Page 75 of The Irish Redemption

“Because I was talking to the cops.”

To my surprise, Saoirse chuckles. “Honey, you didn’t reveal anything the cops don’t already know. If Sarah has missed the hints on thestreets that war is brewing, then that’s on her. But you did a decent thing trying to make sure the right kind of cops are around Cormac. We’ve been having trouble getting men into the hospital.”

The relief is so powerful that my vision dims for a moment. “Thank God, I was so scared you were about to shank me for talking to the police.”

“Cormac would have my head, and I’d prefer it to stay where it is,” she replies, pulling my blankets back. “Come on, I need to get you out of here.”

“What about Cormac?”

“Cian has him. At least until backup arrives. We need to get you somewhere safe.”

“Why? What’s going on? The man who hit us?—”

The door to my room suddenly flies wide open. It bounces off the wall with a crack, causing me to jump back in fright. Saoirse spins around, drawing her gun from her belt as a man charges inside and sprints toward Saoirse like a runaway bull.

I glimpse his face as they collide in the middle of the room, and a cold sweat breaks out under my gown.

Noah.

He attacks with a yell. Saoirse and Noah grapple for a few seconds, then she punches him hard in the gut. When he doubles over, she drives her elbow down into his back. He hits the ground and she’s on him, but he manages to roll them over and punches her several times in the face. Panicked, I lunge toward them and tackle Noah from behind, grabbing him by the hair and clothes to try and pull him off her. He falls backward, scrambles up, and punches me hard in the face.

I fall back with a cry, stars flashing before my eyes as pain explodes across my jaw. My back throbs as I hit the ground, and the pain fromimpact against my ribs shocks my lungs into a motionless state. For a few dark seconds, I can’t get my body to listen to me and my breathing fails.

Through the dizziness, I watch Saoirse and Noah fight. Thankfully, Saoirse seems to have the upper hand. She’s dodging back and forth, avoiding his blows and throwing jabs at his face and body. Until he turns around to me. Saoirse leaps onto his back like a spider monkey and claws at his face.

“Evelyn! Go!” she yells.

It takes every ounce of energy I have left to pull myself up and run for the door. Just as I place one foot out in the hall, a gunshot echoes behind me and I freeze instantly. The corridor is empty, and I scan each doorway in the hopes of seeing someone who can help me. But there’s no one. Then I glance back, hoping to see Saoirse standing over Noah.

Instead, she’s on the ground grunting with blood pouring from a bullet wound on her thigh, rapidly turning her light blue jeans to black.

“Fucking bitch,” Noah garbles through a face full of blood. He lifts the gun and aims it at Saoirse's head.

“No!” I scream, lurching forward. “Don’t!”

My scream makes Noah flinch, and he glances at me, his finger on the trigger. “No?” He wipes at his nose and face with his other hand. “There is no ‘No’ here. I’m the one with the fucking gun.”

“I know, I know!” Saoirse’s gun is nearby on the floor, but there’s no way either she or I can reach it in time. I can barely breathe, desperately seeking a way to save Saoirse’s life. “Take me.”

“What?” Noah and Saoirse say in unison.

“You came here for me, right? Don’t waste bullets on her. She’ll bleed out from that wound, anyway!”

Saoirse clutches at her thigh, glaring between me and the barrel of the gun.

“One hostage gives you more leverage than two bodies, right?” I say breathlessly, hoping that Noah’s visible desperation will latch onto leverage more than anything else. “So take me. I can walk. She can’t.”

Noah wipes at his face again, failing to stem the blood flow.

“Fine.”

30

CORMAC

“Cormac—”

“Get off me!”

---