″Kirkland was self-defense.”
She turns back to me, pausing for a moment as she thinks. “When Dad came to your apartment, you’d already taken Jason, hadn’t you?”
″Yes.”
″He can’t die. Everyone will call him a hero.”
I shake my head. “Declan’s taken care of that. He’s been missing for weeks, Haley. Four days ago, his boat was located in a crash and he’s presumed dead. No one is looking for him. Tomorrow identical packages will arrive at radio centers, news journals, and policestations throughout Washington State with evidence of his crimes. Everyone will know what he did.”
″Haley, please don’t do this.” Jason pleads as he tugs at the chains binding his hands behind his back.
Haley ignores him, looking up at me. Her hands clutch the fabric of my shirt. She clings to me as if she’s worried she will fall over if I don’t hold her upright.
″If you want him to live, I’ll do that, Haley. But if you want him to get what he deserves, I’ll do that, too.”
″You’d do that for me?”
I wipe a few strands of hair from her face and gently stroke my thumb along her cheeks to wipe away the tears falling. “Baby, I would set the entire world on fire for you. Anything for you. Anything.”
″This is so twisted,” she says, a hearty laugh coming from deep inside her lungs.
″Maybe it’s twisted. But I’m not a normal person, Haley. I’m a sick fuck. I carve my victims up, I torture people. I long to see blood drawn from anyone who crosses me. Jason’s crossed me by hurting you.” I drop my head, pressing my forehead to hers. “I want to give you your justice. Let me.”
Her hands move from my chest and her fingers scrape through my hair, tugging the locks in her grip. Her lips crash against mine, and she pulls me in so close to her and so forcefully that our teeth clash in the movement.
Haley’s tongue pushes into my mouth, sliding along the top row of my teeth, and her tits press against me as her grip tightens in my hair. We’re both desperate for each other, neither of us caring that my entire family, save for Ma is here, witnessing this.
I haven’t tasted her lips in two weeks, and it’s been fourteen days too long. A piece of me was missing and she’s completing me now with her touch, her kisses. I don’t even care that I taste vodka on her lips. I just never want to stop fucking kissing her.
I never want to let her go again.
I know she feels the same way because as she breaks away, she sucks in a gulp of air as quickly as she can, and then she assaults my mouth again. It’s never-ending, as if we’re making up for every second that we’ve been apart.
Before Haley, I never knew I could fall in love. I was ready to allow Da to find me a wife simply to create an heir. I’d have put her up in a penthouse away from mine, and I would have only visited when necessary.
Now, I don’t think I can ever live without Haley. Being without her has been like being without air.Impossible. Insufferable. Suicidal.
Haley pulls her mouth from mine again and we both gasp for oxygen. Her fingers dig into my wrists and she glances up at me as if she’s searching for something, then she bites her lip and nods.
″I don’t want to watch,” she whispers, pushing away and heading back towards the car.
″Cal?” Haley’s voice is hoarse as she sits up in the bed of the hotel room. Saoirse brought her here straight from the hospital site so that Haley wouldn’t hear Jason as I tore that fucker limb from limb. He suffered between Da, my brothers, and me.
His screams are still ringing in my ears.
I kick off my dress shoes and slide my suit jacket off as I walk toward the bed. “It’s me, love.”
Haley yawns as she sits up. “Is it over?”
″Aye.”
I finish undressing and lean across the bed to kiss her. “I need to get in the shower. Then we can talk, okay?”
″Sure.” She presses her palm to her temple and rubs. “My head is pounding.”
″Probably from the alcohol.”
″Definitely is. Doesn’t mix well with the benzos.”