Page 80 of The Twins

And Finn, fighting Reg, that shit was really happening, I was sure of it. Straw was being tossed into the air, and the light coming through the open door glinted off the sharp prongs of the pitchfork.

“Oh God,” I managed, terror gripping me as Reg jabbed at Finn. “Please…no…Cillian…stop it, stop them…”

“Shh, it’s okay, we’ll have you out of here soon.” Cillian kissed the top of my head.

Calmness exuded from him, and I couldn’t understand how with what was going on.

I watched, wide-eyed, panic coursing through my veins.

Reg had backed Finn into a corner. Finn had nowhere to go, he was about to be impaled, gutted by the fork. I couldn’t bear it.

But then Finn moved so fast he was a blur to me. He kicked the handle of the fork, spun around a full three-sixty, and then pounced on Reg.

Reg didn’t have time to react and stared dumbly at his weapon flying through the air before he was slam-dunked to the floor and Finn captured him in a headlock.

Reg grunted, his bloody face red and puffy. He scratched and yanked at Finn’s arm. His legs kicked, and his heels scuffed on the floor, up and down, up and down. But it was no good; he was in a death grip.

“Finish him off,” Cillian said. “And let’s get out of here.”

“You sure she’s okay?” Finn said.

“Yeah.” Cillian hooked his finger beneath my chin. “He didn’t…did he?”

“No, but he was about to.”

“Thank goodness we got here when we did.”

His lips pressed on mine, and a tiny kernel of calmness settled in me.

“Then I’ll make this quick,” Finn said.

Reg was struggling to breathe around Finn’s grip. He was snorting and snuffling and gasping.

“Don’t watch,” Cillian kept my face tipped to his. “Just know he’s got this coming, it’s what he deserves. He’s an evil man, a killer, a rapist, he’s already proved that. He’ll never stop unless we stop him.”

There was a sickening crack and for a moment utter silence.

Cillian stared into my eyes. “Good girl, it’s over. He will never hurt you or scare you again.”

I knew what Finn had done. He’d broken Reg’s neck with one deft flick of his hand, taking the life from him in an instant.

“Fuck, shit is hitting the fan out there.” Finn was in my line of sight again. He grabbed his gun. “You wait here, I’ll make sure it’s okay to get her to the van.”

Cillian stood and took me up with him, his arms a safety net around me. My legs were like jelly and my spine weak, but I managed to pull up my pants.

Finn rushed through the bright doorway, his weapon at the ready.

“What’s happening?” Cillian edged us toward the door.

“I’m guessing Galahad ran into some bad guys.”

“Yes…yes…” I cleared my throat, my mouth so dry I could hardly talk. “There’s more of them, and something about girls, too.”

“Girls?”

“Yes, Reg wanted to put me in with them, but Bateman, a criminal you’ve got on your damn wall, he’s here, and he said no.”

“Ian Bateman! Fuck.”