Page 38 of Sweet Deception (Irish Kings #4)
Chapter Thirty-Four
Infiltrating the Red Hill operations base! It’s perfect.
Except…as I listen to Rory, I again realize that no one’s mentioning the missing women. These men only care about one-upping their Red Hell rivals.
I keep hoping that someone will change their tune to include a discussion about the women, because if that happens, then I won’t have to betray Darren’s trust.
The idea of doing that stings more than I’d like to admit, but in the end, the Kings may leave me no choice.
Still, it’s wild to be sitting here in their command central, observing a presentation on the very topic that’s occupied my thoughts for the past few weeks. Anticipation, angst, and greed all collide inside me, my eyes eagerly scanning the information on each of Rory’s slides.
He’s got blueprints of the base, technological specs of the place, everything.
The info he found…amazingly, incredibly…is exactly what will help me triangulate Lucy’s whereabouts and get her to safety.
So as soon as Rory says he needs someone on the inside, my hand shoots up.
“Let me do it.” All the eyes in the room settle on me. Shane, Donal, Finn, Cian, Rory, and Darren are all giving me the she’s nuts look. I blink back at them. “What?”
“Absolutely not.” Darren’s fingers thread around my palm as he pulls my hand out of the air. “Rory, please, continue.”
Irritation rushes through me. I snatch my hand out of Darren’s grip. “I’m completely serious.” I shift back to Rory. “Shane decided to keep me here so I could be of use to the family. So, let me help. I want to. Please.”
If I’m the one who sneaks into the Red Hill base, I’ll be able to bug their server for the Kings…and for myself. That way, I’ll have direct access to all Red Hill communications in or out, and I won’t have to rely on Rory or wait for secondhand information to reach me.
My mind races through all the steps it would take.
It’s dangerous, but if Darren’s there, he won’t let anything happen to me. I’m certain.He’s proven himself.
“Darren and I will do it together.” I stand, ignoring Darren’s incredulous face to address the room. “You already know I’m skilled at infiltrating, and what’s more, I know exactly what we’re searching for and how to set up.”
Darren’s angry, resistant energy radiates off him, so I stride toward the presentation display until I’m standing right beside Rory and begin to elaborate on all the thoughts forming in my mind.
I outline the entry points and equipment requirements, carefully weaving in the extra time and access I’ll require for my own plan without raising suspicion. I’m in my element—where I can be precise, logical, technical.
When I finish explaining, I find the men watching me with new interest. “What do you think?”
Shane leans forward, the previous suspicion on his face replaced by something resembling respect. But instead of responding to me, he folds his hands and says, “Rory?”
“She’s right.” Rory rubs his chin while his eyes remain trained on the screen. “I think it could work.”
Excitement inflates my chest. I could bounce all the way up to the ceiling.
For some reason, having the tech genius’s stamp of approval gives me more confidence in the good work I do. And more to the point, with Rory’s support, the buy-in of everyone else in the room will probably follow, which means, after a hundred dead ends, I’m finally one step closer to finding Lucy.
I wish I could call Maya and tell her what’s going on.
My eyes search for Darren’s. His expression catches me by surprise, pride and fear warring in his blue irises. His hands are clenched so tightly, veins stand along both his forearms.
I have a strong impulse to go over to him, but before my feet move an inch, I witness a silent exchange between him and his father. Donal’s slight headshake meets Darren’s defiant stare as decades of understanding pass between them.
Donal is the next one to speak. “Your skills are impressive.” His tone is calculated. “I’m glad you’re on our side.”
His careful words hit me like a challenge. Donal doesn’t trust me or my intentions. That’s abundantly clear. And his mistrust strikes straight at my heart. Because he’s right.
The same way these men don’t care about Lucy, I don’t care about their main objective. They’re using me, and I’m using them. And that’s all there is to it.
Until I glance at Darren and realize that I’m playing myself.
For me, this may be about Lucy, but I have more to worry about now than when I first ventured down this crazy path. Somehow, I have more to lose than just Lucy’s life or my own. And if I refuse to reckon with that, I’m a fool.
Still, I meet Donal’s gaze without backing down. “I know time is of the essence. When do we move?”