Page 63 of Shattered Union

Actually, four. But I don't tell him that. Callie's obviously not told her family, and for a reason. It's up to her to tell them.

"Yeah, it's going to take some getting used to, but I'm not letting her go. No matter what."

He sighs. "You're just as stubborn as she is."

The silence fills the car and I'm fucking relieved. No more talking about shit that has nothing to do with him.

"Do you need a doctor to sign off on her death?" he questions a while later.

"What do you think I am? New? No, I don't need a doctor to sign her death certificate." I have seven doctors on my payroll. But none of those will be the one to sign the document. It'll be Granda's friend's son. The man is in debt and is on the brink of losing everything. His practice, his home, his wife and kids. He needs money and fast. He's willing to do whatever it takes to get the money he needs and he's grown up around us. He knows silence is key.

"The offer is there if you need it. What about Stephen? Do you need him?"

I consider that. Hmm, he could be useful. "No, unless the sick fuck is good at making someone who's been beaten look like they've been in a car accident?"

He pulls out his phone from his pocket. "What's the craic? You busy?" he questions. "Good, so I've got a question. If someone were in a fight, got banged up to hell. Would it be easy to make it look like they were in a car accident?"

What the fuck is he playing at?

"Ah, that's good to know. All right, thanks man, talk to you soon." He ends the call and turns to me. "So, you can make it look like a car accident. You just have to make sure you target her chest, face and legs. Anywhere else would be suspicious."

"Is there something wrong with you?" I ask, wondering if he was dropped on his head as a child.

His brows knit together. "What?"

I shake my head. Fucking useless. "Turn your phone off and be quiet."

I can't believe I let the moron come along with me. I should have left his arse at home. The sooner we get to the old cattle farm, the bloody better. I want Callie back, and killing her brother isn’t going to help me.

19

Denis

Ipull up onto the old farm. The derelict shed sits on seven acres in the middle of nowhere. There's no house for at least seven miles and we'll be able to see anyone coming up the lane as soon as they turn off from the main road.

The shed's dimly lit. Giving us enough light to see what's happening. I climb out of the car, Maverick following suit. The sooner this shit’s over with, the better. At least then we can all get on with our lives.

Walking into the cold shed, my feet hit the plastic which lines the floor, ready to catch any blood or brain matter that may occur. My gaze is instantly drawn to Zoe, she's sitting in an old rickety wooden chair, bound and gagged.

"She wouldn't shut the fuck up," Michael growls. "It was gag the bitch or put a bullet in her. I didn't think you'd be best pleased if I offed her. So a gag was the only option I was left with."

"I've been wanting to gag the cunt for years," I say, and hear both Michael and Maverick laugh. "Zoe, Zoe, Zoe," I tut at her. "You never learned your place. You pushed too fucking far this time."

She pulls against the bindings whilst yelling something around the gag. None of it is intelligible. I pull the crude, oiled rag from her mouth and she runs her mouth.

"You're a fucking bastard, Denis. A motherfucking bastard," she spits at me. "You can say goodbye to your precious son. It's over. Do you understand? It's over."

I smile, letting the anger and malice come out. She's rarely seen me like this and when she does, she knows it's time to toe the line. "You mean the thumb drive you had at the Dublin bank. Oh, I already have that."

Her eyes widen. "What?" she whispers.

"Yeah. Must be shit to know all of your kids helped me find it."

Her lips thin. "You think it's the only one I have?" she says with a satisfied grin.

"No, it wasn't. You had three more. All of them copies and none would be admissible in court. The one that was at your ma's was a great hiding place. It took me almost as long as it did to find the bank. You have Chloe to thank for both of those."

"That stupid bitch, I should have aborted her like I'd planned."

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