Page 8 of Destructive Truths

My dad is one of the syndicate kings. I’m the heir to the Leinster and Ulster chapters.

“But?” Aodhán questions. “The four head families can’t have any personal relations. It’s the oldest fucking rule in the book. And for good reason. It shifts the dynamic. And would turn the four equal quarters into three unlevel playing fields. Being the heir of two kingdoms makes her the most powerful syndicate heir. They’ll kill her, Lorcan.” His panic rocks the room, ricocheting off the stone walls.

“They’ll…? What?!”

With a guilt-ridden look my way, Lorcan turns and stalks over to Aodhán, leering over him with a fiery, dominating stare. “Nobody can find out. You can’t tell anyone about this. Gabriel’s need for power is bad enough. If word spread about Saoirse’s lineage, we’d have the entire organisation on our arses. They’d come gunning for her, and her safety is something I’m not willin’ to risk.”

From the corner of my eye, I watch the two men as they share a look that would make most people crumble. My arms circle my waist in an unconscious gesture to protect myself—not that it will do any good. I’m ill-prepared for all of this, and as much as I deserve the truth, there is a part of me that wishes I could turn the clock back to when I knew nothing of the world around me. But I can’t. There is already a massive target painted on my back. I’m fucked. I may not know a lot, but of that much I am sure.

Finally, Aodhán swallows, replying silently with a dip of his head.

“I trust you’ll keep your mouth closed because I won’t hesitate to place an ounce of lead behind your kneecaps if anyone finds out. Understood?” Lorcan continues.

“Yes, Boss Man.”

Lorcan’s words spark a fury inside me, and I don’t have the energy to keep it contained. As I try to expel the turbulence brewing, I pace the kitchen. Two sets of eyes follow my every step, but I don’t care. In a matter of weeks, my life has gone from a socially awkward teen to the sole heir of not one but two sectors of a nationwide crime organisation.

How is this my life?

It’s too much—all of it. I need to get out of here, away from it all.

“I can’t deal with this.” Edging towards the doorway leading to the walled garden, I turn away from Lorcan and Aodhán, needing a moment to process all the information and events that led me to this point. I’m so overwhelmed I can barely see straight.

Before I can swing the door open, a large hand clamps down on my shoulder. “You can’t go out there. Not alone.”

“Fuck off.” I turn to face Lorcan, spitting out my words as I glare at him with disdain. “You don’t get to dictate my actions. You lost that right when you decided you didn’t want to be present in my life.”

Anger rolls off him in waves, dampened by the guilt swarming his eyes. His nostrils flare as he sucks in a calming breath. “I know you’re angry, but I was keeping you safe. My absence was unrelated to my love for you, or your mother for that matter. It was the only way to ensure your safety.”

“Yeah, well, I wasn’t very safe when I was assaulted at a party last night. Or this morning while I was held underwater until I couldn’t breathe.”

His palm covers my arm, wrapping around my elbow. Suddenly, his gaze dips, eyes focused on the floor. “I did what I thought was best. Evidently, I was wrong.” Then, finally, he peers back at me, flooded with something I can’t quite place. “You can hate me all you want, doll. Scream, shout, stomp around like a fuckin’ disobedient pup, but do not question my role as your da.” The gravel in his tone is fierce and deadly. “Every sacrifice I made was to keep you alive. There hasn’t been a minute where your safety wasn’t my top priority. Trust me when I tell you, princess, the last thing I’ll ever do is fuck off.”

Tearing my arm from his grasp, I stand tall. No more playing the poor pathetic little girl without a clue, and I sure as fuck am fed up with all the secrets. Pulling the door open, I strike him with my parting words. “News flash, Daddy.” My words drip with sarcasm. “Since I stepped foot in this town, there has been no regard for my safety. The two people—the parents I needed—were nowhere to be found. So, excuse me if I don’t buy the bullshit you’re selling.” The fresh cool breeze assaults my face, and I tilt my head towards the sky, breathing in the crisp evening air.

Unfortunately, Lorcan ruins my grand exit by following me outside and polluting my peace. “There are things in this world you don’t understand. Your ma and I did what we thought was best for you. The syndicate wasn’t a safe place for you to grow up. When the time came, we led you toward trusted people.”

“The Devereux family, right?”

He raises a brow, a pointed look on his face. “I wouldn’t trust a Devereux as far as I’d throw them. Some people take after their fathers, Saoirse. But others—the people you should be placin’ your trust in—they have their mother’s blood flowin’ through their veins.”

I spin on my heel, darting a glare his way. “Jesus, you really taught Rohan everything, huh? Can we stop with the cryptic meanings? I can’t take it anymore. Between you, Rohan, and my missing mother, why can’t you just tell me who is on my side? All this back-and-forth is eating me alive. I’m over it, Lorcan. No more games.”

I’m furious, grappling at straws to figure out the meaning of it all. Rage heats my cheeks, but the disappointment in Lorcan and my mother floors me, flooding my veins, rushing through me like a tsunami. Hot tears spring from my eyes. “Where is Rohan, anyway?” I hate asking, but after everything we shared last night, I think being here with me is the least he owes me.

Something dark glazes over Lorcan’s face. His angular features are unreadable with his jaw set into a tight bite, and his eyes expressionless.

“What? Did the self-proclaimed king get what he wanted then disappear into thin fucking air? Just like everyone else in my life. Typical man treating a woman like a rental car. Take it for one or two spins, then drop it off.” My eyes roll back, punctuating my sass, and then I turn on my heel and take off towards the walled garden.

“He’s missing, Saoirse.” Lorcan’s statement halts my movements, but I don’t turn around. “I found his car by the docks. Whoever took him left his phone and wallet on the passenger seat.”

Blood rushes to my ears, accentuating the thunderous roar of my racing heart. My breaths quicken, lodging in my clogged throat. Saliva dampens my mouth as I force myself to swallow the ache crushing my chest. Lorcan’s footfalls sound behind me, crunching against the pebbled walkway. He places his palm on my shoulder when he reaches me, giving it a gentle squeeze that makes me turn around.

I blink, processing what he said. Finally, my words croak past my lips. “How… how do you know someone took him? Maybe he ran off.”

Lorcan’s stare holds steady, but his expression changes to something sinister. Almost psychotic. “He didn’t leave willingly.”

“How do you know that? Rohan isn’t exactly forthcoming with his plans.”

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