Page 21

NINETEEN

emmanuel

FIVE MONTHS LATER

I watch as she exits the school with Lisa Turner right beside her.

The two of them are thick as thieves. For the past five months, we’ve ramped up the security around her, ensuring no one can get close to her.

We have round-the-clock security, and everyone who gets close is vetted to the nth degree.

I won’t be taking chances, no fucking way.

She’s seventeen now and fucking gorgeous. Being around her is hard. I want her like no other, but she’s too fucking young and my family has fucked up her life enough.

“Go,” I hear Lisa tell her. “I’ll see you later. I’ve got something I need to do. Emmanuel will look after you.”

Clodagh hesitates for a moment. “Are you sure? I don’t want you to be by yourself.”

Lisa flashes her a smile. “I promise. I’m going to be okay. Now go. We’ll celebrate tonight. Thank fuck we’re finished.”

The girls had their last exam today, and in a month or so they’ll find out how they did and if they’ll be off to college. I have no idea what Clodagh’s plans are, but no matter where she goes, I’ll be ensuring that she’s safe and taken care of.

“Any word?” Clodagh asks once Lisa’s left.

“We tracked my father to Hawaii,” I tell her and watch as her shoulders sag with relief. “He’s been in the USA for the past three months. It’s taken us a little time to figure out where and how the fuck he got into the country.”

Clodagh nods, her relief clear to see. "So he's not here. He can't hurt us."

I wish I could share her optimism, but I know better. "He's not here now, but that doesn't mean he won't come back. We need to stay vigilant."

She sighs, running a hand through her hair. "I know. I just... I'm tired of being afraid all the time, Emmanuel. I want to live my life without constantly looking over my shoulder."

Her words hit me hard. This is exactly what I was afraid of—that my father's actions would continue to haunt her, to rob her of a normal life.

"I'm sorry," I say softly. "I wish I could make this all go away for you."

Clodagh looks at me, her eyes softening. "It's not your fault. You've done so much to keep me safe. I just wish..."

She trails off, but I can guess what she was going to say. She wishes things were different. That she could be a normal teenager, worrying about exams and college applications instead of murderous crime lords.

"Come on," I say, trying to lighten the mood. "Let's get you home. I hear you have some celebrating to do tonight."

As we walk to the car, I can't help but notice how close she stays to me, her arm occasionally brushing against mine. It sends a jolt through me each time—a reminder of the feelings I've been trying to suppress.

"Emmanuel," she says as we reach the car. "Thank you. For everything."

Before I can respond, she stands on her tiptoes and presses a quick kiss to my cheek. It's innocent, just a gesture of gratitude, but it leaves me reeling.

"You're welcome," I manage to say, my voice gruffer than I intended.

As I drive her home, my mind is racing. I know I need to maintain a professional distance, to remember my role as her protector. But with each passing day, it's getting harder to ignore the growing connection between us.

Once I’ve dropped her off at home, I head to Jer’s house. As usual, I find him in his office poring over reports.

"Any news?" I ask, collapsing into a chair.

Jer looks up, his expression grim. "Nothing good. We've confirmed that your father is working closely with the Syndicate now. They're planning something big, but we don't know what yet."

I curse under my breath. "And we still don't know how they're always one step ahead of us?"

Jer shakes his head. "No, but I'm pretty sure we have a mole. The intel they have... it's too specific, too accurate."

The thought sends a chill down my spine. If there's a traitor in our midst, no one is safe.

"What do we do?" I ask.

Jer leans back in his chair, looking weary. "We keep digging. And we watch our backs. In the meantime, we need to focus on keeping Clodagh safe. Your father may be in Hawaii now, but that doesn't mean he's not still a threat."

I nod, thinking of the kiss Clodagh gave me earlier. "About that... I think we might have a problem."

Jer raises an eyebrow. "What kind of problem?"

I hesitate, not sure how to explain the growing tension between Clodagh and me. "She's... getting attached. And I'm worried I might be too."

Jer's expression darkens. "Emmanuel, you know how dangerous that could be. For both of you."

"I know," I say, running a hand through my hair in frustration. "But I can't help it. She's not just a job anymore, Jer. She's..."

"She's off limits," Jer finishes firmly. "You need to maintain a professional distance. For her safety and yours."

I nod, knowing he's right but hating it all the same. "I know. She’s too fucking young."

Jer shakes his head. "It’s not just that, son. While she is only seventeen, you have to think that if your father or the Syndicate ever got their hands on her, they’d use her to get to you, and we both know what would happen…"

He doesn't need to finish the thought. It would be catastrophic if it happened. I wouldn’t let it die. I’d kill anyone who was involved and then some. I’d cause an international war.

"Alright," I say, standing up. "I'll keep my distance. But we need to figure out our next move soon. We can't keep playing defense forever."

Jer nods. "I'm working on it. In the meantime, stay focused. And Emmanuel?"

I pause at the door, looking back at him.

"Be careful," he says. "Your father isn't the only threat out there."

As I leave Jer's office, his words echo in my mind. I know he's right—getting too close to Clodagh is dangerous. But as I think about her smile, her bravery in the face of everything she's been through, I can't help but wonder if it might already be too late.

My phone buzzes with a text from Maverick :

Meeting tonight. 10 p.m. Usual place.

I text back a quick confirmation, my mind already racing with possibilities. Whatever Maverick's found, it must be big for him to call a meeting this late.

As I drive home to get ready for the meeting, I can't shake the feeling that everything is about to change.

For better or worse, I don't know. But one thing's for certain—I'll do whatever it takes to keep Clodagh safe, no matter the cost to myself. It’s easier said than done to walk away and I know I can’t.

Even when all this is over and done, I'll never be able to fully distance myself from her.

I will always want to ensure her safety.

I arrive at the meeting place, an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of town, at exactly 10 p.m. Maverick and Jer are already there, along with a few other trusted members of the Gang.

"What's going on?" I ask as I approach.

Maverick's expression is grim. "We've got a lead on the mole."

My heart rate picks up. "Who is it?"

"We're not sure yet," Jer cuts in. "But we've narrowed it down to three possibilities."

He hands me a folder containing dossiers on three of his men. As I flip through them, I feel a growing sense of unease. These are people we've worked with for years, people we've trusted with our lives.

"How do we know it's one of them?" I ask.

"Pattern recognition," Maverick explains. "We've been tracking information leaks, cross-referencing them with mission details and personnel assignments. These three were the only ones who knew every detail of information that was leaked."

I nod, absorbing the information. "So what's our next move?"

"We need to set a trap," Jer says. "Feed each of them different pieces of false information and see which one makes its way back to the Syndicate."

It's a solid plan, but risky. If we're wrong, we could lose valuable time and resources. If we're right... well, dealing with a traitor is never easy.

"Alright," I say. "Let's do it. But we need to be careful. If the mole suspects we're onto them, they might try to run... or worse."

Maverick nods in agreement. "We'll keep it tight. Only the people in this room know about this operation."

As we start to hash out the details of our plan, my phone buzzes. It's a text from Clodagh.

Clodagh: Can we talk? It's important.

I feel a pang of worry. What could be so urgent?

"Everything okay?" Jer asks, noticing my distraction.

I hesitate for a moment before answering. "It's Clodagh. She wants to talk."

Jer's expression hardens. "Emmanuel?—"

"I know, I know," I cut him off. "Professional distance. But what if something's wrong?"

Maverick steps in. "Go. We can handle the planning here. But, Emmanuel, be careful. Remember what we talked about."

I nod, already heading for the door. As I drive to Clodagh's house, my mind races with possibilities. Is she in danger? Has she remembered something about my father's plans?

When I arrive, I find her sitting on the front porch, hugging her knees to her chest. She looks up as I approach, and I can see the worry in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" I ask, sitting down beside her.

She takes a deep breath before speaking. "I got a letter today. From your father."

I feel my blood run cold at Clodagh's words. "A letter? What did it say?"

Clodagh hugs her knees tighter, her voice barely above a whisper. "He... he said he's coming for me. That he has unfinished business with me. That he never got to do what he wanted the first time."

Rage and fear war inside me. How dare he threaten her again. And how the hell did he manage to get a letter to her?

"Can I see it?" I ask, trying to keep my voice calm.

She nods, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a crumpled envelope. I take it carefully, as if it might explode in my hands. The postmark is from Hawaii, confirming our intel about my father's location. But the contents of the letter make my stomach churn.

My dear Clodagh,

I hope this letter finds you well. I'm sure you thought you'd seen the last of me, but I assure you, you haven’t. You and I are far from finished.

Because of you, I was sent to prison. Because of you, I’ve had to live like a criminal. People think I hurt you. The truth is, I never got the chance to do what I actually wanted to do.

Don’t worry, that’ll be changing soon.

Emmanuel can't protect you forever.

See you soon, Clodagh. Real soon.

I crumple the letter in my fist, barely containing my anger. "Clodagh, I promise you, he won't get anywhere near you. We'll increase security, move you to a safe house if necessary."

She looks up at me, her eyes brimming with tears. "I'm scared, Emmanuel. I thought this was over, that I could finally move on with my life. But now..."

Without thinking, I pull her into my arms. She buries her face in my chest, her body shaking with silent sobs. I know I should maintain professional distance, but at this moment, all I want to do is protect her, comfort her.

"Listen to me," I say softly, stroking her hair. "I won't let anything happen to you. We're going to end this, once and for all."

She pulls back slightly, looking up at me. Our faces are inches apart, and I can see the fear in her eyes, but also something else. Trust. Hope. And maybe... something more.

For a moment, we stay like that, frozen in time. Then, slowly, she leans in, her lips brushing against mine. It's soft and tentative, but it sends electricity coursing through my body.

For a split second, I let myself get lost in the kiss. But then reality comes crashing back. I pull away abruptly, standing up.

"Clodagh, we can't," I say, my voice hoarse. "You're seventeen."

She looks hurt, confused. "Emmanuel, I?—"

"I'm sorry," I cut her off. "But this... us... it can't happen. Not now. Maybe not ever."

The words taste bitter in my mouth, but I know they're necessary. Getting involved with Clodagh would only put her in more danger. And I would never be able to live with myself if something did happen to her.

I walk away, heading toward my car with a heaviness in my chest. I know this is the right decision, but fuck it hurts. Clodagh deserves happiness and being with me will only bring fear.

As I slide into the car, my only thought now is getting to America and doing what I should have done years ago.

Jacob Dellinger’s days are numbered.