Page 102 of Líadan's Code

Ciara is the last of the group we brought in, and the bodies have steadily been dropped into the steaming barrels of lye. Joe even assisted with the chainsaw to help turn them into more manageable pieces.

Teamwork makes the dream work, after all.

Líadan is working a bit quicker than her normal pace, but I don’t blame her. She doesn’t usually have this many people to torture at once. Her cheeks are streaked with blood despite the raincoat and the hood, and I walk over to her to press a kiss against her neck.

“Can I help?” I murmur against her skin as she nods. Her muscles are trembling from the beginning of exhaustion, which is more than enough reason to give her my strength. Ciara is gritting her teeth as she screams, but she doesn’t seem to realize that this is just the start of her pain.

Wrapping my hands on the thin poker, I smirk as Joe and Nathan work on sharpening a thick metal pole into a point. Child predators don’t get to leave this world easily. Helping Líadan heal is one of the best ways I get to love her.

The poker slides through like butter, the only reason Lía was having difficulty was due to exhaustion. Doing the heavy lifting for her, I ask her to go get some water and sit down. Rory sees as she leaves to walk over, and he grabs a bottle of water and soda.

“Adrenaline crash, huh?” Is all he asks as he opens the cap on the bottle and hands it to her.

Lía nods, taking a deep sip as I pull out the poker in exchange for the pole, and I see her tired eyes sparkle as she watches.

It’s like foreplay to perform for her, her thighs struggling not to rub together. Grunting, I shove it deeper until it explodes out of Ciara's stomach. Lía puts aside the bottle of water to walk over and pick up the brand, stepping around the gore.

Time seems to stop as Lía brands her as a Child Rapist, smirking as Ciara screams.

“Fucking trash,” Lía growls. “You prey on children because no one else wants you. I wasn’t loved as a child, either, but even I am more emotionally balanced than you are, bitch. Fuck. Can I get a gun, please? She’s pathetic, and I think the Devil will be better suited for the rest of her punishment.”

Moving out of the way, I shift to give her my gun, but Mickey beats me to it.

“There’s nothing I despise more than a child predator or someone who sells them,” he growls, handing her the firearm. “Have at it, but I would love to assist with Trila.”

“I’ll accept the help,” Lía says tiredly. “I think I may need to eat something.”

“I’m an idiot,” Rory mutters, moving to grab some snacks and put them on the table. “Snacks and soda are here as soon as you pull that trigger, Líadan. You have an incredible flair for torture. I think my boys and Mickey would like to have a chance to assist.”

“I’ll gladly take the help,” Lía says, raising the gun and killing Ciara without hesitation. Watching that woman’s eyes grow wide as my girl shows her how much she is not fucking around fills me with pride.

Líadan was failed by so many people growing up, including me, and she’s very intent in helping to protect those who can’t do it for themselves.

At this proximity, Ciara is dead the moment the bullet passes through her brain, and Lía hands the gun back to Mickey. Seeing my girl is weaving on her legs, I pull off her raincoat, tossing it clear of any blood, and scoop her off her feet. Lía tenses and I shake my head.

“No one is going to pass judgment, sweet girl,” I murmur.

“Absolutely fucking not,” Rory says, pushing the seat out for her. “You are, however, going to eat this and drink the soda. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Sir,” she says with a shaky smile as she takes the protein bar he offers her.

“A snack and a show,” I tease as I sit next to her as Mickey and the Macdonald men circle around Trila and proceed to curb stomp her into the ground.

My hand is heavy on Lía’s thigh as she watches unflinchingly while she eats, my thumb ghosting along her legging-covered thigh to ground her. Líadan is quickly learning who she can count on from our allies, and I have to say these men are passing with flying colors.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Líadan

I’m exhausted. It took all my strength to be able to walk to the car on my own steam. It’s a mix of adrenaline crash, happiness that this part is over, and anxiety for the people Mickey found.

“No offense, but you look like a strong breeze is going to knock you over,” Mickey grunts as he walks out with Brendan, Rory, and I.

“I kind of feel like I could sleep for a week,” I sigh. “I don’t think I’ve ever had such a long fucking day.”

“Well, you were fucking incredible today,” Rory says proudly. I thought he was disgusted that I was the Banshee everyone in the family spoke about in hushed tones, but that wasn’t it at all. He was worried about what that meant for me. “You deserve to take a nice, long soak and go to bed.”

After I change hotels, that is. There’s no way I’m using the tub in my room.

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