If he’s shown me anything, it’s that his unnatural obsession with certain things directs his focus like a laser, and he’s definitely shown that possessiveness over me.
“Maybe,” Noah remarks finally, “but I’m sure the Russians will have disposed of you by the time he even realizes you’re gone. You forget Cara, our family is broken. Your marriage to him won’t be important anymore once the Italians realize loyalty is so weak, and they can take over by force. You were always just a decoration, something to sweeten a desperate deal.”
His words are meant to hurt, shots fired to crumble my hope, but I force the smirk to stay on my lips. He wouldn’t bethisdefensive if Killian wasn’t a real threat. Noah then abandons the sandwich and suddenly regards me with a curl of irritation on his upper lip.
“Remember I tried tohelpyou.” He turns on his heel and leaves, taking the sandwich with him.
When the door opens, I catch a glimpse of the bustle that exists outside. Men and women laugh, joking without realizing there’s a captive in the basement. Or they simply don’t care.
Noah’s words rattle around my head, and despite my best efforts, it ignites a new fear in my heart. This is the final nail in the coffin of Irish strength. Killian had been against marriage all along, and our marriage has little worth now that our territory can be taken by force.
Would that be cause enough for him to abandon me?
5
KILLIAN
Turning to the Arco brothers for help isn’t the smartest move. They like to test their limits more often than not, and letting them know how important this is to me could put more weight behind those attempts later down the line, but it is the most efficient way at short notice. So, they’ll help me, but they’ll never let me forget it.
I can’t bring myself to care.
Their ties go deep into the criminal underworld from the years before they joined our family. The clubs they ran were always the perfect place to mingle with criminals of all calibers. Not only does the Salamander provide the perfect environment to host an important meeting where no one could eavesdrop over the pounding bass, but they can also use their network to track down anyone and everyone.
It’s that kind of information I’m relying on as I wait for the brothers to meet me, unable to keep my foot from tapping against the ground. Each moment they leave me waiting here by the side of the road is another moment Cara is away from me and closer to whatever fate her traitorous men have in store for her.
I’ve never been a patient man when it comes to things of a personal nature, but my jitteriness can usually be calmed by a stiff drink. The stronger the feelings in my chest, the stronger the alcohol I would use to drown them out. But that’s not possible now, even though in the back of my mind, I know there’s a liquor store a short walk from where I’m parked.
Icouldstill go. It wouldn’t take long. Five minutes there, a couple of minutes to buy something strong, and five minutes back.
It sounds so easy and I fight the urge by pushing up from my car and pacing next to the vehicle. It really wouldn’t take me long. The more I’m made to wait, the more tempting it becomes and the dryer my throat feels. Seconds feel like hours as sweat begins to run down my back.
One drink, it’ll help me focus.
I’m not sure if it’s relief or disappointment that crashes over me at the flash of headlights from an approaching car. Still, it’s a strong enough sensation that my pacing ceases, and I cross my arms over my chest.
“You’re late,” I snap before the car has even come to a full stop.
“You didn’t actually give me a specific time,” states Archer Arco as he climbs out of the car. Declan follows from the driver's side.
“Speed was implied,” I reply dryly, and I raise a brow, a silent question to the absence of the third brother, Cain.
“Cain’s with Dante. He’s helping him deal with what happened at Columbia,” Declan says easily, and I give a short nod. Dante has that part handled, and he’s relying on me to get Cara back in one piece, something that isn’t even a doubt in my mind.
“What have you got for me?”
I’d filled Archer in on the phone about what had happened at my apartment and Cara’s kidnapping, asking them to track down anything that would be helpful as soon as possible. In return, they will be given full control over the club insurance payouts when they finally get granted. It’s money I would have directed them to use to rebuild my vision. Hell, I might have even used it to find out every little secret Cara keeps from me, but I’d been desperate to secure their immediate assistance. Now they’ll do whatever they want with it. Their underground network is eerily talented at discovering the most sensitive information with what seems like minimal effort, so I can’t fight the rising bubble in my chest as Archer pulls a tablet from his suit jacket and begins tapping the screen.
“We studied the mess at your apartment,” he says calmly. Archer has always been the more stoic of the three brothers, and it’s clear even now as he speaks and holds himself firm and steady. The exact opposite of me. It feels like my skeleton is about to claw its way out of my flesh and rip the tablet from his hands.
“And?” I snap.
“It’s a mess,” Declan states, lifting his gaze to meet my eyes. I take a step forward, and Archer immediately moves closer to his brother, clearing his throat to warn his sibling.
“You were right. All your men were killed by the Irish. Even the two dead in your apartment. We got access to your building's security network and the surrounding area and were able to locate a single car leaving your building a few minutes after your own,” Archer explains. “It looks like whoever was in charge of this cared more about a fast getaway than a sneaky one.”
He holds out the tablet to me, and I snatch it from his grip, watching the security footage play out as he continues to talk.
“They removed the license plates, but the car itself is easy to track considering the dent on the rear left wheel cap. It’s a small detail, but it makes the vehicle unique enough for us to follow its path. We lost it near the docks; the camera’s there are—”