“Do exactly what I say.” I speak calmly, for her eyes are wide and frightened. I point to where our guard stands watch behind a little desk where he keeps paperwork and the electronic devices for screening, as well as a bevy of weapons hidden from view.
“Duck down behind the guard, under the desk, McKenna.”
She swings her gaze to look at me, but before she can, someone in the crowd shouts, “We can cut them off at the pass!”
There’s a narrow path that leads from the cliffs to this entrance. Any cars that drive up come from the streets from Ballyhock centre, and typically the only way to get from the mansion to the cliffs overlooking the sea is by foot. Now it’s clear why they’re ambushing on their motorcycles.
“No!” I shout. It’s far too dangerous for them to take that route. But it’s too late. It’s too fucking late. Thank God Walsh has taken the children out of the line of fire, but the men of Ballyhock ignore me, working as one. They’re large, strapping blokes, the backbone of Ballyhock. In seconds, they’ve vanished, racing to the pass.
I look to Keenan. He runs a hand through his hair. “Bloody hell,” he curses, shaking his head. “They’ll fucking kill them.”
“Not if we get there first,” Lachlan says.
Tiernan’s already taken off.
“Stay here,” Keenan says. “It could be part of their plan, drawing us away from the house.”
I nod. “Aye.” Lachlan and Tiernan are lightning-fast, the fittest among us. We hear shouts as they join up with the Ballyhock citizens.
“Who’s back in the house?” I ask Keenan.
“Boner and the enforcers, Cormac and Carson. But we’ve found the person who cut our electric.”
“Did you?”
He glances at where McKenna’s hidden. “Aye. ’Twas Alice, Tully. She didn’t come here to warn us. She’s in league with them.”
McKenna’s face pales. “No,” she whispers.
Keenan shakes his head. “Afraid so, lass.”
McKenna briefly closes her eyes, then sighs before she looks back to Keenan. “That would explain a few things, to be honest.”
The next moment, we all look out at the sea, when we hear gunshots ring out. But no one screams. No one’s been hurt. I’d give fucking anything to see what’s happening, when Keenan’s mobile rings.
“Lachlan.”
He nods. A moment later, he grins and covers the mouthpiece.
“It fucking worked,” he says in wonder. “Jesus, it worked. There were half a dozen men on motorcycles, but they were able to intervene at the pass. The gun shots we heard were Lachlan and Tiernan shooting out the tires of the men coming to attack. Others got past. Be on the lookout, Tully.”
“Everyone back!” I shout. “We’re under attack!”
Thank fuck the crowd runs to take cover, just minutes before we’re attacked. I’m ready, my adrenaline pumping through my veins, my senses primed and alert. I’m so fucking ready.
As if on cue, I hear a rumble of tires screeching. The door to the mansion behind me opens, and there are shouts behind me. My brothers are coming to join me. I’m not alone.
McKenna’s down behind the desk, hidden from view, but she meets my eyes for one brief moment before all hell breaks loose.
Gunshots ring out, no warning whatsoever. I hear shouts, the clashing of glass, and utter chaos reigns.
“Drive them back!” I shout at my brothers when someone comes straight at me. I duck, and miss his blow, but he gets me on a backhand. McKenna screams at the top of her lungs, and before I know what’s happening, the man buckles and falls to the ground, holding his legs and howling. I pull the trigger, and he’s dead.
“Good girl, distracting him like that,” I praise her, just seconds before another attacks. This time he sees her, he lunges for her, but I grab him by the back of the hair.
“She’s mine, motherfucker.”
Without remorse, I knee him in the belly. He dared to go after my woman, a quick death is too merciful. I snap into action, the cold-blooded killer Malachy taught.
“He’s dead, Tully,” McKenna says. “He won’t hurt me!” I blink, coming to my senses.
“It’s over, brother.” Lachlan’s made it back. One eye’s bloodied, but he’s standing on two feet in front of me. “It’s over.” Then he lifts his voice and shouts to the crowd, “Come out! It’s over!”
Everyone comes out of where they were hiding, and minutes later we’re assembled again. I’m thankful they were far enough away they didn’t see the brutal details of what just happened. I breathe a sigh of relief. Women hug each other and their husbands, as we breathe a collective sigh of relief.
“Thank God,” I mutter to McKenna, as she rises from her hiding position. “I didn’t want any more bloodshed. Not now. Not tonight. We’re finished now.”
She grins at me and gets up on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around my neck.