Page 180 of Three Irish Kings
He ducks behind a wooden annex on the patio when he spots me.
Fuck.
My time just ran shorter. If he doesn’t yet, Cormac will know I’m here now.
I hope Liam can handle himself and was ready for this outcome.
I get a shot in the second the sneaky fucker peeks out.
He clutches at his chest and goes down.
I have to step it up, move faster, so I run.
As I step over the fallen man, he grabs my ankle.
Grunting, I hit the ground.
“Got you, you son of a bitch.” He coughs up blood, and I kick him in the face, twice.
He yelps and gurgles, and I’m able to get back on my feet.
My side pulls a bit, and I wonder if a rib is broken. It doesn’t matter. The numbness takes care of the pain, and I just need to get to Isla.
I run, though nothing but silence follows me.
As I’m almost past the side patio, I’m cut off by Reese O’Connell.
Fuck me.
Reese is Cormac’s right-hand man, and he’s a monster of a man, towering over even me. I’m six-four, so he has to be at least six-six, and wide as I am. He was a sniper in the Marines before he retired, and he’s holding a gun right at my face.
“Don’t move.”
I freeze but don’t put my gun down, standing off with him. “Just let me pass, Reese. I won’t even kill you.”
He scoffs. “You think you can kill me? I’ll have your brains splattered all over the grass before you can fire off a shot.”
I shrug one shoulder. “Maybe. But maybe I’ll get off that shot, and we’ll both go down. You can’t be sure, or you would’ve pulled that trigger already.”
He hesitates, and I give him a wry smile.
“Seems we’re in a standoff.”
He smirks. “I know why you’re here.”
I try to keep my face as calm as possible.
He can’t know. Even Cormac doesn’t know.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don't you worry, pretty boy. I’m taking good care of her.” His grin widens, and the fist not holding my gun tightens at my side.
He’s just trying to rile me up. He doesn’t know exactly what’s going on. He thinks Isla is Maggie, thinks we’re after her because she stole our secrets.
That has to be it, right?
“You’ve been hitting the whiskey too hard, Reese. I have no idea?—”
