Chapter 5
Changes Everything
Dylan
“Wait a minute. You’ve met this girl?” I ask as my chest fills with worry.
“Aye, I’ve met her a time or two. Logan is in love with her. I should have checked in on her a long time ago.
“I just don’t have a good feeling about this. I thought it best to stay away at first.”
“I could have looked after her,” Kate speaks up from the back seat.
She’s been back there fuming. I think she’s as pissed as I am that Cole is just speaking up about this. We wouldn’t be rushing into this if he had told us.
“Aye, but I didn’t want to put ya in the middle. Fuck, I didn’t know this would spread. Logan keeps her hidden away nicely, but something came up and I know I need to lay eyes on her.”
“What came up?”
Cole falls silent for a moment, and I don’t think he’s going to answer me at first. I turn in the passenger seat to watch his profile as he drives. Brooklyn has had to take on more responsibility since Logan has been missing.
I’m glad we finally know where to begin looking for my oldest brother, but even I know this isn’t good. Cole hasn’t told me what all is going on or why Logan ended up in prison, but I know nothing good is behind it all.
When I found out my grandda summoned Logan to Ireland in the first place, I had a ton of questions. I know in the pit of my stomach he’s behind this somehow. Cole pulls a hand down his face and blows out a breath.
“I made a mistake. We were so close to the Alliance coming together once and for all, so I did something stupid.”
“What did you do, Cole?”
“I asked Felix to find Deja and Ciara.”
“Eejit,” Kate hisses.
“You what? What were you thinking?”
“I was thinking that I knew ya were up to something. I thought I could cut it off at the pass.”
“Fuck.”
“They were our friends. We did nothing wrong and neither did they. We were kids.”
“He doesn’t care.”
“I figured if we knew where they were, we could protect them. Things are different. At least they were supposed to be.”
“I wish you would have asked me first. What has this changed?”
“I know where Deja is.”
“Are you kidding?” Kate gasps.
“Ach, now I wish I were. Once I found her, I started to understand a lot more.”
“Like what?” I ask.
“I understand why the oul bastard didn’t want us connected to them. It’s about more than their skin color or their mixed heritage. The Walsh brothers’ mother is Adline McDougal.”
“As in the McDougal clan?”
I know the name well. When Logan disappeared, their clan was the one business partnership Da insisted he would handle instead of allowing Cole to step in. He was adamant about it.
From the little I know, the McDougal clan happens to be one of Da’s biggest and oldest connections. I’ve learned more about them since we’ve all had to step up to help cover for Logan, who previously was the only one privy to this information.
“One and the same. Our friendships and relationships have always threatened Oland with the promise of the Alliance happening. He couldn’t afford for us to be near the Walshs or anyone connected to them.”
“Okay, fine, but what happened to Ciara and where is she?”
“I don’t know that yet. Deja doesn’t have a clue, and Felix has been running into dead ends.”
“Brooklyn,” I drag out as his words from earlier come back to me. “How long? What have you done? What happened? Is Ciara in danger?”
He punches the steering wheel. My heart begins to race. My brother never loses his cool. This shit is serious.
“I don’t know. I want to tell ya she’s safe, but I don’t know. I’m doing everything I can to find her before he does.
“I asked Felix to find them about four, maybe five months ago. Right before I took off. Just before Logan left.
“Right now, I’m dealing with one problem at a time. We need to get to Raven and get her somewhere safe until I have a handle on what’s really going on. I’m going to fix this, I swear to ya.”
“Let’s keep our heads cool. We’re checking on her now,” Kate says.
I clench my jaw and stare out of the window at all the traffic heading into Long Island, where Cole says Logan has a place.
Apparently, that’s where he and this Raven have been living together.
I never knew anything about this woman or this residence we’re headed to, but if Logan loves her, I can understand why Cole is so concerned for her.
I would want him to protect Ciara the same. Bringing Kate along is so Raven isn’t intimidated by two men she doesn’t know. Telling myself this will be fine, I try to believe Cole has done all the right things.
“If anything happens to Ciara, I’m going to kill that old motherfucker,” I bite out.
“Not before I do. Ya have no idea how much he owes us in blood. I’m going to see him real soon.”
Brooklyn
My stomach is in my ass as we pull up to Logan’s house in Long Island. I know something isn’t right as I place the car in park. I gesture for Dylan to pull his piece and follow me.
Kate does the same, but I flag for her to move between me and Dylan, so she’s covered. Bile rises in my throat as we find the front door open. We move inside swiftly.
Rage fills me as we find Raven slowly dragging herself on the floor. It looks like she’s trying to drag her way to the phone or something. I rush over to her as I notice one other thing.
She’s pregnant. I didn’t know this and I’m not sure Logan does either. Kate snaps into action and calls for help.
“Hey, hey, I’m here, love. Hang on for me. We’re going to get you some help,” I say as I rush to her side.
She looks up at me with fear in her eyes. Her hand is covered in blood and pressed to her chest. Her wrist is bloody and raw, as if something had been wrapped around it or torn from it.
I look her over and panic sets in. There’s blood everywhere. Her dress is soaked. I should have come sooner.
She coughs up blood and gasps. Tears stain her cheeks as she searches my face. Recognition hits her gaze, and she reaches out to me with her hand she had been using to drag herself forward.
Pulling my hand to her belly, she looks me in the eyes. “Brooklyn, God heard my prayers,” she says through trembling lips. “Please save his little girl. Keep his daughter safe.
“Go … the closet. I placed her in the closet for safekeeping. Promise me.”
“Wait, what?”
“They attacked me, but I fought back as best I could. Then they shot me. I kept fighting and I got to my gun. I hit one and they took off. I went into labor.
“I pushed her out and placed her in the closet while I tried to get help. Please save her and keep her safe. Tell Logan I’m sorry. I tried to protect her.”
Dylan returns from clearing the house and springs into action. He retrieves the small, whimpering bundle from the closet. Kate’s face has turned as white as a sheet. I scoop Raven up gingerly and try to apply pressure to the wound in her shoulder.
“Ya hold on for me, yer going to tell him yerself,” I demand.
“I called for an ambulance. They’re on the way, love. Ya hold on,” Kate says as she shakes the shock off.
“There’s no one else here. They must have gotten away,” Dylan says.
“I’m not going to make it. Make sure she survives. Please. Save my baby. Tell Logan I love him.”
“No,” I roar as she dies in my arms.
I look up at my sister and brother. “He can never know this is how she died. I failed them both, but this shit will kill him. It’s not how we’ll tell him she died.”
Kate nods. “Right. It was me. I found her and called for help, but by the time they arrived, they could only save the babe.”