Fearless Sinner (Empire of Sinners #3)

Chapter 34

Chloe

Chapter Thirty-Four

My lungs empty themselves, and a gust of air rushes through my lips.

All my emotions tangle together in a twisted heap, and I can’t pick anything apart. I feel heavy and light at the same time, as if my insides will collapse in on themselves or float away like air molecules.

Confusion and confliction assail me, then my survival instincts kick in and I school my thoughts. I can’t check out now. If not for myself, then for my mother.

People say that when you’re looking for something, it might be right in front of you.

Cillian has a fleet of people looking for this man, but Lance Polinsky has been here the whole time. In our home. With my mother. We left him with her.

Fuck. He was at my wedding and there… always there, every step of the way.

And Roxanne… poor Roxanne.

“Why?” The word barely makes it out of my mouth. “Why would you do this?”

“I needed to be on the inside. I just didn’t know things were going to play out quite so well. But your return home and Cillian’s fascination with you made it possible.”

“I don’t understand.”

“My only goal was to destroy Cillian O’Ridian and recoup the money he lost me. When I stumbled across Harlan, he was perfect. He was one of Cillian’s most trusted workers, so it was easy for me to get him to do my dirty work. But I wanted to be around to ensure he didn’t screw me over. That’s why I hooked up with Roxy. Through my encouragement, your mom put up the restaurant and the house as capital to get the loan from Cillian. I was going to make my exit, but then you arrived, and when I realized how fascinated Cillian was with you, I knew I could use you to get to him.”

I feel sick, like I’m going to throw up my insides. “I’ve barely spoken to you.”

“Oh, you didn’t need to speak to me, sweetheart. I was able to get close to him because of you. My closeness with your family sealed the deal, and the mafia king trusted me because he regarded me as one of you. Look at me now, in your home with your guards outside. They think you're safe.” He laughs and cocks his head to the side. “I was planning and waiting for your mother to be well. Once she came home, I knew I could use her as leverage for my final plan.”

“Which is what?”

“Use her against him, too, by blackmailing you to deal the final blow.” He pulls out a gun and points it at Mom.

My soul shakes on seeing the cold barrel of the gun pointed at my mother. One of the most precious people in my world. “Please, no. Don’t hurt my mother. I’ll do anything.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought, so I came prepared.”

“What do you want?”

“I told you. I want Cillian dead, so you’re going to kill him for me.”

A tremor shatters my insides, ripping me apart. “What? No.”

“Didn’t you just say you’d do anything? I wouldn’t get within an inch of Cillian O’Ridian without his men crawling over me like ants. Believe me, I’ve tried. This is perfect. You’ll be my Trojan horse.”

“You want me to kill my husband?”

“Come on, Chloe. It wasn't a real marriage.” He gives me a look of disbelief.

“Yes, it was. Cillian is my husband. How can you ask me to kill him? Or anybody.”

He cocks the hammer, and I hear the click-clack sound of the bullet waiting to leave the barrel.

“Adrian, please… don’t kill me.” Mom cries harder, trying to beg for her life, but her words are a garbled mess.

Adrian/Lance smiles wider. “Say goodbye to your mother, Chloe.”

“Stop! I’ll do it!” I hear myself shout, but the voice that pours out of my mouth doesn’t even sound like mine. I realize it’s that survival instinct kicking in again, but that doesn’t mean I can kill Cillian.

Lance lowers the gun and my mind races, tripping over every thought that comes to me. I have to find a way around this. I can’t kill Cillian, and I can’t allow my mother to die. So, I have to play the game and find a way to get help.

“A wise choice indeed.”

“What do I need to do?”

“What you’re not going to do is alert the guards. You’re going to act normal and natural. One wrong move and your mother is dead. Do you understand me?”

“Yes. I understand.”

“Good girl.” He walks over to the table and picks up the bottle of wine he brought for us yesterday. It hasn’t been opened yet. “This is poison. You’re going to take it to him and make him drink it.”

“Poison?” Oh God. How am I supposed to find my way around this?

“Don’t worry, you won’t have to watch your beloved die. It takes an hour for the poison to kick in. All you have to do is give it to him, make sure he drinks it, and get out of there. Come back to me here. Tell him you're taking your mother to the spa. That’s it.”

“Okay...” I extend my hand to take the bottle.

He moves forward and grabs my hand. “If you don’t come back, or the guards come in to kill me, she’s dead. I mean it.”

“I think you know by now that I would never risk my mother’s life.” I glance at Mom, who is staring at me in so much anguish it hurts to look at her and see her in this situation.

When Lance hands me the bottle, a nasty grin slides across his face. “I look forward to this wonderful partnership.”

My phone starts ringing in my purse. From the ring tone I know it’s Cillian.

This is the first time he’s called today. He normally starts calling around this time, then I’ll get a few text messages and more calls throughout the day. I’ve ignored them all.

“Is that him?” Lance sneers.

“Yes.”

“Answer it and see where he is.”

I pull the phone out from my purse and answer the call. “Cillian.”

“I’m coming to get you. I have to talk to you.”

My heart skips. “No?—”

“Chloe, I want to be with you. I’m coming to get you now.”

Oh God. Think fast. I have to think fast. If Cillian comes here now, Mom is dead. So, what should I do?

Suddenly, I remember the words he told me to say if I were ever in trouble—morgulis septum stasis.

In my blind panic, I want to scream them at him so he’ll know I’m in danger, but I know that would cause havoc.

Yes, it’s a secret language the Creed uses, so I don’t think Lance knows what they mean, but on hearing them Cillian would order the guards to storm in. Then Lance would kill Mom.

“I was just on my way to you.” I speak fast, almost stuttering.

“Were you?” I can hear the confusion in his tone.

“Yes. I have wine. I… wanted to see you, too.” I don’t know how my mind is able to work so fast under this pressure and come up with the right words. “I can be at the house in half an hour.”

He pauses, and I can imagine him contemplating. “Okay. Come straight to me. I’ve just left. I’ll turn back.”

Thank God. “I’m on my way.”

“See you in a bit.” I hang up, and Lance gives me a little clap, irritating the fuck out of me.

“World-class acting. You’re going to need this.” He pulls me close again and secures a little device to the inside of my top that seals to the material. “I’ll be able to hear every single word you say to him. And I’ll see you. I’ve already hacked his surveillance.”

Shit. This is going to be near impossible to pull off. Right now, I’m flying blind with no plan other than the one he’s given me—poison my husband. And do I really think he’s going to let us go after? Mom and I are already dead. Doing what this bastard wants just gives me a chance to get help.

“Run along now,” Lance chants.

I allow myself one last glance at Mom, pray to whoever will listen for help, strength, and luck, then I leave the room.

I walk out of the house and jump back in my car and set off. Liam follows me as usual, none the wiser that I’m in so much freaking danger.

My hands shake as I place them on the steering wheel, but I will myself to drive.

When I’m on the road, I look at the stupid little device on my top and try to take it off, but it won’t come off. It hits me that taking it off wouldn’t be such a good idea because that asshole needs to be able to hear me.

If he doesn’t, he’ll know I did something.

I reach Cillian’s house—home—in half an hour, just as I promised. When I see his Ferrari parked on the drive, my heart warms. It feels so good to be back here, and I can’t believe I’m here for all the wrong reasons.

I park and get out of my car with the damn wine in my hands, then walk past the guards, wishing I could scream at them for help. Silence becomes me, then I’m in the house.

Cillian rushes down the stairs, and when he sees me, he hurries right over and pulls me into his arms.

“Lass. You’re here.”

Emotion overwhelms me, and I hug him back. “I’m here.”

He cups my face. “Chloe, I would have come earlier, but I didn’t want to disturb your mom.”

“It’s okay. And I understand. You don’t have to explain anything.”

“Yes, I do. I want forever with you. That’s what I want. Forever.”

I hold his gaze, realizing what he’s saying to me. “You do?”

“I love you, so forever is all I want with you. I froze up because I didn’t want you to live in danger, but I swear on my life I’ll do everything to keep you safe if you stay with me. And I won’t stop trying until you trust me again and love me again.”

This moment couldn’t be harder. Earlier, when I spoke to Roxanne, I was hellbent on sticking to my guns to try and move on without Cillian. Now I’m standing here in front of him, and he’s speaking to my heart, saying all the things I want to hear. But I’m holding a bottle of poison that’s supposed to kill him.

What a cruel twist of fate.

I know I’m being watched now. Lance would have picked me up on the cameras from the moment I drove up to the house and he can hear me talking to Cillian.

If I’m to pull this off, I have to be clever about it. And it’s now or never.

“Chloe, talk to me?” Cillian mistakes my silence for hesitation or doubt. I can see it in his eyes.

I reach up and touch his jaw, feeling the scruff of his beard. “I love you, Cillian. Of course, I want forever with you.”

He smiles and presses his forehead to mine in that habitual way I love. “You forgive me?”

“There’s nothing to forgive.” I pull away to gaze at him. It’s time to act. “Morgulis septum stasis.” I smile for the cameras, becoming the actress again, then I drop my gaze purposefully and distinctly to the bottle of wine between us.

I hold his face when I notice the look of dread that enters his eyes and coax him to keep his eyes on me.

“I want you, too.” He smiles at me and says a few sexy words in Gaelic, making it seem as if we’re saying sweet nothings to each other in mixed languages.

Oh God. He understood me. This just might work.

“Let’s go upstairs and celebrate with this.” I hold up the wine.

“I love that idea, lass.”

He kisses me and picks me up. I wrap my legs around him, and he carries me upstairs.

I hold on to him for dear life wishing with everything in me that we get through this.