Page 71 of Destroy (Deadly Hearts 2)

ChapterThirty-One

Ruby

After it was agreed we would take the rest of the day to think about it, I climb back into the white sedan with Declan and Cillian. The rest of the men get back in the Range Rover. Declan pulls onto the road, and they follow.

“About ten minutes,” Declan mutters.

I nod, about to close my eyes for a bit of a rest, my head is banging all of a sudden, when Cillian says, “Look, I know we just agreed not to talk about this with each other, but fuck that. It’s just us here. Ruby, what are you thinking? Because I’m thinking this is a bad idea, but the only idea. And I get why I have to be the one to take out the hit, but this is going to put my arse in even bigger shite than it already is.”

I sigh and turn to face him. “You don’t have to worry about the fallout if we agree to go this route. I have a plan for you. Before we came here, I took out the head of one of the higher up gangs. Nasty man, nasty business, but I’ve decided to back you into taking his place and cleaning up the mess he’s created. For example, I don’t deal with drugs and prostitution. If you do, you don’t anymore…”

He shakes his head.

“Good. So that’s my plan for you.”

He swallows and then launches himself at me through the seats and cups the back of my head to plant a kiss on me, filled with about half a dozen emotions, desire only one of them.

“Do you mind?” Declan grumbles. “You’re in the bloody way.”

Cillian pulls back with an elated smile. “You’d do that for me?”

“For us,” I state. “It’s mutually beneficial.”

“Understood. I think I might just be falling in love with you, Ruby Bellingham.”

“You wouldn’t be the first one,” Declan mutters, making me blush.

Cillian sits back and then a few minutes later, he groans, “Oh, you have got to be kidding me.”

“What?” I ask and look out of the side window where Declan has pulled up in front of a small cottage.

“Didn’t have a choice,” Declan says and gets out quickly.

I frown and see him go over to a gorgeous redhead that is…as thin as a fucking rail.

“Siobhan!” I roar and shove the car door open so hard with my foot, it bounces back and bangs me on the knee. “Oww, you fucker. And you!” I snarl, marching up to Declan once I’ve hobbled up the pathway.

“She can help,” he says and then brushes past her to enter the cottage.

“Hi,” she says, holding her hand up in an awkward wave. “I’m Siobhan.”

“Yeah, I know,” I grit out. “Ruby.”

“Yep,” she says and then looks over my shoulder. “Nice to see you again, Cillian.”

“Humph,” he mutters and hangs back, looking shifty.

I grimace at him and also brush past Siobhan to enter the house and end up directly in the kitchen. Cillian trails reluctantly in after me, with Siobhan bringing up the rear and closing the door. I glance out of the window and see the Range Rover pull up.

“How can she help?” I ask Declan, being really rude.

“At some point we need to head home. With that in mind, Cillian’s cover identity will be flagged wherever Connor has people, which I’m guessing is everywhere. He needs a new passport and Siobhan can give it to him.”

“Oh,” I say, feeling a little bit, just a tiny bit, abashed. “Guess she can help, then.”

He rolls his eyes at me, and then says, “Cillian, join me outside for a minute.”

I curse the day they were born when they abandon me with their ex.

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