Page 25 of Vengeful Union

“He’s hurt, aye?” The Irish brogue I thought I’d gotten rid of sweeps through my voice, and it makes me want to cringe.

She blinks. “How do you know that?”

“My father told me. He seems convinced Patrick can’t retaliate because he’s hurt.”

“He’s getting better. And now since Gray has taken over—” She claps a hand over her mouth. “I shouldn’t have said that."

“Listen to me, Lara.” I take a step toward her and this time, she doesn’t move away. “I don’t want to be a part of this. I don’t want to work with my father. All I want is for Bree to be safe.”

“She is safe.”

“For now. But if it comes out that Breechosethe Burkes...” I let out a long breath. “Who knows what my father will do?”

“He already knows that. She told him herself.”

“He knows? Well, that son of a—” I take a deep breath. “Listen, as much as I want to let you go, I can’t. If that is true, I have a feeling her defiance is the major reason behind this retaliation.”

“And if you let me go, they’ll just come after me again. And Bree.”

“Yes.” Thank God she’s finally seeing my side of things. “So, I want you to trust me, Lara. I want us to work together to keep any of that from happening.”

She swallows visibly. "I don't know if I can trust you.”

“I don't know if I can trust you, either. But we have to dosomething.”

“Like what?”

I run a hand through my hair. “I honestly don’t know yet. I need some time to think about it.”

“And in the meantime? I just stay here in this place?”

"I’ll bring you some water, some snacks. I’ll bring a comforter and some sheets for the bed. I’ll make you as comfortable as I can,” I promise.

She scoffs. “I’m not sure comfortable is what I would call this place.”

Part of me wants to roll my eyes, but I don’t. I need her to trust me, at least for a while. Then, I can get back to my life and away from all of this.

“I’ll do what I can. Will you think about it?”

“I’ll think about it.”

I slowly leave the room, locking it from the outside.

When I walk downstairs, Oscar and Maury are waiting in the living room.

“What are my father’s exact orders?”

“Just to keep her here until further notice,” Oscar says quietly, clearly a little afraid of me. Maybe he saw how messed up Scott looked after he attacked Lara.

“He doesn’t want her hurt,” Maury adds. He’s another one of my father’s minions, a nobody, really. He hasn’t exactly put his best men on this. It makes me think he may have wanted me involved all along.

I grit my teeth. “Well, you guys really fucked that up. She’s beat up and bruised and terrified.”

“It was Scott—” Maury starts, and I hold up a hand to stop him before I hit him.

“Get her some blankets, some sheets for that mattress. Take her some bottled water and some more food.”

“We kidnapped her, this isn’t the Ritz,” Oscar drawls, and if he thinks I won’t punch him because we share Murphy blood, he’s an idiot.

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