Page 74 of Cowboy
"Then take me instead," I offer. "I'm the one you really want, right? The one who tracked you down, who made you lose everything."
Dylan hesitates, his eyes darting between me and the door. I can see the conflict, the desperation. He's running out of options, and he knows it.
In that moment of indecision, Caoimhe moves. She drives her elbow hard into Dylan's wounded shoulder, making him howl in pain. His grip loosens just enough for her to twist away, dropping to the floor.
I don't hesitate. The second I have a clear shot, I fire. Once, twice, three times. Center mass.
Dylan's eyes widen in shock. He stumbles backward, gun slipping from his fingers. He opens his mouth as if to speak, but no words come. Then he crumples to the ground, eyes fixed and empty.
For a moment, the cabin is absolutely silent. Then Saoirse whimpers from under the table, and the spell breaks.
Caoimhe rushes to her, pulling her into her arms. "It's okay, baby. It's over."
I move quickly to check both men, confirming what I already know. They're dead. I kick their guns away just to be sure, then turn to Caoimhe and Saoirse.
"Are you hurt?" I ask, my voice rough with emotion.
Caoimhe shakes her head. "We're okay." She looks over at Dylan's body, her expression unreadable. "Is he..."
"Yes," I confirm. "He's gone."
She nods, a mixture of grief and relief crossing her face. "Good."
I cross to them in two strides, pulling them both into my arms. Saoirse clings to my neck, trembling, while Caoimhe presses her face against my chest. I hold them tightly, the reality of how close I came to losing them hitting me all at once.
"I was so scared," Saoirse whispers. "I thought the bad man was going to hurt us."
"Never," I promise, pressing a kiss to her hair. "I'll never let anyone hurt either of you again."
Over Saoirse's head, I meet Caoimhe's eyes. "It's over," I tell her. "For real this time."
She nods, tears streaming down her face. "I know."
I hear the rumble of motorcycles outside. The brothers have arrived.
"Let's get out of here," I say, standing with Saoirse still in my arms. "Let's go home."
Caoimhe takes one last look at her brother's body. Whatever she's feeling—grief, anger, relief—she keeps it hidden. She turns away from him, reaching for my hand.
"Home," she agrees. "That sounds perfect."
As we step outside into the sunlight, Pyro and the others rush up to meet us. I know that this marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. The nightmare is finally over. Now we can start to rebuild, to heal.
Together.
24
CAOIMHE
TWO WEEKS LATER
I'm back in the shipping container. The air is thick and stale, pressing against my lungs like a physical weight. Around me, shadows move and whimper. Women. Children. All trapped like animals headed for slaughter.
"Caoimhe?" Saoirse's small voice calls out to me, but I can't see her in the darkness.
"I'm here, sweetheart," I call back, desperately pushing through the press of bodies. "I'm coming."
But the container seems to stretch endlessly, the space between us growing wider with each step I take. Her cries become more frantic, more terrified.
