“Big boy!” Connie shouted.
Seconds later, Murphy O’ Fallon hustled through the door and his eyes immediately centered on Teagan, widening. “Holy shit!” He glanced back at Connie. “Is that Teagan?”
Connie gave him a slight nod then said, “Call together a meeting of the brotherhood. Tell them we’ve found our rat.”
Murphy’s mouth dropped open, but he closed it quickly. He hesitated, glancing in between Teagan and Connie. His hesitation irritated Connie. “Did I stutter, boy?”
“No, Connie.” And just like he entered, Murphy O’Fallon hustled through the door, the sound of change jingling in his pockets as he made his exit.
You see, Connie knew exactly what he was doing. He knew that the big guy was Sean’s best friend. In a way this was also a test of Murphy’s loyalty to Connie and the brotherhood. He had this gut feeling that the guy would fail, being that he and Sean had been friends for decades, but then again the kingpin had seen stranger things happen. Like people turning against their own just to save their own ass. Cowards. Connie was the type that would rather go down guns hot than rat someone out.
Teagan stirred in her restraints as she slowly regained consciousness. Connie kept his eyes on her. In a way, Teagan reminded him of Helen of Troy, the face that launched a thousand ships. But unlike the Trojans, Connie was prepared for the battle he knew Sean would bring when he saw that he had his kid sister, and when he found out what his intentions were for her. But Connie was the ultimate strategist. He wouldn’t let any wooden horses sneak past his gates. Yes, Connie loved a good battle. Especially this one.
Because it was one he was certain that he would win.
~~~
Teagan Reilly wore the blackness surrounding her like a cloak of uncertainty and fear. She squinted into the distance, hoping that she would be able to make out her surroundings. It was no use. Wherever she was, wherever Connie had taken her, that bastard made damn sure she wouldn’t be able to see anything.
The entire room was draped in a curtain of black.
When she first arrived she fought against the restraints. Her legs and arms were bound to the chain she was duct taped to, but it didn’t matter how much she fought, she couldn’t break free.
She tried screaming. She even tried rocking back and forth, but then decided against it, stopping after a few rocks.
She kept thinking about what if she fell over. What if she hit her head? Who would help her? Would she be left in this black hole to die?
Connie…
Uncle Connie…
Good old Uncle Connie.
When his name and the thought of him crossed her mind, she thought about screaming. Better yet, she thought that if her hands were free she’d even consider stabbing herself in the temple. Maybe with a brain injury she’d forget him. Forget his name. Forget his face. Forget that for almost her entire life that she and Sean considered him to be family.
Their only family.
Teagan hung her head down and sucked in a deep breath. The she held in that breath with forehead bunched together. She could feel her eyes watering. She could feel the sob lodged in her throat.
Don’t cry.
Don’t cry.
She fought the biggest internal struggle of her to life to keep the tears from falling, but
she lost the battle when one, tiny intricate tear dripped down her right cheek.
That one tear that slipped away turned into a downpour of tears.
The simple fact of it all was that she was so frustrated and angry. She couldn’t decide what pissed her off more, that Connie accused her of being the rat, or that a man she had loved all her life was the one to betray her.
It wasn’t until she realized that all of the crying was for nothing. That her tears were wasted crying over a shell of a man. She swallowed hard and maintained the mind-frame that she would make it out of this situation alive.
It’s only a matter of time until Sean or Emerson finds me, she thought.
Because deep down inside she knew that when Sean or her husband found out what happened to her the only thing Connor Doyle would be able to do….
Is pray for mercy.