Page 137 of Devious Kingpin
“Who else?” Juliette asked, her voice calm. Too calm. The old man didn’t answer and a shot pierced through the air. A bullet lodged itself into his knee. I didn’t stop her. She needed this. “Who fucking else?” she hissed.
The old man’s eyes locked on Juliette. Resigned. Tired. Old. “Just me.”
Juliette’s eyes darted to Kian. “His was the name in the envelope.”
A terse nod. She turned back to Ivy’s father.Bang.
Another shot. “Liar.” Her voice was cold. Her expression even colder. Hate consumed her now. She believed her friend betrayed her. “Fucking liar. I’m going to end your line, just like you wanted to end the Cullens.”
“Juliette,” I spoke softly.
I cupped her face and made her look at me. Tears glimmered in her gaze. “Don’t jump to conclusions.”
“My wife lost her life because of her,” Murphy stated, all the fighting seeming to have left him. “I had to protect my children.”
“What do you mean?” Jerking herself out of my grip, she shifted her focus on the old Murphy and got into his face. “You have sons. You are powerful. They are feared and ruthless. The Irish kings. And you are scared of Sofia Volkov?”
“You mean the Irish pricks,” I thought I heard Basilio mutter.
I ignored him, waiting for Murphy’s answer. A heartbeat passed. Heavy. Traitorous.
“I had to protect my family. Just like your family protected you.”
“What do you mean?” I demanded to know. “Your daughter lived with the Brennans while you schemed. You need to come clean or this won’t end well. For anyone.”
Edward growled, his eyes flashing with fury. “Don’t you dare touch them. They are innocent. Liana especially.”
I stilled. I thought the old Murphy only had one daughter. Glancing at Juliette, it was obvious she had the same thought.
“Who is Liana?” Juliette asked him eerily. When he made no move to answer, she got into his face. “Who. Is. Liana?”
“My other daughter.” Murphy’s tone was resigned. Tired. He knew his road had come to an end. “My illegitimate daughter.”
Well, fuck me. Goddamn secrets all around us.
Juliette shook her head, anger crossing her expression. “Does Ivy know?”
He gulped. “She doesn’t.”
“You could have asked for help,” she hissed, her breathing harsh. “You could have said something!”
“Aye, I could have,” he admitted. “But I didn’t.”
Juliette swallowed and raised her hand. “You’re only getting a fast death for Ivy’s sake.”
Then she pulled the trigger.
CHAPTER56
Juliette
We made it out alive. Barely.
Back at the hotel room, I stared at my reflection in the bathroom. My hair was a matted mess. My face was covered in blood splatters. My clothes stained crimson. I was glad Dante was able to get us in through a back entrance. We would have never made it two feet into the lobby without all hell breaking loose.
I’d killed men before. Tortured them, even. Blood stained my hands, but it never felt like this before. I looked the same—more or less—but I didn’t feel it.
I’d killed Ivy’s father. My chest twisted, something ugly spreading through my veins.
