Page 19 of Destructive Truths

“Did he ever tell you why you needed to keep her a secret?” Beibhinn frowns, and I know her mind is racing a mile a minute as she tries to piece the puzzle together.

I’ve spent many nights questioning Lorcan’s motives, wondering why, but I’ve always fallen a little short when it comes down to the details. But after what Rohan told us tonight, it’s all making a little more sense. “Not really, but I know it was because of Darragh Ryan’s death. After Darragh died, the three founding families thought it best to protect the secret Ryan heir.”

“And who better to protect the syndicate’s hidden princess than the primary enforcer!”

“Exactly.”

Bev falls silent. Lost in her thoughts, she stares out the window, watching the blur of thick tree-line as we fly by, leaving me to mull over everything Rohan told us back at the house. It was Gabriel who’d killed Darragh Ryan, and if he has his way, Saoirse is next.

At first, I thought Rohan was taking the piss because why would the syndicate allow Gabriel to continue his reign if he killed a founding family member? Innocent until proven guilty, Rohan said.

I’m not one to blindly trust King’s word, but honestly, Rohan’s tale of events checks out. Gabriel took over the Leinster seat shortly after Éanna failed her trials, but his reign was supposed to be short-lived. Darragh was only a year younger than Éanna, but right before he turned eighteen, his girlfriend found him out in the woods, hanging from a tree. The syndicate ruled his death as a suicide, but from the stories Mam told, she never believed Darragh killed himself.

Rohan plans to take his dad down by revealing the truth of what happened in Killybegs all those years ago, but to do that, he needs to ensure Saoirse is safe and as far away from him as possible. I won’t say I’m not happy about him stepping back in his pursuit of Saoirse, because that couldn’t be further from the truth.

In seven days, Saoirse Ryan will start her journey to become the next Leinster queen, and if I have my way, I will be beside her when she claims her throne.

There is a war brewing, and somehow, I’m playing for both sides.

Within minutes, the earthy gravel crunches beneath my tires as I ease my car down the secluded driveway towards the lake. A purple haze breaks through the trees, illuminating the cabins to the left in the light of the new dawn. My eyes drift right towards the dock, narrowing on the lone figure standing at the pier’s tip, looking out into the calm waters. We are too far up the drive for him to notice our arrival or for me to gauge his facial features, but his shadowed outline is one I’m familiar with.

As we descend, I watch Lorcan pace back and forth with his hands folded at the top of his head. His spine is ramrod straight, and the tension rolls off him in waves. Then, finally, my headlights capture his attention, and his feet abruptly halt. His arms drop with precision, one swiftly rounding his back before disappearing into the waistband of his jeans and producing his 9mm Glock, the same one he always carries. Within seconds, Lorcan has his firearm aimed right at us.

Pulling the car to a stop, I cut the engine.

There are a few ways this could go, but I’m hoping Rohan’s phone call has paved the way for the less volatile option.

“Are you planning on exiting the car, or am I to sit here all night while you pretend you’re not terrified of Lorcan Reilly?” Beibhinn inspects her long, perfectly manicured fingernails as if the baddest cunt in the entire syndicate hasn’t got us marked with the bottom of his barrel.

“I’m not afraid of Lorcan.”

Her face tilts towards me, lips pursed, and brows raised. “Ha! Right, and I’m in a three-way relationship with Chris Hemsworth and Henry Cavill.”

Ignoring her sass, I pull the door handle and mutter, “Remind me why I thought it was a good idea to bring you along.”

Following my lead, Bev exits from the passenger side. Not one to give away the last word, she throws her response across the roof of my Mustang. “Because, dear brother, your godfather actually likes me. Therefore, he’s less likely to blow your head off in my presence.”

Her lips quip into a smile as she twists on the heel of her knee-high leather boot. My eyes roll as Beibhinn swings her arms out wide, greeting Lorcan with a Cheshire cat smile. “Well, if it isn’t my favourite enforcer.”

Lorcan keeps the handgun trained on me as his eyes dart toward my sister. “Nice to see you, Bevy. Shame I can’t say the same for your company.”

I step forward, and Lorcan moves on reflex, his cold eyes a warning. “One more fuckin’ step, Devereux, and I’ll take you to the ground with a bullet.”

I hold my hands up, trying to defuse the situation. “Rohan sent us.”

“Aye! I’m aware. Doesn’t mean you’re welcome.”

“Lachie,” Beibhinn edges closer. “Saoirse is my friend.” Her hand gestures towards me. “I promise you, Liam and I, we want to help her as much as you do.”

“Why should I believe a word you say, Beibhinn? The Devereux name isn’t exactly loyal. Protecting that girl”—Lorcan tips his chin toward the cabin—“is my only priority, and it has been since she was a wee baby. It’ll take more than a few choice words to get past those doors.”

I knew coming here was a terrible idea. Lorcan’s notions of me haven’t changed, and there is nothing Rohan or Beibhinn could say to change the past. It doesn’t matter that I was just a kid back then. Lorcan presented me with a test, a way to prove I could be loyal to the syndicate by keeping their best-kept secret, and I failed. Before that fateful summer, nobody but my mother, Lorcan, and Éanna knew of Saoirse Ryan’s existence. She was just an average girl living an average life. Then I blew it all up by telling my da about the pretty girl I fell in love with at the lake.

Lorcan’s glare bounces between Beibhinn and I as he waits for something more than Beibhinn’s promise. Deep down, I know I am the only one who can change his mind. I need to prove I’m worthy of his trust. It’s time to lay some cards on the table, but I need to be careful, especially when I’m playing for opposing sides.

My lungs expand with an inhale. “Look. You have an issue with me, I get it. But contrary to what you believe, I never meant to expose Saoirse all those years ago.” My eyes wander to the dock, and an onslaught of memories flash through my mind. “I was a kid. A stupid one, sure. But I care about Saoirse more than I probably should.” Lorcan lowers his weapon, but his stance remains rigid and ready, so I proceed. “Her first trial is in a week, Lorcan. Saoirse needs to be back in Killybegs, you know that as well as we do. She needs to train or Hannah will destroy her chance at initiating.”

Beibhinn steps forward, flanking my side. “I can help her train, Lachie.” Her eyes flick toward me, then back to him. “We both can.”

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