Page 70
Story: Sins and Salvation
"Business," she says with a shrug. "Nothing personal."
Rage burns through me. "He's six years old."
"And a Donovan." Her eyes narrow. "That's all that matters."
Declan moves closer to her chair. "Why, Siobhan? Why Conor? Why not come after me directly?"
She laughs, the sound hollow and bitter. "Oh, I did. The bullet in your shoulder, remember? But you're harder to break than most men." Her gaze returns to me. "Your weak spot is obvious."
"You're a monster," I tell her.
"I'm a Donovan." She tilts her head. "We’re all monsters. Just like your son will be."
Declan grabs the arm of her chair, leaning into her space. "Enough games. Petrov said you know something about Cormac. Something he doesn't want me to know."
Interest flickers in Siobhan's eyes. "Andrei talked before you killed him. Fucking weakling."
"What is Cormac hiding?"
"Why do you care? You abandoned this family years ago."
"I left to protect the woman I love. From our father. From the life he wanted for me."
"Such nobility." She scoffs. "And yet here you are, back in the fold, blood on your hands again."
"Not by choice."
"We always have choices, brother dear." She leans forward. "I chose to take what was rightfully mine. Cormac chose to stop me. You chose to come back to Dublin. And now, you'll choose what to do with what I tell you."
Declan straightens. "So, talk."
Siobhan's eyes dart to the window, where one of Cormac's men stands guard outside. "Not here. Not with his dogs listening."
I step forward. "This is bullshit. She's fucking with us."
Siobhan ignores me, focusing on Declan. "The basement. No windows, no ears."
Declan hesitates, then nods. "Show me."
"Declan—" I start to object.
"It's okay," he says. "Wait here."
"Like hell I will."
Siobhan smiles, amused by our exchange. "The nurse can come too. She should hear this."
She leads us to a door off the kitchen, opening to a narrow staircase. The basement is small but finished, with a card table and chairs in the center. A single bulb hangs overhead, casting harsh light.
Siobhan sits at the table, gesturing for us to join her. "Fucking cozy, right?"
"Talk," Declan says, taking a seat across from her. I remain standing, too wired to sit.
"Our father's death wasn't natural," Siobhan says without preamble. "Cormac helped him along."
Declan's face betrays nothing. "You're saying Cormac killed him."
"Not with his own hands, no. That's not our brother's style. But the heart medication Dad took? Cormac had it replaced with something else. Made it look like a stroke."
Rage burns through me. "He's six years old."
"And a Donovan." Her eyes narrow. "That's all that matters."
Declan moves closer to her chair. "Why, Siobhan? Why Conor? Why not come after me directly?"
She laughs, the sound hollow and bitter. "Oh, I did. The bullet in your shoulder, remember? But you're harder to break than most men." Her gaze returns to me. "Your weak spot is obvious."
"You're a monster," I tell her.
"I'm a Donovan." She tilts her head. "We’re all monsters. Just like your son will be."
Declan grabs the arm of her chair, leaning into her space. "Enough games. Petrov said you know something about Cormac. Something he doesn't want me to know."
Interest flickers in Siobhan's eyes. "Andrei talked before you killed him. Fucking weakling."
"What is Cormac hiding?"
"Why do you care? You abandoned this family years ago."
"I left to protect the woman I love. From our father. From the life he wanted for me."
"Such nobility." She scoffs. "And yet here you are, back in the fold, blood on your hands again."
"Not by choice."
"We always have choices, brother dear." She leans forward. "I chose to take what was rightfully mine. Cormac chose to stop me. You chose to come back to Dublin. And now, you'll choose what to do with what I tell you."
Declan straightens. "So, talk."
Siobhan's eyes dart to the window, where one of Cormac's men stands guard outside. "Not here. Not with his dogs listening."
I step forward. "This is bullshit. She's fucking with us."
Siobhan ignores me, focusing on Declan. "The basement. No windows, no ears."
Declan hesitates, then nods. "Show me."
"Declan—" I start to object.
"It's okay," he says. "Wait here."
"Like hell I will."
Siobhan smiles, amused by our exchange. "The nurse can come too. She should hear this."
She leads us to a door off the kitchen, opening to a narrow staircase. The basement is small but finished, with a card table and chairs in the center. A single bulb hangs overhead, casting harsh light.
Siobhan sits at the table, gesturing for us to join her. "Fucking cozy, right?"
"Talk," Declan says, taking a seat across from her. I remain standing, too wired to sit.
"Our father's death wasn't natural," Siobhan says without preamble. "Cormac helped him along."
Declan's face betrays nothing. "You're saying Cormac killed him."
"Not with his own hands, no. That's not our brother's style. But the heart medication Dad took? Cormac had it replaced with something else. Made it look like a stroke."
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84