I watch my four handsome men eating their breakfasts and my heart flutters in my chest. How is it that one person gets to be lucky enough to deserve the four of them? I swear one day I’m going to wake up and this will all be a dream that I’ve concocted in order to survive my time with the Wolf. Perhaps one day I’ll wake up and still be in his fortress in the hills.
Thoughts of Paul Ryan make my heart flutter for an entirely different reason and I know it’s only a matter of time before he makes his move. I have no idea when or where, but the one thing I am sure about is that we need to act first.
“When is the funeral?” Mikey asks, snapping me from my own thoughts and reminding me why Shane and I came to Ireland in the first place.
“Wednesday,” Shane replies before taking a gulp of his coffee.
“So only four more days before we can go home?” Liam adds.
“Yep,” Shane nods his head.
“Home?” I interrupt them.
“Yes,” Conor frowns at me.
“But we can’t go back to New York while Paul is still here.”
“We’ve got more resources in New York,” Shane says as he places his mug on the table.
“Yeah. We’re kind of sitting ducks here,” Mikey says, earning him a withering glance from Conor and Shane. As though I didn’t already know that. It’s been three days since they rescued me from the Wolf and during that time they have been incredibly attentive and loving, doing their best to distract me from the fact that their uncle is out there somewhere waiting to pick me off.
“I agree, which is why I think we need to find him before he finds me.”
“We’re trying to find him, sweetheart, believe me, but it’s not that easy.”
“I know that. Unfortunately, he won’t be found unless he wants to be and I can’t sit around waiting for that to happen,” I say and the anxiety that is building in the pit of my stomach makes my voice go up at least a few octaves.
“None of us want that to happen, Angel,” Conor says as he places a reassuring hand on my shoulder.
“So we only have one choice then,” I swallow hard because I know they are not going to like this suggestion.
Shane narrows his eyes at me. “And what’s that?”
“I reach out to him…”
“Fuck no!” Conor snarls.
“Not a fucking chance in hell,” Shane agrees while Mikey and Liam scowl and me and nod their agreement.
“It’s the only way.”
“It’s not happening, Red,” Mikey snaps and my heart sinks, because I thought at least he and Liam might hear me out.
“But there’s no other way to draw him out. If we don’t do this now then who knows when we might get the chance again? I can’t go through my life wondering when he’s going to come for me.”
“He will never lay another hand on you, Jessie!” Liam frowns at me.
I only wish I could believe that. “Please just hear me out?” I plead but I am met with four serious faces.
“Anything could happen to you, Jessie,” Conor snaps.
“You are not putting yourself at risk like that,” Shane adds and it is clear that the subject is no longer up for discussion. I lean back in my chair and glare at the four of them. I could continue arguing with them but I know there is no point. They have made it abundantly clear that they’re not interested in what I have to say, despite the fact this is my life we’re talking about. I blink back the tears. I know it’s coming from a place of love, but they don’t understand how it feels to live a life in constant fear.
“You think he’ll go to the funeral?” Liam asks.
“Not if he has an ounce of sense,” Shane snaps.
“I think we should all go,” Conor adds.
“All?” Mikey frowns at him.
“We’re here now,” Conor replies with a shrug. “We can’t let Shane and Jessie go on their own and I’m happy for the opportunity to spit on his grave.”
“You still want to go, Jessie?” Shane asks.
“Oh, so my opinion counts now, does it?” I snap.
Shane stands quickly and pushes his chair back, making me jump. He leans his face close to mine. “Don’t,” he snarls and then he walks out of the room leaving his three brothers looking at me like I just poked the bear.
I know what I have to do, whether they are on board or not.
“Sorry,” I say quietly to them and Conor wraps an arm around me.
“There is no way we could let you put yourself in danger like that, Angel,” he says softly.
“I know.”
I lie in bed, sandwiched between my sleeping giants, Liam and Mikey. This is my safe place. I feel so protected and content when I am with the brothers. The deep ache in my chest almost takes my breath away, because I know this cannot last. Paul Ryan is out there. He has been watching me for who knows how long. He will always be watching. Waiting to make his move. Waiting for the perfect moment to strike. And next time, he won’t make a single mistake.
I blink away a tear and it rolls down my cheek. I can’t go on living the rest of my life wondering when he is going to take me. I can’t continue living in my past. I will not spend another day being afraid. Paul Ryan has taken enough of my life away from me. He has my past, but he won’t have my future. I know without a doubt that the brothers won’t change their minds and consider my plan to lure their uncle back to me while we still have a chance. I know he’s still in Ireland. I feel him. I’m as connected to him as I am to his nephews now.
I untangle myself from Mikey’s arm and slip quietly out of the bed. He groans and rolls over and I freeze. “Red!” he mumbles, but then he drifts back to sleep.
I pull on my clothes and sneakers. This has to end tonight. It is the only way for me to be free. When the Wolf found me at the hotel, I was unprepared. I was paralyzed with fear. But now I know who he is. He’s just a man. Paul Ryan is no longer an elusive phantom who plagues my nightmares, but a living, breathing human being.
I take the Glock from the nightstand and then with a final look at Liam and Mikey, I sneak out of the bedroom. They will wake shortly and notice I’m gone, I have no doubt. In fact, I’m kind of counting on it. I have no desire to do this alone.
I grab the keys to the Land Rover and take the red lipstick from my purse before scrawling a note on the window beside the front door. It’s time to take control of my own destiny.
The rain is heavy against the window pane as I drive through the country roads of Ireland. I doubt that Paul will be at the house already, not if he has any fear of his nephews anyway. But I have no doubt he will be watching. My heart is beating in my chest like a jackhammer as I pull up outside the old stone farmhouse. There is no car outside but there is a faint light coming from the window, as though someone has a lantern or a torch. Is he in there? Waiting for me.
I take a deep breath and step out of the car. With the gun in my hand, I approach the front door.
The house is empty when I walk inside but the flashing red light in the hallway tells me there’s a camera here and he’ll be watching. I look up to it.
“I’m here. What are you waiting for?” I challenge him.
I sit on the staircase and wait for him. I expect he’ll be here soon. This is it. One way or another, only one of us will walk out of this house alive.
