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Ours.

But something stirs beyond the edge of all my careful plans, a shadow I can't yet name, a hand already reaching to tear it all away.

Let them come.

I’ll drown the world in blood before I let that happen.

Aoife

The second I turn,I feel the anger rolling off Seamus in waves.Controlled but undeniable.He stands just inside the doorway, arms crossed.But his eyes—they burn.

I don’t let him sense even an ounce of intimidation."Something on your mind, Seamus?"

"That depends," he says, voice tight."What the hell were you just talking about?"

I meet his gaze without flinching."You’re going to have to be more specific."

His jaw flexes.He doesn’t take the bait.Doesn’t reveal how much he heard or if he saw me on my phone.So, I go with the safest option."I was going over plans for tonight.Speaking out loud."

"What plans?"Seamus demands, his voice tight.

"Didn’t Eamon tell you?"I ask, letting the question hang between us.

"Tell me what?"he presses, suspicion sharpening every word.

I let out a small, deliberate breath as if it’s nothing more than an afterthought."I’m going to kill my brother tonight."

For a moment, something flickers across Seamus’s face, shock, maybe even disbelief, but he masks it almost immediately."You’re serious," he says, his voice low.

I lift a shoulder in a careless shrug."Why wouldn’t I be?"

His expression hardens."Eamon mentioned it," he bites out."But he’s too busy dealing with another attack—one that’s conveniently tied to you."

The words hit me like a cold slap."What?"

"Someone killed six of our best men and left a message for you at the scene.Same kind of shit that used to show up from Ruairi."

My blood ignites.Another attack?A threat meant for me?

My fists tighten at my sides."Who the fuck is behind this?"

Seamus studies me like he’s waiting to see if I’m holding something back."That’s what I’d like to know.Any ideas?"

I take a steady breath.There’s only one name that comes to mind.Perhaps he sees through my plans.I pull out my phone and dial, making sure Seamus sees.When Cian picks up, I hit speaker.

"Twice in one day, lass," he muses, amusement lacing his tone."What a pleasure."

I don’t indulge him."Did you hit Eamon’s shipment?"

A pause.Not long, but enough.

"What?"His voice loses its usual smoothness."No.Why the fuck would I?"

"Then you need to find out who did.If there’s a traitor in the Syndicate, someone trying to take advantage of Ruairi being gone, we need to know."

Silence stretches for half a second before he replies, "I’m already working on it.And I’m doing everything in my power to bring your brother home."

Seamus and I exchange a quick glance.Cian’s a smooth liar.Even I’m not sure if he’s behind the hit or not, but I will damn sure get to the bottom of it.