Page 16 of Destroy (Deadly Hearts 2)

“You said you’d come to Ireland with me,” Declan says slowly. “I was hoping we could go there as soon as you are back on your feet.”

I swallow. I hadn’t forgotten and I’d kind of hoped he’d say that. I just didn’t want to ask and sound all needy, or like I was desperate to go to his family home and meet his mom. I didn’t want him to read too much into it.

“Okay,” I say, after pretending to think about it for a few seconds. “That’ll be nice for a few days.”

He shakes his head. “No, Ruby. I was thinking more like a few weeks or months even.”

I frown. “No, I can’t do that. I can’t leave Manchester for an extended period. I have my business and my empire here will crumble like a fresh cookie if I’m not here to defend it.”

“I get that, but, Ruby, we’ve kicked up a massive stink around here in the last few days. What with the explosion on the Industrial Estate, Jake’s murder, the fire on the outskirts of town, not to mention Smith’s,” he growls the name and I flinch, “disappearance. He may have been as crooked as they come, but he was still a copper. We need to get out of the city, out of the country for an indefinite period.”

“Don’t worry about your business,” David says. “Let them take it.”

I snarl at him, but he waves his hand dismissively. “We will go to Ireland, you will heal and come back stronger than ever and then we can come back here and reclaim everything and more.”

I take in his words and then smile. He’s learning how this life works.

“Okay, then,” I say, but make sure to put contingencies in place. No way am I leaving my city to get taken over. “When do we leave?”

“Tomorrow,” Declan says. “If that’s not too soon for you?”

I shake my head and haul my sorry ass to my feet. “I’ll prepare,” I say and hobble painfully to the door. I pause and without looking back, I say, “I’m saying this to everyone except Declan. I have killed. Not once, not twice, not three times. More than half a dozen times in the last six years. That’s what my life is. If you can’t handle that or knowing this makes you think less of me, I need you to speak out now before I fall deeper into this relationship.”

Silence.

Then the three men I addressed, quickly come to me with words of reassurance. Even David.

“We are not going anywhere,” he says, “none of us. We are all in this together now. We love you.”

I nod and then clench my fist. I have something that needs doing. Something I desperately need to heal my fractured mind.

“Daddy,” I say quietly. “I need to confess my sins and be absolved.”

You could hear a pin drop a thousand miles away.

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