Chapter Fifty-One
Darcy
One week earlier, Galway, Ireland
“Why are you doing this?”
“Because you’ve been hiding long enough.”
“It’s not long enough,” I muttered. “I’m still alive.”
“Jane is dead. The Society is gone. Everyone you’ve been hiding from is dead.”
“Not everyone,” I whispered.
“Darcy, it’s time.”
I stared at Brian Buchannon. My savior. He’d protected me when no one else would. I’d taken a chance when I reached out to Sean Buchannon back in the late eighties. He was the head of the IRA, and I’d exhausted every avenue I could think of after I lost Jackson.
It was a risk. He was Eamon’s brother-in-law, but I knew there was no love lost between the two men. In fact, Ireland was the one place I was safe from Eamon O’Malley. It was the one place on the planet he was never allowed to set foot in again.
I’d been safe.
Until I met him.
I had the worst taste in men.
Okay, the men weren’t so bad. They were handsome; they were strong. They loved me. It was the people behind them—the ones they were related to—who were the problem. After the third time, I’d learned my lesson. I’d sworn off men, destined to live a life of celibacy. An old maid.
And I was happy.
Until life kicked me down again.
I’d come back to Ireland almost ten years ago. Sean had passed away, and his son Brian took over. I’d spent a lot of time with Brian when I first came to Ireland before I had the twins. Before I met him.
Brian had introduced me to him. And he was one of the men I was still hiding from. Charles, Kane, and Sal. The three men I’d loved. All different men, but all special in their own way.
Braesal O’Malley had been my first love. You never forgot your first love. We were stupid kids playing a game we knew nothing about. When I found out I was pregnant, I knew I couldn’t stay. I couldn’t let my child grow up in the Mob. I couldn’t let Eamon O’Malley get his hooks into my child.
Boy or girl, it didn’t matter. Either he raised my son to one day take over, or he married off my daughter to strengthen the family.
So I ran.
I let his grandparents raise him, and while I wish I could have been in his life, it was a decision I would never regret. It killed me to walk away, but Darcy Murphy died that day.
Then Gretchen Foster met Kane Baudelaire. Our love was a whirlwind. It ran fast and hot, and when I found myself pregnant again, a few months after giving birth to my son, Kane wanted to get married.
So we did.
I missed Kingston every day, but I knew that one day, when he was grown, I would meet him. Beg him for forgiveness and maybe be a part of his life. But then Jane came along, and I knew that would never be possible. I had no choice but to let Jackson go to save Kingston.
That was when I reached out to Sean. I moved to Ireland and became Bridgit Mahoney. For years, I stayed to myself. Then one day Brian invited me to a party, and I met Charles Kennedy.
Charles was different. He was older, more mature. He loved me in a way no one ever had. And when I got pregnant, I ran. I begged Sean to hide me again. I couldn’t lose another child. I wouldn’t survive.
When I moved back to the States, under yet another name, I thought we would be safe. And we were, for so many years it was just me and my boys. Until Shamrock joined a club. He was my wild child. Always looking for a thrill. Always joking, always screwing around. Always happy.
Then one day, Shamrock was gone. Hemlock packed me up in the dead of night and moved me back to Ireland. He didn’t stay with me, but we talked often. He came to see me when he could, but he was grown by then. Living his own life. All my boys were grown.
I missed them all.
It was then I realized it was time to go home.
Jane was dead. Jackson and Kingston were safe from her. Brian had gotten word that Kingston was searching for me. Searching for my grave.
“They’ll hate me.”
“Probably,” Brian deadpanned, and I stared at him, my mouth hanging open.
“You could lie, you know.”
Brian laughed, and I shook my head. I held the piece of clothing I was packing against my chest as tears filled my eyes.
“Do you think they’ll ever forgive me?”
“I don’t think Jackson knows about you. As far as I know, he still thinks Jane is his mother. But King...”
“What? What about King?”
“He’s having a hard time with it. He blames Sal.”
I sank down onto the bed. “But Sal didn’t know.”
“I don’t think that matters much to King. Everyone in his family lied to him his whole life. You’ll have to give him time.”
I nodded. Time was about the only thing I had left to give.
I stared up at the large brick building. My son was inside. Kingston. I closed my eyes. Praying I would be transported anywhere but here.
“Are you ready?” Dread asked.
Dread was the president of the Twisted Dragons MC. He’d somehow found me. Brian said his club was known for finding the impossible. They must have been good at what they did because they’d found me after almost forty years of hiding.
Dread met me at the airport in Denver and brought me to the Silver Shadows’ clubhouse. Where my son was the president. It didn’t surprise me. I knew he would grow up to be like his father. A leader. That was why I had to protect him.
“I don’t think I’ll ever be ready, but let’s go.”
We walked up the few steps and opened the door. I knew him as soon as I saw him. He looked so much like my brother, Duncan.
“I am so fucking sick of you fuckers coming out of the goddamn woodwork. Just once I’d like to meet one fucking parent who stuck around,” he barked at the man in front of him.
“Sometimes, son, sticking around is the worst possible outcome.”
Everyone turned in my direction, and when Kingston focused on me, he paled. He was so beautiful. I hadn’t seen him since a few months after he was born. I was struck mute just staring at my firstborn.
“Momma?” Hemlock whispered, moving quickly to my side. “What are you doing here?”
“Who the fuck is that?” someone yelled, but I didn’t know who. I was staring at my son until I heard them.
“Bridgit?” Charles said.
“Gretchen?” Kane snarled.
Another young man walked in behind me with Sal. “Darce?”
The young man looked at me, then Sal, then my son, and cursed, “Oh fuck!”
“I’m fucking done!” Kingston barked, then turned and walked away, slamming his hands against the double doors on the other side of the room. My hand covered my mouth as I tried to hold back my devastation. I knew this was the likely outcome, but it still hurt.
Hemlock stepped in front of me. “How did you get here?” I looked up at my youngest child. The only one who loved me. Shamrock loved me, but he was gone. Taken away from me.
“It’s time, son.”
“It’s not time,” he growled. “This was not the right fucking time. You should have told me you wanted to come here. I would have brought you when it was safe.”
I exhaled a laugh. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, Hemi, it's that I’m never safe.”
Sal, Kane, and Charles moved as a unit toward me. They all started talking as Hemlock shielded me. He stood in front of me, keeping them back.
“You kept my fucking son from me, Darcy!”
“I want a divorce!”
“You are not running away from me again, woman.”
I looked up as Kingston shouted into his phone. I hadn’t realized he’d returned. “Just fucking come back. Alone!”
He stepped between Hemlock and the three angry men and growled, “Back the fuck off!”
“Son.”
“Don’t fucking say it, Sal. Dec is on his way, and none of you are talking to her until after I fucking do. So again, back the fuck off.”
Sal stepped back, grumbling. Charles gave me one last look that promised he wasn’t done with me. Kane, on the other hand, refused to budge. He was different now. Harder. Angrier than I’d ever seen him. Kingston crossed his arms over his chest. “Do I need to go get Jackson?”
Was Jackson here? Were both my boys in one place?
Growling, Kane glared at my son before he stormed off.
“Declan is here?” I didn’t ask about Jackson. I wasn’t ready for that yet. If I were being honest, I wasn’t ready to talk to Kingston either.
Ignoring me, Kingston asked, “Where is he?”
“At my brother’s house.” Sal smirked. I knew he meant Duncan. Brian told me about Tyran. That Sal knew what he’d done. But I knew he didn’t know all of it. No one did.
Kingston pinched the bridge of his nose and turned to Hemlock. “Did you know who I was before you walked into my fucking house?”
Hemi nodded, and I sighed. This was not how I wanted my boys to meet. Hemi wasn’t like Sham. He didn’t like people. He didn’t trust them. When he met James and told me he was joining him, I was shocked. But James had been good for Hemi. He’d brought him back after the death of his twin.
“Asshole,” Kingston growled.
A few minutes later, Declan walked in. I knew immediately it was him. He always favored Sal more than his father, Curran. Curran O’Rourke was a good man. I’d wanted him to raise my son. I was devastated when he and Kathleen passed away.
“What’s going on, King?” Declan looked around the room. When his eyes landed on mine, I smiled. “Darcy?” he whispered, before he hauled me against him. I held on tight. I’d always loved Declan. He was such a good kid. Duane’s best friend. “Holy fuck!” he hissed as he looked at Kingston.
“I need you to take her home,” Kingston ordered firmly. “I can’t deal with this right now.”
Declan looked at Sal and then nodded at Kingston. I couldn’t help but wonder what their relationship was like—after what I’d done. “Let’s go. My wife is going to have a coronary.”
“Dec.” King pulled on Declan’s arm.
“I’ll handle it, little brother.”
Kathleen had promised to raise Kingston as her own. I knew my son had grown up believing his uncle was his brother, and if I’d had my way, he never would have known the truth.
Declan drove us back to his house. The ride was mostly silent aside from Declan’s muttering.
“We thought you were dead.”
“I know.”
“Do you have any idea what that did to your family?”
I didn’t answer. I stared out the window thinking about my family. I knew my family would be hurt, but the safety of my children was more important.
We pulled up in front of a cute little cape that reminded me of home in New England. Declan got out of the car and walked up the steps. I guess the happiness of seeing me had worn off and anger had taken its place. Declan opened the door and spoke to whoever was inside.
“Could you put the baby in the bassinet?”
“Why?” a woman asked.
“I have someone with me, and I don’t need my son dropped on the floor.”
Declan has a baby?
He pushed the door open and stepped aside, letting me in.
I recognized the woman who gasped immediately. She’d been my shadow as a child. Maureen.
I heard a man curse and turned my head to see Cormac Delaney. I shook my head. But then I stared at the silent man across the room. His eyes filled with tears as he slowly walked forward. He pulled me into his arms and whispered, “Big sister.”
“Little brother,” I cried as I wrapped my arms around his neck.