Page 105 of Black Heart

“It hurts,” she cried softly as she fell to her side.

He reached for her when his strength finally left him and he couldn’t do more than fall to the ground and stare helplessly at her, the inches that separated them felt like miles.

“I know, mo ghrá,” Tadgh said softly, welcoming the cold numbness that spread through his body.

“Hold on, lad,” Shayne said, pulling him into his arms and further away from Macha. He tried to fight, but he didn’t have any fight left in him.

“Do something!” Shayne demanded.

“I’m s-scared,” Macha admitted as Finn dropped to his knees beside her, tears rolling down his blood-spattered face, he reached out with trembling hands and did what Tadgh couldn’t. He took her in his arms and held her.

“There’s nothing ta be scared of, mo ghrá,” Tadgh told her, wishing that those were his arms wrapped around her. “I’m gonna be coming for ye.”

“Ye promise?” Macha sobbed softly as her breathing became labored.

“Aye, I do,” Tadgh said, smiling as his vision dimmed out.

CHAPTER41

“Everything will be fine,” Beth said softly to herself, to her or the men who looked like they were struggling not to lose their fucking minds, Marty didn’t know.

She also couldn’t hold it together for a minute longer if she had to sit there. She needed space away from the oppressive grief that threatened to destroy her. There was a way out of this and she needed to figure it out quickly and she wouldn’t be able to do that if she stayed here a minute longer.

“Where are you going?” Denny asked, looking worse than the last time they’d all gathered in this room while they’d waited for the surgeon to tell them that everything would be fine.

“I need to use the bathroom,” Marty mumbled, trying to give him a reassuring smile and failing miserably.

Denny nodded as he stood. “I’ll go with you.”

“I’ll be fine,” Marty said, grabbing her purse.

Quinn, Finn, and Aidan shifted their circle of protection, widening it as they prepared to move with her. She was glad that they were there and that they’d refused to let her out of their sight. It made getting them alone so that she could question them about the curse easier. She needed to know exactly what was said, who said it, and what they were doing when they said it. She needed-

“Oh, fuck no,” Finn groaned softly, drawing her attention.

Frowning, Marty looked past him to see a very large and incredibly handsome man with short, slightly wavy jet-black hair and beautiful green eyes walk down the wide hallway towards them. She was about to ask what was wrong when she realized something.

Those were Tristan’s eyes.

“No, no, no, please, God, no,” Marty mumbled weakly, shaking her head as she stumbled back.

“Marty?” her father said as he reached for her only to swallow hard when she shoved his hands away, desperate to get away.

“Macha,” the man coming for her said with an Irish brogue that confirmed her worst fears.

“Please don’t do this,” Marty cried, stumbling back as her father, Tom, and Denny tried to grab her, but she shoved them away.

“Shhhh, mo ghrá,” Tristan said soothingly as he reached for her.

“Calm down, Marty!” her father pleaded, his voice breaking as he wrapped his arms around her. She fought him, needing to get away from the man watching her with kind eyes. If she could put some space between them and stop him from touching her, then this wouldn’t be happening.

Tristan wouldn’t be dead.

“Shit!” her father snapped when she kicked and struggled to get away from him.

“Can we get some goddamn help here?” Denny snapped as he grabbed Marty by her legs and helped take her to the floor.

“Relax, sweetheart,” the man with Tristan’s eyes said softly as he reached over and cupped her face.

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