet you never imagined when I gave you that sedative, I also put a tracking device in you.”

“Obviously not,” she bit out.

With a shake of my head, I said, “You left me because of him?”

Tears streaked down Isla’s face. “I had to. He threatened Brooke and Henry.” A sob tore through her chest. “I didn’t want to leave you, Quinn. I love you. I always have.”

Agony rocketed through my chest. I had to fix this. I couldn’t lose her. Not now when I was getting her back. “What do you want, Mikita? Territory? Money? Drug routes? Whatever it is, I’ll ensure you get it. I’ll work with the Neretti brothers. We can uphold the alliance you would’ve had with Carmine if he and Alessio hadn’t been killed.”

Mikita narrowed his eyes at me. “Do you honestly think I would ever trust you?”

“Stranger deals have been struck by men in our world. Trust is always built on quicksand when it comes to alliances. But we don’t have to sink beneath the surface. We can rise.”

“There’s nothing that you can give me but your suffering.” He cocked his gun–the noise ricocheting through me. “I thought I could achieve it by keeping her alive, but she double crossed me. You and I both know what happens to traitors in our world.”

“NO!” I screamed as I charged forward.

At the crack of a gun, the world slowed to a crawl around me. Mikita and Isla’s bodies jolted back before collapsing to the ground. I sprinted to close the distance between us. After falling to the ground, I drew Isla into my arms. With shaking hands, I searched her head for a bullet wound. When I didn’t see one, I felt along her chest.

“Now’s not the time for that,” a soft voice said.

I jerked my gaze to her face. “You’re not hit.”

A shaky smile curved on her lips. “No.”

A sob tore from my throat. “But how–”

Isla jerked her chin over my shoulder. Glancing behind me, I sucked in a harsh breath at the sight of Maeve with a gun in her hand–a satisfied expression on her face. “You?” I demanded.

“Even with a bodyguard, I’m never without a gun.”

Turning back to Mikita, I surveyed the gaping wound between his eyes. “Fuck me, Maeve. Most men couldn’t make that shot.”

“I’m not most men.” The corners of her lips quirked. “I’m a Kavanaugh.”

“Damn straight.”

As I pulled myself to my feet, I swept Isla in my arms. “Are you okay?” I asked.

“Considering I just survived being almost killed, I’m more than okay.”

“I’m sorry, Little Dove. In light of what just happened, I won’t blame you if you want to leave me again.”

She shook her head. “I can’t say that I’m not fearful of something bad happening again. But I know it’s not worth forsaking the love and happiness I have with you.”

“I’m so glad to hear you say that. I didn’t think I could do life without you.”

Just before I could bring my lips to hers, the Garda Síochána appeared. “What the hell happened here?” a tall officer asked.

I glanced between Maeve and Isla, giving them a look that said let me do the talking. “Well officer, that man over there was stalking this woman. He had a gun to her head. I was walking down the street when I saw it. I drew my weapon and shot him before he could kill her.”

The officer narrowed his eyes on Isla. “Is that what happened?”

“Yes, sir. He tracked me in from the states.”

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