Chapter 28 Sean #2
Her eyes dart up, finding mine, and I see fear turn into pure relief. And then I see Brennan.
He's standing off to the side, perfectly dressed as always, that politician's smile on his face. He's looking at me with satisfaction.
"Sean Flannery," he says, voice smooth as silk. "Right on time."
I raise my gun, but I'm not fast enough. Men emerge from the shadows, at least six of them, all armed. Flynn swears beside me, but we're surrounded and outgunned. Exactly like Brennan planned.
"I wouldn't," Brennan says mildly, and one of his men presses a gun to Maeve's head.
She whimpers, and the sound nearly breaks me.
I lower my weapon. So does Flynn. We don't have a choice. He’s just taken that away from us. I know in an instant I’ve done this all wrong… but what else could I have done?
There’s a way out of this. I just have to find it.
"That's better." Brennan steps forward, studying me with interest. "You know, I wasn't entirely sure you'd come.
I thought perhaps the marriage was just for show, just another Council arrangement.
But the way you're looking at her right now.
.." He smiles, and it's genuine. Delighted.
"This is even better than I expected. You actually care about her. "
"Let her go." My voice is steady despite the rage burning through me. "This is between you and me, Brennan. Let her go and we can settle this."
"Oh, I don't think so." Brennan circles us slowly, like a shark. "You see, Sean, I've been planning this for a long time. Ever since you tried to kill me. Ever since you were going to blow up my family and me."
"You used them as shields," I spit. "You put your wife and kid in front of you because you knew I wouldn't take the shot. I warned you. I took that shot so you wouldn’t put them in a car that was about to blow up. And this is how you repay me? You’re nothing but a coward who uses a child as a shield because you knew I wouldn’t shoot. "
"And I was right, wasn't I?" Brennan's smile widens. "You have a code. Twisted as it is, you have lines you won't cross. It's almost admirable. Almost."
He flicks a hand and his men move in, grabbing Flynn and me and forcing us to our knees. I don't resist. I can't, not with that gun still pressed to Maeve's head. I meet her eyes, try to tell her without words that it's going to be okay, that I'll fix this. That I…
Fuck, I think I love her. And I’m realizing it way too fucking late.
"Here's what's going to happen," Brennan says, his voice taking on a lecturing tone, like a disappointed father.
"I'm going to do this differently than I originally planned.
I'm not going to just kill you, Sean. That would be too quick, too merciful.
No, I'm going to make you watch. I'm going to make you watch as I kill your wife.
Slowly. Painfully. And then, when you're broken and begging, then I'll kill you too." He pauses. “I could let my men have her, first. That would make it worse, wouldn’t it? So we’ll make a deal. You be a good boy and watch, and don’t try to fight your way out of this. Then she just dies.”
"No." The word tears out of me, my heart feeling as if it’s being wrenched from my chest. Suddenly I feel like a boy again, seeing that cop on my doorstep, hearing that my mother is dead.
Seeing her body, the parts of her face missing from the gunshot.
I feel young and helpless and so, so fucking angry.
"No, please. Please, Brennan. Kill me. Do whatever you want to me.
But let her go. She's innocent. She has nothing to do with this. "
"But that's exactly the point." Brennan crouches down in front of me, and his eyes are cold.
Empty. "You tried to kill me, Sean. You nearly killed my family.
So now I'm going to take yours. Poetic justice, don't you think? You lose the one thing you care about. I had no idea there was anything at all. This is a marvelous thing to find out.”
He stands and turns toward Maeve. "What should I do first?” he muses, taking a step toward her.
"No!" I lunge forward, unable to stop myself despite Brennan’s threats, but the men holding me are ready. They force me back down, and I feel the barrel of a gun press against the base of my skull.
"Sean." Maeve's voice is small and scared, but stronger than I would have expected. "Sean, it's okay. It's okay."
"It's not okay." I'm barely holding it together now. "Maeve, I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry. I should have told you—I should have—"
“I know,” she whispers, and I see tears tracking down her cheeks. “I should have, too.”
Two of Brennan's men drag her chair forward, positioning her right in front of me, close enough that I can see every bruise, every cut, every mark they've left on her. Close enough that I'll have a perfect view when they—
No. No, I can't think about that. I have to focus and find a way out of this. There's always a way out. There has to be.
But I'm on my knees with a gun to my head and my best friend beside me in the same position, my wife in front of me about to die, and for the first time in my life, I don't see a way out.
I realize, with perfect, terrible clarity, that I'm about to watch my wife die. That I'm going to lose her.
That I failed her.
"Wait," Flynn says suddenly. "Wait, Brennan. You want to hurt him? Really hurt him? Then let me make you an offer."
Brennan pauses, a curious look on his face as he turns back toward us. "I'm listening."
"Let her go. Take me instead. I'm his best friend. Killing me will hurt him just as much, and you won't have the Council coming down on you for murdering an innocent woman. A rich one at that. They want her so they can marry her off to someone and control her wealth. They’ll be pissed if she’s dead, but me—"
"Flynn, no—" I start, but he cuts me off.
"Shut up, Sean." Flynn's voice is hard. "This is my choice."
Brennan considers this, head tilted. Then he laughs.
"Nice try. But no. You see, I don't just want to hurt Sean Flannery. I want to destroy him. I want to watch him break into a thousand fucking pieces before I kill him, too. And the only way to do that is to take away the thing he loves most." He chuckles. “I’m sure your bromance is lovely, but it’s not the same as the sweet touch of a woman, is it?”
He turns back to Maeve, that smile still on his lips.
“Let’s begin.”