Page 122 of Three Irish Kings

Reaching out for his dick, I use my sharpest knife and slash it from his body in one go.

He is screaming and thrashing, but I feel nothing for him. I do feel like I’m vindicating every one of his victims when I remove the dirty boxer shorts from his mouth and shove his dick inside it, followed by the boxer shorts again so he can’t spit it out.

If the kids never had a chance, neither will he.

“You’re lucky I don’t have the patience today, or I’d find the biggest fire extinguisher around and use it on you, just so you could have a real taste of your own medicine.”

His head is shaking left to right, his face is ashen-white, and as I wash my hands and clean my tools and the scene, removing every evidence of my presence here, he takes his last breath.

Good, one less piece of trash walking around.

On the walk back to my car, I’m torn because as much as I want to see Isla, what I just did… The darkness that consumed me should be nowhere near her.

But then again, maybe this is the time I should see her most—when there’s blood on my hands. This should be a reminder to me that she’ll never choose me. And a reminder to her of the monster within.

Because I don’t feel even the slightest amount of guilt over killing James Thomas.

But doesn’t she deserve more than a monster like me?

Chapter Twenty-Nine

ISLA

I keepmy eyes closed until Dare’s breath starts to slow, until his arm goes limp around me, and he slips out of me.

Tears are tracking down my face, which is why I kept my eyes turned away even though I wanted to see him the last time we made love, wanted to look into those dark green eyes of his.

But he already knew something was wrong, and I couldn’t explain myself. But I couldn’t stop crying, either.

I’ve always been pretty stoic when it comes to heartbreak, but it’s different now. Maybe because I was never truly in love before, maybe because this situation is so crazy, maybe because of the pregnancy hormones.

It doesn’t matter.

I slowly extricate myself from Dare’s arm.

He’s snoring, so I know he won’t stir. He sleeps like the dead, unlike Cillian, which is why I waited until today to do this.

I’m only sad that I couldn’t say goodbye to Liam. Not that Dare and Cill know this was goodbye. Not yet, at least. But if I think about it, Liam and I had such a sweet night the last time I saw him that I guess it’s for the best. Nothing can ruin it now.

I can’t wait any longer. I can’t hide my feelings, and I can’t let them suspect what is really happening to me.

This is the perfect opportunity, and God knows when the stars will align again in a way that allows me this chance.

I’ve got plenty of daylight, and Dare will be asleep for hours. He’s a night owl, so we usually sleep in together after he arrives for his shift.

I’ll miss this. Miss him. Miss all of them.

Choking back a sob, I clamp my hand over my mouth, standing next to the bed and looking at Dare's slack, handsome face.

I take a deep, shaking breath.

So much of me wants to shake Dare awake, tell him everything, burst into tears, and let him comfort me. But I can’t.

I put a hand on my still flat belly.

I have to protect them. All of them. I don’t want the guys fighting among each other, and I don’t want this baby to be in the life. I had enough of a preview when I was a kid, even if the guys are nothing like my father.

But God, it’s so hard.