Page 28 of Dangerously
“Really? What the fuck did you think would happen?” Did you think you were going to get away scot-free, drinking margaritas on the Mexican Riviera?”
“That’s not so farfetched if you knew the truth. What lies did Ronan poison you with? Did he tell you I turned against the family? That I conspired with the San Gennaro’s? ThatImade a move for power?”
“Something like that,” I respond cautiously. “You went on a killing spree, and now he’s the only Kennedy left.”
Extreme hostility flashes in Declan’s big, green eyes. “That was his plan the whole fucking time.”
I shake my head, not understanding. “Whose plan?”
“Ronan’s. He was the fucking mastermind behind the whole fucking thing. He wanted to take over. He didn’t like the way the elders were running things, and he was tired of waiting for them to die, so he took matters into his own fucking hands. And before he could kill me too, I ran. I took my daughter, and I fucking ran. And I’ll keep running until she’s safe.”
Daughter?
“You haven't made it very far; you didn’t even leave Boston.”
“Yeah, well, that was coming. I had to set shit up in order to get out of the country, and when you’re blacklisted, it isn’t easy. I knew Ronan would never look for me here. He thinks I’m too smart to stay in the city.”
“It definitely threw us off your trail,” I admit.
“Anything to buy time.”
“You don’t have much of it anymore. He knows where you are. And if I don’t finish the job, someone else will. Might as well just give up now.”
“Not a fucking chance in hell.” He hugs Aisling protectively.
I analyze her. He said she’s two. Which makes me start to wonder. “Is she the reason you left so suddenly two years ago?” I try not to let the question sound bitter.
“Yes. Brynn went into labor early. I had to be there.”
“So, you just fucking left? No goodbye, no nothing?”
“What else was I supposed to do? Tell you that the woman I was in love with was going into labor with our child?”
I try not to wince at his response. ’Cause I tell myself it doesn't fucking hurt. I tell myself that Declan O’Dea doesn’t mean shit to me.
“If you were in love with someone else, why sleep with me? Why ask me to stay? Are you really just that shitty of a person?”
There is sheer disdain on his face. “It was complicated.”
“Complicated how?”
“We weren’t exactly together.”
“This story just keeps getting more interesting. Explain.”
Declan sighs, clearly exhausted. He kisses Aisling’s little cheek before leaving the room. I try to stop my ovaries from throbbing. I hate being human sometimes.
When Declan returns, it’s without Aisling. He ambles around in bare feet, picking up his displaced liquor delivery. He sits directly in front of me, crisscrossing his legs, and cracks open the dark green Jameson bottle. He sticks his finger inside first and wets it, then swipes it across the cut on his lip. He sucks in some breath when it stings. Then he proceeds to drink, gulping down several large mouthfuls of whiskey all at once.Damn.
He then tips the bottle in my direction.
“No, thanks.”
“Suit yourself.”
In no time flat, half the bottle is gone.
Declan and I sit there in silence, me still tied to this fucking beam, him getting shitfaced right before my very eyes.
