CHAPTER 12
The Pawn
To be fair…I forgot about this money too.
I heard what she’d said to the teller at the bank that day, but I’ll be honest…
when we sat down at this table, this was the last thing I expected.
The gesture alone was kind on Bridget’s part, if not completely out of character, but I don’t think she ever expected to hear anything more about it.
And then to also hear words that mean everything she’s been running from—and genuinely?
I can only imagine the conversation going on out on that porch right now between my lonely lassie and Seven’s sugary mother.
Table chatter carried on, likely in respect for whatever Bridget’s going through, and Malek slid over into Bridget’s chair, leaning in to talk to me. I reached for my sweet tea and took a careful sip.
“Give it to me straight, brother. Is this doting husband, nine-to-five, dad life gonna be catastrophically damaging to my image?”
Fuck, he really doesn’t suspect. I read that completely wrong.
“Adding owner of a rutting stiff factory to that growing list? Yeah, I’d say you’re pretty fucked, mate.”
Emmaline jolted forward. “Wait…you’re having a baby?!” The entire table went silent. That kid is way too observant. Cute…but a fucking sponge. The color drained out of Mal’s face and Seven dropped her mouth open, looking at him in pure, undiluted terror.
“Sev?” Greg stuttered, everybody waiting for her to speak like it was a prize-winning answer.
“I—we’re—”
“DECLAN! MALEK!” Every head darted towards the main part of the house. That’s Bridget…and something’s fucking wrong. “DECLAN! HELP!”
I all but flipped my chair, tripping over it to get to her.
I wasn’t prepared for what I saw. None of us were.
Ruth was slumped against the wall in the foyer, shaking while her bloody hands covered her side—her entire blouse soaked in red.
Bridget pulled shades, locked windows and dead-bolted doors in all-out panic.
“Ruth! Ruthie!”
Vern hit his knees next to his wife. Seven and Greg followed suit, and Maggie…trained for this exact pressure, took control. I pointed at Mal. “Get the girls out. Now.”
“The house is fucking surrounded! They’ve gotta have a silencer, I didn’t hear a shot. We gotta do something!” Bridget was frantic. I stalked over to where Seven and Maggie were moving Ruth towards the basement.
“In the morgue, Malek! Take them downstairs, we’re right behind you.” Seven was eerily calm next to her sister-in-law, likely for the girls’ sake. Vernon shook all over with nerves.
“Vern…we gotta secure every exit. Show me.” His eyes went distant…he’s starting to lose it. I shook him back to the present. “Vernon! Look at me…exits. Points of entry. Show me where.”
Faint knocking started sounding all over the house.
They’re toying with us.
“Back door,” Greg answered. His face is full of rage. Good. That’s exactly how I need him to be. “There’s a garage door on the west side of the house for casket delivery too.”
“Go. Lock everything down.” I yanked a knife from my waist and held it towards him. “Take this with you.” Greg smirked and pulled up his shirt.
“No need. My whole family is in this house. If you don’t fucking kill them…I’ll kill you. Understand?”
“More than you know, mate.”
Ten points for Greg.
He took off down a hallway; Bridget went back towards the living area…Vernon shook under my hands. He’s in shock. I’m gonna get nowhere with this. I pulled his arm around myself and hoisted him over my shoulder, barreling towards the basement.
I’ve never been in here before. Malek swore it was full of kink and now I see why.
There really is something wrong with him.
Ruth is laying across a metal table, now unconscious, Maggie working relentlessly on her.
I guess I’m just gonna continue to be surprised at every turn.
Malek had Vivian in a back corner near a set of steel sinks, cooing her like he’s done it all his life.
Seven asked the little sponge for surgical tools…
and this unbelievable child stood like a soldier, handing her the right shit.
I guess it’s my turn to go into shock.
I eased Vernon down and he stumbled over himself to get to his better half. It’s not helpful at all…but I can’t blame the guy for losing himself while he watches his soulmate fight for her life. He needs a distraction…anything to—
“Vern…” Malek calmly braced his shoulder and as soon as Vivian had his attention… “She needs you, Papa. We’ll take care of this.”
“This better not be you, Malek.” Seven was barely holding it together. She’s a lot stronger than I ever gave her credit for. “I asked you…you told me—”
“I told you the truth, Viper. This isn’t me. I made you a promise.”
“Who are they?!” she screamed, finally cracking. “My mom…she’s…”
“Stable, Seven. She’s stable. Pulse is weak, but it’s steady. Now’s not the time,” Maggie said, smearing blood on Sev’s chin when she raised it. Seven steeled herself and looked at us both as Vernon took hold of Vivian.
“You take every single one of these fucks out…and you bring them to me.” We all watched her as she stormed to the sinks and started grabbing bottles of this and that.
“Beans?”
Oh, shit…
Sev ignored him, gloving up and taking monstrous sharp things off the walls.
Malek took a couple. Vernon inched towards her and called out for her again.
“I made a promise too. This isn’t my first rodeo, Dad.
Help the babies.” She snapped the strap of her goggles on and now I see why this idiot fell in love.
“Let’s go, deartháir.” Mal’s hard stare lingered on Seven, his jaw feathering as he finally turned sharp and bolted up the stairwell.
I chose not to press it while I followed him up.
We met Bridget at the top and she had every expensive kitchen knife she could find, right down to a fucking meat cleaver.
“Here. Take these. They’re still knocking and one of ‘em is pacing the front porch. I hear mumbling, but I can’t figure out what they’re sayin’.
” I slipped over, knife in hand, and peeked around the corner through the lacy curtain on the front door.
They’re masked. Almost identical to my stalker swag…
and he’s dragging something big across the porch for show.
“Mal…dude’s got a sword.”
He joined me at the corner, and we watched the fucker stop at the door, peering inside and tapping a gloved knuckle to the glass. “That’s a machete. And he looks like fun. There’s no other way outta that basement, Dec. One of us has to man this fucking door.”
“We’re outnumbered, dude. How are we gonna pull this off?” Bridget checked around the other side where shadows moved across windows and more tapping sounded all around us. “We need friends. Can we call—”
“Simon?” Malek asked, pegging her with a knowing look.
“You got a better idea? That’s how you bailed us outta the O’Dells, is it not? What else are we gonna do? Spill fucking marbles? Ignite a doorknob? This isn’t a 90’s Christmas movie, dipshit.”
There she is.
“Cover more ground if we split up,” I finally said, facing them both. “Greg’s got the right idea. Stay outta sight…wait for them to come to us and then we pick ‘em off one by one until it’s safe.”
“We’re also bringin’ knives to a gun fight,” Bridget added. “I’m not complaining, but at this rate, sneaking up on these fuckers is the best chance we’ve got.”
Malek sighed hard and nodded, locking the doorknob to the basement before he slammed it shut.
“If we make it outta this…we need to have a ‘Come to Jesus’ meetin’ about whatever the fuck this is.
It’s not me. I already put this family through enough the first time and now there’s a fucking saint downstairs that has a bullet in her ribs.
I dunno what the fuck you’re up to, Bridget…
but this is the last time I clean up your mess. Got me?”
“This is on me.” I stepped in front of her and looked my best friend in his twisted jade eyes…eyes that match the train wreck I fell for. “You planned a massacre to protect your girl. I waited like a coward. If you need somebody to take it out on—”
“It’ll be the first chap that strolls, uninvited, into this fucking house. We talk later. Bridget…there’s an empty casket in suite three. I want you to get in and hide there.”
“Why?”
“Because if they get close enough to try and open it, you can raise the lid and stab vital parts, that’s why. You won’t be locked in. There’s a safety feature for dumbasses. Bullets won’t go through a casket…trust me. It’s all I see five days a week, now.”
I pulled my phone from my pocket and opened an app I created, typing a few codes and then I waited for confirmation before tying my hair back. “I’m takin’ the office. If they’re lookin’ for money, that’ll be the first place they go.”
“See you bitches on the other side,” Malek smirked. He disappeared around the corner and lights started shutting off everywhere. Smart move. I pulled Bridget against me.
“Crawl back to your coffin, little demon. Don’t come out until I come get you.” I could only see the glare of her eyes and the outline of her pale face. I’m good with it being the last thing I ever see. “I love you, Bridget Byrne.”
She breathed hard, the air stuttering, and crushed her mouth against mine.
“I love you too…”