Page 66 of Beautiful Dark Temptation

Fox gave him a suspicious look. “You betterbe on my tail,” he growled out.

Kieran nodded, lips tight.

Henry and Fox walked out, leaving Kieran andme alone.

“I’m not going back.”

Kieran seemed to need a breather. “Did youhear that there’s a contract on your head.”

“Yes. Because ofyou.”

“Are you sure about that?” Kieran said, notcoming closer.

I launched the recording and shoved it intoKieran’s hands. My father’s voice already taking the air and mybreath. “You were recorded with Talis and my dad, so yeah, I thinkeverything that’s happened to me for the last several months isyour fault.”

His eyes were glued to the tiny screen.

“I found the SD card in my father’s sigilring. Sloppy of you getting recorded. Who’s the guy? I know hisname’s not Talis and I saw him with you at the club.”

He shook his head and pulled out the SDcard. His eyes full of panic, his lips thin. Not what he expectedme to have had. “Do you have anything else? Did your father sayanything to you or anyone else?”

I wanted to hate him. I really did, butKieran suddenly sounded like a kid who’d gotten caught and hewasn’t used to the vulnerability. “I’m done with this, with you.I’m done.” I started to walk around him, but he grabbed my hand.Warmth bloomed inside of me. I wanted so much from this guy. Why?It made no sense.

“I’m trying to protect you,” he finallysaid.

“By lying?” I pulled away from his touch,afraid that I’d submit to him again. I would because I had nobackbone when it came to Kieran.

“Yes! There are things you cannot know. I’mnot alone in this. It’s bigger than just me.”

“Right, because I’m nothing. Nobody. Youcan’t even trust me! Well, you won’t have to deal with me anymore.I’m done with you, with Arcadia, with all of this shit.” I stompedaway. My intentions were to sprint up the stairs, lock myself inthe bathroom, figure shit out. But just as I reached the stairs, Iglanced at him over my shoulder. Kieran sat leaning forward, hishand in his hair, looking down. His body seemed to fold in onitself with all the weight of the world. I lowered my eyes to thebrand on my hand. The protection he hadn’t owed me but gave meanyway.

I let out a resigned sigh and walked back.He didn’t look up as I sat on the single armchair facing the sofa,keeping my distance probably the best idea I had. “You want toprotect me, then explain what I need to know to move on.”Please.

The silence stretched for what seemed likeforever and I thought he wouldn’t talk, until he did. “Your fatherand brothers are dead because they agreed to help me disrupt theBrennan’s illegal shipment of drugs and guns, forcing CillianBrennan, my grandfather, to borrow against his legitimate businessto pay off the cartel he’d been working for. This allowed me topurchase those debts and take ownership of the legitimate company.Joaquín Moya and Trinidad Rosas Sr., were a fraction of the peoplewe bribed into our scheme.”

I tore my eyes away from him, letting theinformation drive home. Kieran was a Brennan. “Which Brennan isyour father?” I asked.

“Tristan, the oldest.”

I ran my palms along my thighs. “Did youknow?” I dragged my eyes to his face. “Did you know when we met atArcadia that I was a Moya?”

“No,” he responded quickly. I believedhim.

“And all this, everything, it was all formoney?” My voice broke, finding it hard to keep from screaming.

He lifted his head to look at me and I sawsuch raw emotion in his eyes. We were in unchartered territory,unsure how to find our way back.

“When I was ten,” he began, “My mother diedof cancer. A few days later, strangers came for me and ripped meout of the only home I’d ever known. I was bounced around from onedirty dark place to another with no reference of time or who thesepeople were, what they wanted. They starved me, beat me, and Inever thought I’d feel warm again.” He paused, rubbed his handstogether, looked away. “I wanted to die. I was afraid. Then I metCillian Brennan. He said nothing, looked at me as if he was goingto squash me with his boot. He ordered the men to clean me up. Theydid. And when he introduced himself to me, he placed the barrel ofa gun on my forehead and asked me why he should keep me alive.”Kieran met my eyes. They were filled with raw emotion thatpunctured my heart. “I’m ten. My mother just died. I’d never met myfather. Didn’t even know his name. And this man is asking me for areason. Do you know what I said?”

I slowly shook my head.

“I could begood. I told my grandfather not to shoot me because I could befucking good.” He wiped his face though there were no tears.“Cillian trained me to be a good soldier. I killed for him. Then,because the Universe decided to shit on me, when I turned thirteen,I was hospitalized and diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. My caretakerat the time hid it from my grandfather knowing that he’d considerme a defect and shoot me in the head.”

I sucked in a breath. The impact of hiswords tore through me. Everything he suffered. Everything he’dsurvived.

“Then I met Tor and I knew I was gay. I’dbeen hiding who I was my whole life. But this, this takeover, it’swhen I get to be free.” He played with his fingers, not wanting tolook at me. But the tension in his shoulders, the way his knucklesturned white, I knew I had a front and center seat at Kieran’s darkside. “I have a plan B,” he said. “If the takeover doesn’t work,I’ll kill them all. I even planned on how I’d do it.

“I’d start with my eighteen-year-old auntwho I’d never met. She goes to Alderson Academy six blocks from herpenthouse. I’ve even been inside her school. I’d use a knife toslit her throat, let her bleed out in the bathroom. Then there’stwenty-year-old Declan who was discharged from the military. Hewalks with a gimp. Jumpy as fuck. But he has a sweet tooth. Goes tothis joint on 87 and Wilmington for ice cream on Tuesdays. Ditcheshis security detail. I could get him with a sniper rifle off theadjacent roof. One slug to the back of the head. I’d take Liam justas he comes out of his BDSM kink club. Another sniper hit rightthrough his perfect teeth. Maddox would be trickier. I’d have tomake sure he’s dead. The fucker is rumored to have nine lives.Sniper, through the eye. I’d kill my grandfather next and leave myfather for last. I’d take my half-brother, his ten-year-oldlegitimate son, for a drive. I’d make sure he hears me kill him onthe phone. Make that one loud and messy. Then, after he’s losteverything, I’d face him. And let the gods decide.”

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