Page 105 of Arranged Addiction

His lips turn purple. His tongue hangs out. He’s slapping at me weakly, trying to get me off, and just one more squeeze willfinish it. I could collapse his windpipe and be done with this traitor fuck.

Instead, I release him.

He breaks down into a fit of coughing and gasping. He hacks and spits blood, rubbing at his face and throat as I loom over him, breathing hard.

“You arrogant fuck,” I say through my teeth. “You had to be here for this, didn’t you? Stupid old bastard.”

“I was… doing what’s… best?—”

I don’t let him finish. I stomp down on his knee as hard as I can and smile as bones and cartilage twist and crack. He screams in pain, writhing and rolling onto his side, twisting to escape like the worm he is.

I kick him onto his back again and press down on his gut with my boot.

“You’re going to give me Senesi. You’re going to give me everything.”

“I will, I swear I will!”

I kick Donnell one last time as Seamus gives me the all-clear sign.

“And once that fucking psychopath is dead, I’m going to put my goddamn family back together.”

Chapter 37

Casey

Siobhan smiles at me weakly as I pace back and forth across the kitchen. “It’s not going to help,” she says, idly clicking her knitting needles together. “Trust me, I’ve done this a thousand times already.”

“How can you be so calm?”

“I’m screaming on the inside, but on the outside—” She raises up the scarf she’s making. “I keep my hands busy.”

“I don’t know how to do anything like that.”

“Alcohol is a close second.” She nudges my glass of wine toward me. “Sit down and drink it.”

I force myself into a chair and take small sips. There’s nothing either of us can do, and it drives me absolutely insane.

Declan’s out there risking his life. He’s hunting down Donnell and Senesi while I’m stuck in here doing nothing. He wouldn’t have all these problems if he hadn’t married me in the first place.

“I’m the reason he might die tonight,” I say, staring into the distance. The wine really isn’t helping. I think it might be making me even more depressed.

“We both know that isn’t true.” Siobhan keeps on knitting and doesn’t even break stride. “My husband’s cancer had nothing to do with you.”

“Well, that’s true, but still?—”

“And Donnell’s questionable loyalties also have nothing to do with you.”

“Senesi’s here because of me.”

“That’s true, and he’s certainly making life harder, but even he isn’t your fault. You know the phrase about the sins of the parents?”

“I’m just so powerless!” I jump up, unable to help myself, and start pacing again.

Siobhan gives me a sad smile but doesn’t ask me to sit down again.

I didn’t expect to feel like this. It’s one thing knowing Declan’s job is dangerous and potentially deadly, but it’s another waiting around in a room knowing he might never come home again.

I miss the days when he was just my asshole boss.