Page 111 of Shadow Of Sin

“It’s not that simple.”

“It really is that simple. You’re just making it complicated because that’s what you do.” He looks at me. “What are you so afraid of?”

I stare out the window. What am I afraid of? That the last time I let myself feel something like this, it was a setup. That my father proved caring about someone is a crack that people will shove a knife into to wedge it open and make them vulnerable. That saying it out loud makes it real, and real things can be taken away.

“Everything,” I say.

Cillian nods. He doesn’t push for more because he already knows. He was the one sitting outside my bedroom door when the worst of it happened.

“Tell her on Friday,” he says. “When you’re back at the cabin and all this shit is behind you. Just say it. Don’t rehearse it. Don’t plan it. Just open your mouth and let it come out naturally.”

“What if I screw it up?”

“What if?” He chuckles. “Oh, you will. Guaranteed. It’ll be weird and awkward, and she’ll probably make fun of you for it. But it’ll be the best thing you’ve ever done.”

I nod, my pulse kicking at the thought of actually saying the words that have been dancing on the tip of my tongue for days. “Okay. I’ll do it.”

“Is that an ‘okay, I’ll think about it’ or an ‘okay, that’s a fact’?” He waggles his eyebrows. “Because I know how much you love dealing in facts.”

“It’s a fact. Friday. At the cabin.” I suck in a breath. “That’s when I’ll do it.”

“Good.” He nods. “Now let’s go save the world so you can get back to your girl.”

We spend the rest of the drive locking down the final plan details. Last-minute stuff. Timing tweaks. A location change Lochlan wanted. Small details that only matter when you’re hours away from pulling the trigger on something this big.

By the time we pull through the gates at our family house, my brain is fully operational. The plan is solid. The operation is clean. Every variable is accounted for.

All except one. The one at the cabin.

I check my phone but there are no messages from Eva. I’m sure she’s fine. She’s probably checking the operation files right now, going through the latest details Cillian and I just ran through.

We walk through the front door and head to the kitchen.

“Loch is in the office with a bunch of blueprints spread out like a tablecloth. Staring at them gave me a headache, so I came in here for a sandwich.” Gavin nods at a plate while he cleans his gun on the kitchen counter, even though Ronan has told him a million times not to do. “Tony left these. Too bad your lady isn’t here. I know how much she loves them.”

“Yeah, too bad your lady isn’t here.”

I flip around when Ronan’s voice grates against my ears. He stands in the doorway, his glacial expression chilling me.

“We need to talk,” he says.

My throat tightens. “The operation is on track. I can brief you in⁠—”

“Not about the operation.” His eyes are stone. “About what happens after.”

Cillian gives Gavin a look and nods for him to leave. And on his way out, Cillian stops behind Ronan, makes a fist, and presses it to his chest.

Stay strong.

Squaring my shoulders, I fix my hardest stare on Ronan. “I told you on the phone. She stays.”

“And I told you this conversation wasn’t over.” He takes a step toward me. “She’s a convicted felon who knows the inside of three organizations. She’s a walking indictment. And your feelings for her are blinding you to what she represents.”

“She’s not a threat to this family,” I say through gritted teeth. “So stop fucking insinuating that.”

“I’m not insinuating anything,” he bites out. “I’m stating a fact. You love facts, don’t you, Wolfe? I’d think you of all people could understand that everyone is a threat to this family. And knowing that is how we stay alive. We assume the worst and plan for it.” His voice drops. “After Thursday, she’s out. I don’t care how you do it. Relocate her, set her up somewhere, give her whatever she needs to start over. But she needs to leave Boston. She can’t come back.”

“And if I say no?” The blood bubbles in my veins, raging through my insides.