54. Ravenna
Ravenna
B ehind me, Devlin’s body stiffens with expectation. Cian’s expression darkens. He’s more than angry, he’s murderous. I see it plainly in his pale blue eyes. All of his softer emotions vanish until he’s nothing left but iron and steel. Then suddenly he shows no feeling at all.
In a low voice, Devlin speaks into my ear, “It’s finally over. I’m sorry I had to do this to you.” He releases a contented sigh.
BANG!
One gunshot, the single bullet whizzes past my ear, finding its mark in Devlin’s chest. His body jerks from the impact. He releases me and staggers backward until he bumps the desk.
Even though he knew it was coming, his expression reflects shock. He touches his chest, then studies his bloody fingers. Confusion mars his face before it turns a ghostly shade of white. Mouth slack, he sinks to the floor. His eyes close.
Relief crashes through me. It’s over. Finally. Cian saw reason and rescued me. He took my side, and I regret ever doubting him.
Facing him, my heart beating out of my chest. I have every intention of throwing myself into his arms. But I take one look at his cold gaze, at the gun pointed at me, and my lips part.
“Cian?” I don’t understand why he’s aiming that weapon at me. What’s going on?
He shakes his head. The movement’s harsh. It hits me like a slap to my face.
He doesn’t trust me. He didn’t take my side.
Disbelief rattles through me. What more does he want? How can I possibly prove myself to him?
Cian stalks forward, and I startle. I fight the instinct to step back, because I refuse to fear my husband. He’d never hurt me.
He stops, pressing the gun to my temple. “We’re over. I don’t ever want to see you again. If you come near me, I’ll blow your fucking brains out.”
All words stick in my throat as I tremble beneath his wrath. I squeeze my eyes shut, half expecting him to shoot me now.
But he would never hurt me.
Heavy footsteps leave the room. When I open my eyes, he’s gone.
Rapid, shaky breaths fill my lungs. A cold sweat drenches my neck. I try to wrap my head around what just happened, and fail. Miserably. This can’t be the end of us. We can’t be over. Not like this, this is all wrong.
Against my better judgement, I go after Cian. We will not end like this.
I search the hallway, the elevator, and the stairwell exit. But I’ve wasted too much time processing and he’s nowhere in sight. I’ll have to catch up with him at home.
He’s threatened my life once before, when we were first married. I believed him then. I thought he’d actually hurt me. After our years together, I know he’s threatening me out of anger and self-preservation. Would he kill me? Truly? No. I can’t bring myself to believe that he would go that far.
On my way down in the elevator, I send a text to Finn, telling him I’m ready to be picked up. Oddly, he doesn’t reply.
Stranger still, when I make it out of the building into the cold, rainy night, the car’s not there.
I fidget while I wait. Five minutes tick by, then ten.
Traffic and people go about their business all around me as I huddle near the side of the building.
I would wait in the lobby, but I didn’t expect Finn to take this long.
Something’s wrong. Very, very wrong.
Did Cian order them to go home and ditch me here? I have to find out.
Heading back inside, I take the stairs down to the valet parking garage where Finn parks as he and Kody wait for me to finish up with work. With most employees already gone for the day, few cars are left in the garage.
I spot the town car easily enough. Even from this distance, I see two figures in the front seats. Why are they just sitting there?
Irritated, and still shaky from everything that happened in Devlin’s office, I quickly approach the vehicle. I need to get home to Cian as soon as possible.
The tinted windows obscure my view, so I pull open the driver’s door. “Finn, what are—?” The question dies on my lips as horror wraps around my insides. “ Oh my god .”
Both Finn and Kody have their seat belts on, keeping them strapped in place. Blood drenches the front of their shirts. Their throats cut.
They’re dead.
Shock and grief ripple through my body. Of all of Cian’s men, I was closest to them. We saw each other almost every day. I can’t believe they’re gone. Who would do something like this to them?
I slam the door shut, and spin around, my gaze searching the garage. Is the killer still here?
The place is as silent as a wintery tomb.
Devlin must have done this. Why? Murdering my driver and bodyguard seems unnecessary. Was he afraid I’d call for help and they’d show up? Possibly. It’s the only logical explanation. He made sure we weren’t going to be disturbed.
Unless… Cian…
No, I can’t start down that train of thought. Cian is not the villain, he’s the victim.
Even if he thought Finn and Kody knew about my supposed affair with Devlin… and thought they were hiding that information from him… would he kill them?
In a fit of murderous rage, would Cian do this to his own men?
I’d like to believe him incapable of such an act, but I’m not one hundred percent sure of anything at this point. If he’s tipped so far over the edge that he’d do something like this, do I really know him as well as I think I do?
All of a sudden I’m not as confident about confronting my husband. What if he meant it this time? What if Devlin pushed him too far and there’s no coming back to sanity? Do I risk my own life to find out how far Cian will go?
I hug my middle. Dizziness overcomes me as the world tilts. I steady myself against the car.
I can’t stay here. Going home isn’t an option either.
Turning away from Finn and Kody’s dead bodies, I stagger out of the garage, and into the freezing Manhattan night.
My thoughts tormented by uncertainty, I walk through bustling streets with no real destination in mind.
I should call someone, but who? How do I explain what happened?
My cousins… then I remember that everyone’s gathered at Gin’s house tonight for her husband’s birthday party. Her place isn’t that far away.
I glance up for the first time in too long, only to discover that I’m no longer in the heart of the city. The busy streets have vanished. They’re now darker, and nearly deserted. How did I get here? How long have I been walking?
Quite a while if the ache and blisters forming on my feet are any indication. I shouldn’t be here. Not alone.
Sensing a presence behind me, I spin around. My breath catches in my throat. A hooded figure looms over me. There’s a clicking sound, then a blade glints under the street light.
“Give me your purse. Now,” a male voice demands from within his hood.
Am I seriously being mugged?
My heart beats against my ribcage, my hands tremble.
“I said now. Or I’ll cut you.”
This day has been too insane already, I don’t want to tempt fate and end up dead in a dumpster. So I do as he says and hand over my purse.
“Take off your coat. I want that too.”
“But it’s freezing out here,” I protest.
Menacingly, he steps closer. “Take it off.”
I strip off my heavy winter coat. He snatches it and runs off, leaving me in the cold with nothing. No purse, no phone, no shield against the elements.
As if I pissed off God, the sky decides to open up. Freezing rain pelts my skin, soaking through my dress in a matter of seconds. The deluge plasters strands of hair to my face.
I was going to hail a cab to Gin’s place, but with no money on me, I’ll have to walk. Without my cell phone, I can’t call for help.
Arms folded, head down, I briskly make my way toward her place. Already having been mugged, I assume it won’t happen again before I reach my cousin’s home. Like lightning doesn’t strike twice in the same spot.
Though being stripped of my belongings, I feel more vulnerable than ever, like prey as I walk the city streets.
By the time I find her address, my feet burn with raw, open blisters. I’m so cold my teeth rattle. My skin and face went numb long ago.
With the last bit of my energy, I open Gin’s front door and stumble inside.
The party draws to a halt, stunned gazes stare at me, but I can’t find it within myself to care that I’ve caused a scene.
Exhausted, and stricken with grief, I barely feel it when someone wraps a warm coat around my shoulders.
Voices speak to me, but I don’t quite understand the words.
I think I’m in shock. It took a while to set in, but it makes sense.
Devlin turned out to be the villain. Now he’s dead.
Cian doesn’t trust me. He says he’ll kill me if I go near him.
Finn and Kody… so much blood. Who murdered them?
Some random guy mugged me in the middle of a street, because obviously I wasn’t traumatized enough from tonight’s events.
Overwhelm consumes me. I break down and finally cry.