Page 40

"No. He cares. The hypocrite." She tosses the phone onto the table. "He'll come. Or send someone."

I think of Maeve and Conor, safe in Kerry. At least they're far from this mess. I picture Conor's face, those eyes so like mine. The son I barely know. I can't die here, not when I've just found him.

A noise outside makes Siobhan freeze. She grabs her gun, moving to the window.

"Stay quiet," she hisses.

I hear it too now—footsteps on the gravel path.

"Cormac?" she calls. "Is that you?"

No answer.

She backs away from the window. "Fuck."

"Expecting someone else?"

"Shut up."

More sounds—whispers, the crunch of boots. Siobhan aims her gun at the door.

It crashes open.

Jack, Cormac's man, surges in first, gun raised. Behind him—Maeve.

My heart stops. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

Siobhan turns her gun on Maeve. "Well. Isn't this interesting."

Jack keeps his weapon trained on my sister. "Put it down, Siobhan."

"I don't think so." She steps closer to me, pressing the barrel against my temple. "One move and he dies."

Maeve stands frozen in the doorway, eyes locked on mine. She looks terrified but ready to fight.

"Where's Conor?" I ask her.

"Safe. With Fiona."

Siobhan laughs. "Fiona? You trusted Fiona with your kid? That's stupid."

Maeve pales. "What do you mean?"

"Fiona's been helping me for months. She's the one who told me about your son in the first place. Spotted you at some mother-son school outing."

My blood runs cold. "Maeve, call the house. Now."

She fumbles for her phone, but Siobhan clicks her tongue. "Too late for that."

"If anything happens to my son—" Maeve starts.

"You'll what? You're nothing. A nobody who spread her legs for a Donovan, and got knocked up." Siobhan's smile is cruel. "But your kid—he's got potential. Donovan blood."

Something snaps inside me. With a roar, I throw my weight backward, breaking the chair against the floor. The zip ties cut deep but give way as the wood splinters. I lunge for Siobhan, ignoring the explosion of pain in my shoulder.

The gun goes off. I feel the bullet graze my side but don't stop. I tackle her to the ground, wrestling for the weapon. Jack moves in, trying to get a clear shot.

"Back off!" I yell at him. This is between me and my sister.