Page 111 of Vengeful Union

Duncan nods slowly, looking at me with a baffled gaze. “You’re the boss now.”

I blink.

He’s right. With all of this, I’d forgotten the Irish clan hierarchy. I’m the only son, so I’m the heir.

I run the Murphy clan now.

But I don’t want to. I don’t want to be part of any of this, don’t want to deal in any more blood and violence and death.

There is only one thing to do now.

I shake my head. “I’m not the boss. My sister is. I’m handing everything over to her.”

Chapter Thirty-One

31

LARA

I guessI’ve finally seen so much blood and death that it’s stopped surprising me, because I’m a still as stone as I stand next to Rory.

“You can’t mean that, Rory,” Duncan starts, but Rory holds up a hand to cut him off.

“Let’s just get this cleaned up first, and then we’ll talk.”

Duncan nods numbly, and I can understand how he’s feeling. I feel like none of this is real, like I’m watching it all take place from somewhere up on the ceiling or something.

Rory takes a deep breath and snaps into action, fixing all the things on his father’s desk that have been in disarray.

I lean down, taking the gun out of Niall’s cooling hand and putting it back in the desk drawer.

Duncan stares down at the old man for a long moment before bringing out his phone and making a call, presumably to a cleaner from the sounds of it.

“We’ll have to replace the rug,” Rory says, and there’s no emotion in his voice. “We’ll never get the blood out.”

I put my hands on his shoulders, and he looks at me tiredly.

“Rory, are you okay?”

He shakes his head. “No, but it’s over now. I will be.”

I bite my lip. I don’t know how to tell him how grateful I am. I don’t know how to tell him that I love him so much in this moment I could explode. I know that he hadn’t killed Niall because he wanted to, or to save himself.

He’d only lunged at him when Niall pointed the gun at me. He killed his own father for me, and I will support him as well as I can.

I lean up on the tips of my toes and kiss him softly, and he favors me with a small smile.

“They’re coming to get the body.”

Duncan’s voice seems to surprise Rory, and he turns to nod at him.

Rory’s shoulders are slumped. He looks exhausted even though it’s still fairly early in the morning, and I can’t blame him.

We’ve been through so much in the last twenty-four hours that it seems like a lifetime.

“Thank you. Things are going to change around here, Duncan, and if you want to stay, you’re welcome. But if you want to go… I’ll understand.”

Duncan shakes his head fiercely. “I’ve always been a part of this clan, and I always will, no matter how it changes. I’ll be in my room if you need me.”

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