Page 82 of Problems

Shit. Triads!

I elbowed him in the back of the head. The man faltered, swore, and punched me in the side. I grunted as I prepared to hit him again, but we'd already reached the car.

"Get him in!"

They shoved me inside. I kicked out and caught the man who'd been holding me in the chest. He choked, holding his sternum as I glared at him. My brief moment of triumph vanished as a fist crashed into my face. Blood rushed from my nose as they all jumped back into the van.

"Let's go!"

I turned to the window and my heart dropped as I saw Cian lying on the ground, face down. He didn't move. Was he even breathing? I lunged forward only to be shoved to the cold, hard floor. Something was yanked over my head. All the light disappeared as I was plunged into darkness.

"Cian!"

I screamed until my throat burned. The more I tried to fight, the harder I was held down. I heard the familiar sound of zip ties as I was restrained and left on the floor.

"Fucking pain in the ass," a man growled.

"It'll be worth it."

I panted before I forced myself to calm down. If I kept panicking, I would never get back to them. I would never go home again. And I had to. There were people I loved now, people that I swore I would protect the same way they protected me.

"Stop squirming!" A foot kicked into my side.

"I'm going to kill you," I said calmly. "All of you."

Their laughter didn't phase me. I'd been laughed at my whole life. I kept my body relaxed as I imagined them covered in blood. One way or another I'd make sure everything I imagined came true.

CHAPTER TWENTY

RONAN

Something was wrong.We stepped through the front door into utter silence.

"Finn."

"Clear the house first."

He dropped the grocery bags to the ground and pulled out his gun. I followed suit as he made our way down the front hall. We split in the kitchen as we crept through the place. The only sound reaching my ears was the hum of the air conditioner and Cian's computer setup. But no Jack or Cian.

"No one’s here," Finn said. His mouth was in a flat line as we looked at each other.

"No sign of anyone breaking in either," I said.

All the locks were intact, no windows were broken and no blood. Knowing Cian there was liable to be a dead body around if something happened.

Panic crept up my spine leaving a chill that felt bone deep. We both looked at each other before rushing outside.Which way should we go?My heart felt as if it was permanently lodged in my throat.

"You go that way. I'll head this way," Finn ordered.

Before Finn could get a step away, I stopped him. "We don't have phones how in the hell are we going to—" My words died instantly as I figured headed our way.

I blinked a few times as Cian came to focus. He was covered in dirt and blood. One of his eyes was bloodshot as if he'd been hit there one too many times. The closer he got, the easier it was to see a blood vessel had popped. His lip was swollen and he was favoring his right leg. But what stuck out to me most was who was missing. There was no Jack.

"Where is he?" Finn asked before I could even get my mouth to work.

Cian bared his teeth at us like a rabid animal. "They —fuck."

Finnian stepped closer to Cian. "Where the fuck is Jack?"

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