Page 26 of The Irish Reaper

“I know you know how to talk,” I spit out. “So, just get it over with.”

One of his brows slowly raises that I would dare rush him, but I don’t care. I know I’m not playing with many options, but I am privy that being kept alive will work in their favor.

As long as they know that Cillian doesn’t care.

However, Pa might.

No, he will. I’m his daughter.

Since when?

“Dead,” Finn answers flatly, and everything suspends around me.

I don’t think I exhale as I continue staring at the man who just offered that one final word to me, which made this situation so much more dangerous.

I’m left in Cillian’s hands, and it’s the worst possible place to be in.

Tears burn the back of my eyes as my nostrils flare in unadulterated anger. Despite his faults, he was my only living parent. Pa may have used me as a pawn in his game, but he was still my father.

Cillian is going to be on a rampaged mess, and I can only hope that Pa’s men will guide him on the right path so that he doesn’t get himself killed as well.

Unless…

“And my brother?” I refuse to blink and allow my pending tears to fall, but I’m having a hard time. I just want to be left alone to process all this, and Finn is currently present and not giving me the space I desire.

“Alive.”

I avert my gaze because there’s that.

Nonetheless, I’m not super hopeful that Cillian will spend an ounce of his time trying to rescue me from the clutches of my family’s enemies.

I’m alone here.

I am the only one I can rely on.

“Are you sending my father’s body back?”

Finn stares back at me as though he doesn’t understand what I’m asking. I wish for a funeral that’s respected and beautiful for my father, but I highly doubt this is how it’s going to work. I don’t know what happens to dead enemies’ bodies, but I have a feeling there’s no procession or prayers said.

“Yes.” My focus slices back to the man in front of me. A sliver of something shining through because, at least, Pa will be able to be buried next to Mama. “In pieces.”

My gut immediately coils painfully, doubling me over a bit because my vivid imagination quickly plays all that for me in my head.

I think I’m going to throw up.

My thoughts go to my sister for the first time, and I’m ashamed of myself for not thinking of her sooner. She’s going to be absolutely devastated over Pa’s loss, and I’m praying to everything holy that Cillian doesn’t reveal those details, but subtle and human emotion was something he always lacked.

Add to that the fact that I’m missing, and Taylen will be by herself. She’s going to do something ridiculous. While my sister is sweetand kind-hearted, she, like Cillian, tries to do everything herself. She acts before she fully thinks things through, and I’m afraid she’s going to do something stupid.

“You’re an animal,” I leer through my distress, clenching my teeth together to keep myself from losing it altogether. “Send him back as a whole so we can send him off to God.”

“Why?”

I flex my fingers because, of course, this man wouldn’t understand. He probably worships the devil. “That is the most ignorant question anyone has ever asked me.”

“Doubtful.”

“I’mnotmarrying you. So either kill me or let me go. I don’t want your family or your land or whatever else it is that you O’Clerys do. It doesn’t interest me.”

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