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SIOBHAN

I t's been a long time, hours maybe. My wrist is growing chafed from the friction caused by this handcuff rubbing my skin. It's growing dark outside now, sun setting over the city while I waste away in this stinking room chained to the table. If Doyle thinks this is going to intimidate me into doing his bidding, he's wrong.

I hear noise outside the house from time to time, children's laughter, shouts of parents calling them inside. I tried shouting, but it earned me a hard smack and another threat, so now I sit in silence waiting for the inevitable. Either Finn comes to save me or these eejits come back to threaten me more, possibly kill me.

A lot of things go through my mind, but mostly, I think of how many warnings I had that this situation would be deadly, starting with Trevor. Why did I ever think I could take on the different factions of the Irish Mafia and live to tell about it? Trevor was strong, much stronger than me, and they murdered him in cold blood. Why not me too? And why didn't I listen to Liam's warnings?

I should've known something horrible would happen. If the fear I had niggling at me for weeks before the trial started wasn't a big enough red flag, I should've recused myself the instant I learned Callahan was dirty. I should've stepped away when I had the chance, and now I'm here, praying to God that I don't die.

The din of neighborhood traffic is interrupted by the squealing of tires and shouts of angry men. I don’t know what's going on, but in my mind I picture Hagen Doyle figuring out that his father has me held captive here. He's come to silence me, probably force me to cough up evidence I don't have. McVeigh has it all. In fact, he'll be the one probably trying the case when it goes to court. I'm done with this life. I can't go after these people. They scare me.

But then, I hear something familiar. The warmth of a baritone I recognize. It isn't Hagen Doyle at all. It's Finn. He's with someone else, and there is shouting. I know the tone of his voice, though I've only heard him this angry once or twice.

I listen carefully for a second, hoping to hear what is being said in all the shouting, but then gunshots break out and I'm terrified.

"Finn! In here!" I scream over and over. The noise is so loud I can't even hear myself think. The gunshots rattle me, each one making me jump out of my skin. I push the chair back and crouch under the table, praying none of the rounds pierce the walls and reach this far.

Tears well up and I'm shaking as the firefight continues. They’re closer now, in the house. There has to be a dozen of them, and all of them are firing at once. Doyle must have been taken by surprise. I know he wasn't expecting this.

The gunfire continues to tear through the air, but now, it's closer. The floor shakes with each shot, rattling the walls and my bones. I’m trembling, crouched under the table, hands still chained to it. My pulse is so loud, I can barely hear the shouting outside, but I know Finn’s out there. I know he’s coming. The sound of his voice cuts through the chaos like a beacon.

“Siobhan! Stay down!”

I barely manage to swallow the scream building in my throat. I want to shout, want to run to him, but my legs feel like lead, and the cuffs are a cruel reminder of my helplessness. I grip the edge of the table, heart racing. The sound of heavy boots grows closer, the door rattling in its frame, and then— crash .

Finn bursts into the room, and I can’t stop the sob of relief that escapes me. He’s here. His eyes lock on mine, and his face is a mix of fury and determination. He doesn’t waste a second. Without saying a word, he kicks the leg of the table, and it breaks under the force. My arm jerks to one side, but I quickly slide the handcuff from the table leg and free myself.

“I’ve got you,” Finn says, pulling me to my feet.

I stumble, but Finn’s hands are steady on my shoulders, guiding me. His brothers are right behind him, Declan and Ronan, guns raised and scanning the room. Shots ring out from the hall, and I flinch, but Finn doesn’t even hesitate.

“Move!” Finn growls, and I don’t need to be told twice.

The air is thick with gunfire, but Finn keeps me close, his body shielding mine. I can barely keep my balance, but he’s pushing me toward the door, not giving me a chance to breathe. Declan and Ronan cover us, their guns barking, and the sound of tires screeching fills the air.

The car is close, and I can hear it, the engine roaring to life. Finn doesn’t slow down. He shoves me toward the back door, his grip tight around my wrist.

“Get in!” he demands.

I dive in without thinking, Finn right behind me, and in an instant, the world is a blur as the car roars into motion, speeding away from the madness. My breath catches in my throat as I glance back toward the house, but Finn’s arm is already around me, pulling me close, his voice low and urgent.

“We’re not out of it yet, Siobhan. Stay with me.”

I nod, holding onto him as if my life depends on it—because it does.

The car speeds through the streets, tires screeching as the driver expertly navigates the tight corners, pushing the car faster. I keep glancing behind us, but there's no sign of anyone chasing us—yet. My heart pounds in my chest, the weight of the night catching up to me. Finn sits beside me, tense, his eyes scanning the road ahead, his jaw clenched.

“Almost there,” he mutters.

I cling to his side, the shock of everything threatening to overwhelm me. Finn’s arm wraps around me, pulling me close, offering the only comfort he can. His voice is soft, but steady. “You’re safe now, Siobhan. I’ve got you.”

The car turns down a narrow, tree-lined road, and I realize we’re pulling into a driveway—one I’ve never seen before. The house looms ahead, large and quiet, a stark contrast to the chaos we just left behind.

Finn exhales, his shoulders relaxing for the first time all night. “We’re here.”

I don’t move at first, the weight of everything still sinking in. But Finn’s hand gently squeezes mine, and I nod. I'm still shaking. Everything happened so fast, I don't even know where we are. But Finn is at ease, his shoulders still taut but his face calm.

"Where?" I ask, looking around. It's so dark now. I can't see anything but lights streaming from the windows of a large house we're parked in front of.

"Home," he tells me, and as he says it, he opens the door. His home is massive, a sprawling expanse of brick towering over us. I climb out of the car but never break contact with him. He is my refuge, the safety I've needed to feel all day.

He leads me inside, leaving the door of his car open. I hear him talk on his phone, telling his brothers we're safe, that we're at his house now. Everything is a blur now, like my life flashed before my eyes and now I'm not sure what to even think.

Finn babies me, walking me straight into his bedroom and into the ensuite where he starts the water for a hot shower. "Strip off. Let me clean you up," he says, and his hands are already working to undress me. I feel like things are moving in slow motion now.

Cormac Doyle's scarred face haunts me. Every time I close my eyes, I see it looming over me, threatening me. I must be in shock. I'm moving on autopilot, struggling to make it all make sense.

Until the steamy water hits my flesh and awakens me. Finn steps into the shower with me, wrapping his arms around me as I begin to cry softly.

"You came for me," I mumble against his chest, and he kisses the top of my shoulder while tipping my head back into the water to dampen it.

"Of course I did. I love you." His words begin to sink in as he lathers my hair and rinses it. His hands are gentle, touching the bloodied scabs of my knees as he kneels and washes the dirt away. "My God, those animals," he growls, but I grab his hand and pull him up again. I need his arms around me now.

"Thank you," I tell him, pulling him in for a kiss.

"Baby, you don't have to thank me. It's what we do, okay? You’re safe now. They'll never touch you again." His hard body against mine is anchoring, calming my nervous system to allow me to think more clearly.

"They want me to try the case of Hagen Doyle." I'm shaking my head, hands trembling.

"No, you're not going to do that. McVeigh can find someone else." He clasps my hands in his and calms me, and I let more tears escape, though they mix with the water from the shower and wash away faster than I can cry them out.

"They'll kill me," I whisper.

"I'll hunt them down one at a time and cut off their balls." He kisses my cheek, whispers in my ear, "I'm never letting them harm you again. Do you understand? You belong to me."

His lips claim mine possessively, and I let him. The ache of desperation—to live and be loved—has clawed at my mind all day. Now, in his arms, the only thing I can think is how much I want to be alive, with him.

Finn's hands roam, relearning my body, and mine are no exception. I press against him, seeking solace in every muscle, every little ripple that promises safety. His arousal hardens between us, and he doesn't shy away from it, instead guiding me to wrap my legs around him.

"I need you," I tell him before his mouth takes mine again. "I need this."

He moans into the kiss and lifts me up, pressing his length against me as he crushes me to the shower wall and pins me up against it, impaling me roughly. "God, I've missed your pussy," he growls, and I arch my hips to meet him.

It has been too long since we were together like this—though it’s only been a few days—and the heat of him inside me is all I've craved since our last time together.

"Finn," I breathe, raking my nails down his back, and he groans, picking up the pace. The water pelts my skin, mixing with our comingled sweat as Finn moves faster and harder against me, the only sound our labored breaths and the slap of our bodies coming together.

"Jaysus, feck," he growls, pressing harder into me, and I cry out, feeling him rhythmically pumping. His biceps are rock hard, muscles flexed as he holds me up. I press my elbows into his shoulders as I kiss him harder. He bites my lip. My hands grip his head, fingers tangling into his hair.

"Shit," I pant, my orgasm building. My thighs burn from exertion. I hold onto him tighter, lean into the wall as the first waves begin to rise from my core upward into my belly.

"That's it, come for me," he growls, picking up the pace until I'm screaming into his mouth, my entire body shuddering around him. I lose myself, panting and moaning, arching against his chest as he bites one of my nipples. His grip on my hips is bruising, but I don't care. Not when his moans fill the bathroom, echoing off the tiles. All I can think of is how incredible it feels to be alive, to be with him.

"Siobhan," he pants, pulsating inside me as he shudders, and I clench around him, feeling his climax in my core. His lips find mine again and again as we both ride it out, gasping for air as our minds catch up with our heaving chests.

"I love you," he says after a few minutes, and I can only nod in agreement.

My body is spent and aching in the best way possible. After the day I’ve had, this was the only possible ending. Finn holds me like I weigh nothing at all, kissing me like I’m the most-treasured thing he owns, and maybe I am.

“I love you too,” I mutter when he gives me an opportunity to breathe. He sets me down, but he remains close, still pressing me into the cold tile.

“And I’m never letting you go.”

“I wouldn’t dream of leaving,” I tell him, and I drape my arms around his shoulders loosely. Because right here is where I want to be, damn the consequences. I don’t know what my future looks like, but I see him in it. It’s the only way I want it.