Page 4 of A Temptation Too Great (Knights of Purgatory Syndicate #3)

Chapter Two

Moira

I watch as Brody leaves, not paying attention to my brother. Big mistake. I hated lying to Brody, but I couldn’t have him going to jail or getting hurt because of me.

Eion grabs me by my bun, his hands digging into my hair as he yanks me into his body. “I’ll fucking kill him, and it will be justified if you are dating him, sister.” He swings me around and throws me to the ground.

My hands fly out to catch myself. Pain radiates up my wrists, but I don’t cry out or let him know he hurt me. For years, I’ve endured his abuse and anger.

As the first police car pulls up, I glance over, and that’s when I see him. A man sitting in a car watching me. He’s one of Brody’s men, and he's videoing everything that just happened to me.

“Feck. Please don’t.” I mouth the words as I look into the camera, knowing Brody is watching me. Horror and revulsion flood through me. I’ve hidden this from everyone. No one knows because I didn’t want to be treated differently.

I hear voices and look up as my roommates rush to me. I pray they didn’t see the whole interaction.

“Are you okay, Ms. Kelly?” An officer reaches out to help me.

“Don’t touch her,” my brother barks, and the officer steps back. “She was attacked by Brody Tiernan,” he lies.

It’s in that moment I decide I’m done. I’m tired of it all.

I push myself up, cringing at the pain in my knees and wrists. I brush myself off as Arianna hurries toward me and wraps her arm around my shoulders.

“No, he didn’t. You pushed me.” I point at Eoin.

I know this could come back to bite me, but I’m done being his whipping bitch. I’m always telling Fiona and Giselle to stand up for themselves. Well, now it’s time I take my own advice.

I stand taller and face the other officer. “I’d like to file a report.”

“Are you sure?” the officer asks, glancing between me and Eoin.

“I’m sure.” I limp toward the house with the girls and the officer following close behind.

“Don’t do this, Moira. You’ll regret it,” Eoin yells after me. But his words only confirm I’m making the right choice.

I stop and turn to face him. “I regret not saying something sooner.”

We turn back, and when I step through the door into the house, the weight of what I’m about to do crashes down on me.

The officer sits at the table with me while Arianna gently cleans my hands and checks my knees.

My phone vibrates across the surface, but I ignore it.

I don’t need to look. I already know it’s my father.

Standing at the counter at work, I’m glad there’s security here, but a flicker of relief settles inside me knowing Brody’s man followed me in. Even if I don’t want to admit it, I’m grateful someone is keeping an eye on me.

I never got my eggs and soldiers. I barely had time to shower, slap on some makeup, and braid my hair before rushing out the door.

The police report is filed, and my father keeps blowing up my phone, but I ignore it.

I know he’ll try to talk me into changing my mind.

All my life, he’s either taken my brother’s side or told me it was nothing. I’ve never had a voice.

When my mother was alive, she would punish Eoin, but it only made his retaliation worse, so I stopped complaining.

After she died, it was like he had free rein.

His abuse escalated, and he began overstepping boundaries.

One night, I caught him in my room. It terrified me enough to get a lock for my door.

He complained to my father, and that’s when I started staying at school with Fiona.

I told her it was to keep her company. That wasn’t the first time I lied to her about what was really going on.

She’d seen the bruises, and I told her they came from our hand-to-hand defense classes, which my father didn’t think I should take but that I’m glad I did.

The door swings open, and part of me expects Brody to storm in, but it’s my father instead. I’m pissed. When security checks me, I nod, and they step closer.

“Moira Lynne Kelly, what do you think you’re doing?” It’s the second time today someone’s asked me that question.

“What I need to. I just told the truth.”

“You know you could ruin his career with this little stunt of yours,” he yells louder, and I look around.

Security moves toward him. “Sir, you’re going to have to leave if you don’t calm down. We’ll be forced to call the police.”

My father pulls out his wallet and flashes his badge. “I am the police, arsehole. Now back off.”

Security steps back, and just like that, I’m being thrown to the wolves as usual.

“Da, please just don’t get involved and, for once, support me.”

“But you’re lying. Your brother told me he witnessed Tiernan manhandling and pushing you.”

“No, Brody didn’t. Eoin did it. I have proof.”

“Who? One of Tiernan’s men doctoring up footage?”

“No, my security camera. Now, if you’re not here to check on my injuries, then leave. I’m done discussing this.”

“Take it back, Moira,” he orders before turning and walking out.

I slump against the counter and lean down, taking deep, calming breaths.

I’m never going to be able to do this on my own.

Brody

Storming into my brother’s house, I stomp straight to the kitchen where I know Fiona will be.

“How long has he been abusing her?” I bark.

My brother jumps up and is in my face. “Don’t ever speak to my wife like that again.” He shoves me.

“I think her whole life,” Fiona says quietly. “Stop, Aidan. I was wondering when he would figure it out. It’s my fault for not saying something sooner.”

“Are you kidding me? Why didn’t you turn them in? Why didn’t you do something about it?” I snap, moving past my brother as he turns toward his wife, who’s now crying. She’s been more emotional since she got pregnant.

“I tried, but she always denied it. She said it was from Taekwondo. Why do you think I didn’t argue when Mikayla offered to help me pay for the house? I knew I had to get her out of there. Her father is awful.” Fiona cries into Aidan’s chest.

I step back, my brows rising. “Her father is abusing her too? I thought it was just her brother.” I pull out a chair and sit, stunned.

“What?” Fiona asks, confused. “I thought it was her father. It was her brother? I should’ve guessed. I stayed at their house before her mam passed, and he creeped me out. He walked in on me while I was showering. It was so weird.”

“I’ll kill the fucker,” Aidan growls.

“You’ll have to beat me to it. Fucker threw her to the ground, and she begged me not to do anything. But I know she pressed charges against him.”

“You stood there while he pushed her around?” Aidan releases his wife and looks at me in shock.

“No, I didn’t just stand there. She made me ride off. The peelers were on their way. He was going to have me arrested. She promised me she’d be safe with him.”

“She lied. If you’re right, her brother is the one who has been abusing her all her life,” Fiona says.

“She told you?”

“No. She never said a word, but like I said, I suspected. I did everything I could. That’s why I wasn’t surprised when her father wouldn’t pay for college.”

“He’s a fecking wanker for choosing his son over her.”

“I’m sorry, Brody,” my brother says. “Take care of her, no matter what. She deserves to see that carrying a badge doesn’t mean you get to do whatever you want, and that not all of us are bad. At least we don’t beat our woman.” He smacks Fiona’s arse. “Well, not unless they like it.” He chuckles.

“That’s not funny, arsehole.” I stand and walk out the back door toward my house next door.

Since the moment she snuck out on me, I’ve been frustrated and upset with her.

But now I see maybe she was hiding her past from me.

No wonder she works out so much. She’s trying to find ways to protect herself.

Standing up for herself tonight sounds like a first, and she’s going to need more protection.

I pull out my phone and have one of my enforcers watch over her too.

I’m going to be there for her. I’ll protect her with my life if I must. She needs to know I’m not happy with what happened today, so I text her a message.

Me

I told you I’d kill him. He hurt you. No one does that to any woman, let alone mine.

Spitfire

Brody, please don’t. There’s too much attention on him now that I filed the police report. They’ll be watching him closer. Because of that, I need you to leave me alone too. Walk away now.

Me

I don’t care, baby. You know they call me the Harvester, not because I do crops, but because I’m the Grim Reaper. I’m not walking away, Moira. You can’t make me.

Spitfire

I know they call you that. Please just leave me alone.

Me

Please be safe.

She doesn’t respond back, but I can see she read the message.

I take a shower before climbing into bed.

My hand slides across the sheets to the side she should be sleeping on, but both of us got in the way of that.

I should have just taken her and claimed her right then.

She doesn’t know I blame myself for her being taken.

I was with my da and didn’t want him to know I had a girl yet.

But I should’ve known he’d pick up on it. He’s been asking me about her since he met her at Aidan and Fiona’s wedding, asking if I nutted up yet.

I fall asleep dreaming about her, but also worried and plagued by nightmares.