Page 30 of Deliver Us From Evil

“It’s for both our gain,” he replies, reaching into his pocket and producing something I thought was lost.

Babydoll’s necklace.

“Do this, and I will tell ye where Cami is.”

The rose brooch hanging off the chain is like a pendulum, hypnotizing me with everything that it represents because, for the first time in my life, I know Sean is telling me the truth.

We do this, and his reputation will be notorious. No one will dare challenge him because there will be no enemies left. He will be king—in Northern IrelandandIreland. And this is why he’ll let Cami go.

This is what he’s been fighting for his entire life, and to achieve that, he needs me on his side. He will risk his life as he knows the moment I find her, his head is mine. I do this, andbothour lives are at risk because he will hunt me, just as I will hunt him.

But I won’t lose.

I will do what he wants. I will take great pleasure in killing Liam Doyle for he is merely an entrée to the main meal. Once I steal the haul and crown Sean, I will rip that crownandhis head from his corpse. I may not have an army, but I will fight with the strength of a thousand men, for revenge fuels me.

“Sounds like good craic,” I state, reaching for the necklace. “But if yer lyin’ to me, it’s the last thing y’ll ever do.”

Snatching the chain from his hand, I instantly feel like I can breathe again with it in my possession.

“I promise ye, you do this for me, and yer free to have yer happily ever after.”

That’s a lie because that will only happen with his death.

He’s quite confident I won’t kill him once I get what I want. I wonder if that has anything to do with Aoife? Or maybe he simply plans on killing me once I’ve served my purpose. He’ll have hundreds of men, here and in Ireland, desperate to work for him. He believes I can’t win against an army.

Time will tell.

“So, this party of Liam’s is to celebrate one of the biggest drug hauls in history?” No wonder he’s so eager for me to attend.

Sean nods with a smirk. “And it’ll be one to remember when ye use Liam’s entrails to paint the walls red. We kill him and then steal his drugs. If that doesn’t send a message, I’m not sure what does.”

“There is nowe, just so we’re clear,” I correct. “No doubt, y’ll be ensurin’ others do the dirty work for ye.”

“Yer my son, therefore, yer representin’ the Kelly name. Everyone wins.”

I can’t help but scoff. “And what makes ye so sure I won’t killyou? Once I do this, the power will be inmyhands, not yers.”

Sean grins. Not the response I was expecting. “’Cause I know ye never wanted this life, Punky. And for the first time ever, yer given a choice. I know what y’ll choose.”

I hate that he’s right. I hate that he knows me better than I know myself.

“Y’ll choose Cami. Y’ll choose the safety of yer friends. I know this because that’s the reason we’re here. It’s because ye care that I can do this and know that given the choice, y’ll sacrifice it all for the people you love.

“If ye don’t, ye know this cycle between us will never end. I know how ya think. And that’s why I will always beat ya. Ye lead with yer heart, and that’s yer biggest downfall, son. Ya want to be a leader, but leaders can’t love.

“Love only leads to heartache. It’s what’ll get ye killed.”

My breathing is measured, for I’m seconds away from showing him just what I’m prepared to do for love.

“Ye can try to kill me once I get what I want, but as long as ye have people in yer life ye’d do anythin’ to protect, y’ll lose. Do ya know how to make someone show ye what they hold most precious in this world?”

I don’t want to hear it because I already know what he’s going to say. It’s what I’ve done time and time again.

“Set fire to their house, and it’s the first thing they run for.”

It’s what I did with Cami, with Cian, with every single person I’ve tried to protect.

“So, do we have a deal?” He extends his hand as though this is a reciprocated transaction. But what choice do I have?

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