Page 105 of Arranged Devotion
I kick his chair hard, knocking him sideways. He hits the floor with a scream, his head bouncing off the concrete. His choked grunt is like a symphony to my ears. I stand over him, watching his one visible eye as he breathes hard, like a caged animal in a panic. Probably wondering when the end will come.
“I’m going to leave you like this. I’m guessing nobody will be down here to check on you for a while. Think about your manycrimes while I’m gone. Or don’t, I don’t care.” I nudge him with my boot before heading to the door.
His strangled pleading moan follows me up the stairs and back into the main Whelan family home.
“You have fun down there?” Finn asks when I find him sitting in the back yard. He’s on the porch drinking coffee and reading the paper.
“I really did. Nothing like some mild beating to get me going.” I flop down across from him wearing a blood-stained shirt while he’s utterly pristine. He smiles wryly at me.
“Want something to eat or drink?”
“Nah, I’m good.” I stretch my legs.
“Get what you needed?”
“He confirmed everything and added a few good details.”
Finn nods. “We should act on it.”
“Agreed. Sooner rather than later. The Baranovs likely realize there’s a problem by now. They’ll start increasing security.”
“We wouldn’t want that.”
“But you still haven’t told me how you found all this out to begin with.” He considers me from across the table, head cocked. He’s got his usual charming smile on his face but I know that’s only a mask. I can ignore it and see the real Finn, the stark killer hiding under the facade of easygoing family man.
“I know I haven’t.”
“And I haven’t asked because I know you’ll tell me the truth, but the fact that you’ve held it back makes me think you don’t want to. Am I getting this right?”
“Pretty much. It’s better if I don’t say.”
“You know I don’t like that.”
“We’ve been working together for a long time. I’ve trusted you, done whatever you asked, burned the world at your word, and now I’m asking for some of that in return. My source is solid.”
Finn’s lips press together. He hates this and I can’t blame him. I don’t like it either. Holding information back feels too much like lying, and I fucking hate liars, but I’m doing it to protect Regan. Not for her shitbag brother—if it were left up to me, Luke would be down in that basement with Kieren right now, if not dead already—but because losing him would hurt her and she’s not ready for that. Maybe one day, but not yet.
Finn though, we know each other. We trust each other. I’ve gone to war for him and I’m sure I’ll do it again before this whole show’s done with.
“Alright. I can accept that. From you, at least. Anyone else and I’d be cutting them to ribbons.” He flashes teeth like that’s a joke, but based on Kieren’s state, he’s not kidding. “What’s the plan then?”
“I have some ideas. Both Kieren and my source insist that the old Baranov boss doesn’t trust electronics and keeps everything in hard copy. They both think the dossier is in that house. Which means the house is everything.”
“That’s good for us. A single point of failure. But if it’s so important, it’ll be guarded.”
“I have some thoughts on that. I’ll need resources though.”
Finn waves a hand. “You have them.”
“And Cormac.”
That gets a surprised laugh. “I don’t exactly give orders to him.”
“Who does?”
“Declan, in theory, but really nobody.”
“Let’s see if he’ll help anyway. My plan is dangerous and I’ll feel a lot better if he’s involved.”
