Chapter 12 Ronan
Ronan
What in the ever-loving fuck was going on? This was a party, for fuck's sake. And more importantly, I had my girl right where I wanted her. The bastards unlucky enough to cross my path tonight would pay for their sins in blood.
But first, I needed to get Verity inside, where it was safe. If unknown assailants had breached the perimeter, they were likely running amok in the gardens by now.
I pulled my phone from my pants, keeping my pixie girl tucked under my arm and in the pocket of a deep shadow. The rose garden was a dead-end, so we were safe for the moment.
Me: Outside, we're under attack. I have Pixie with me.
Con: Why is Verity with you??
Dec: Get her indoors now. This could be her father's work.
Dec: I'll handle the rest.
After shoving my phone away, I grabbed Pixie's hand and moved toward the stone archway at the exit to the rose garden. I had an inkling about who our attackers were. Only one family stood to gain from causing carnage at a high-profile event like this: the O'Rourkes.
Two of our guards lay slumped on the lawn between us and the house, but from the sounds of gunfire, the rest of our men were engaging with the attackers. Movement in the trees caught my eye, and I stepped back into the shadows, shielding Pixie with my body.
"I need you to stay out of sight for a moment while I deal with this," I said in a low voice as a figure dressed in tactical gear edged closer. He hadn't seen us, but if we tried to move across the lawn, he soon would.
"Tuck yourself behind that rose bush. I'll be back shortly." She nodded and slid into a small gap between the wall and the overgrown roses. Unless someone had a flashlight, they wouldn't see her.
Sticking to the shadows, I moved beyond the rose garden. Just as I reached the man waiting near a tree with his attention focused on the house, the moon broke through the clouds. A slant of silver light lit me up like a beacon.
The guy spun and fired at me. But he wasn't quick enough. I dived in low and took him down. His shot went wide, pinging off a nearby tree. A second shot grazed my left arm, but I barely noticed the pain.
I disarmed him and squeezed his neck until the light left his eyes. One down, a few dozen more to go. As tempting as it was to go hunting for more attackers, I needed to get Pixie to safety, so I picked up the guy's gun and jogged back across the lawn.
"Quick, we need to move," I ordered when I reached her. She eased out from behind the bush, hissing with pain when a thorn snagged her arm. Then she saw my blood-soaked shirt sleeve and inhaled sharply.
"You're hurt!"
"I'm fine. Now come!" Before she could protest, I took her hand and dragged her across the lawn. We reached the terrace just as something exploded by the main gate.
Conal met me by the kitchen door.
"Go to Saoirse's room," he barked at Pixie. "Keep the door locked until one of us comes for you." Instead of arguing, she just nodded and dashed away. Then he turned to me. "Let's clean this shit up."
"Where's Dec?"
"Outside."
"And the girls?"
"In Saoirse's room with Aoife's boyfriend. Ash is guarding them."
Chris, I didn't know, but I trusted Ash with my life. He'd die before he let anything happen to our sisters. Everyone else could go fuck themselves.
I grabbed a second gun and fresh ammo from the weapons store before following Conal back outside.
The half-conscious man I hauled toward the shed groaned each time his head bounced off a rock, but I gave no shits. We'd lost seven men this evening. Seven loyal soldiers.
Declan stood talking to a few of the guards, his white shirt splattered with crimson blood. My arm had stopped bleeding, thankfully, but now the adrenaline had worn off, it ached. Still, it could have been worse.
Poor Mikey had suffered serious burns when some asshole tossed an explosive device at the garage. Luckily for us, the reinforced structure protected our vehicles, with the damage minimal. Not so lucky for Mikey, who was on his way to the operating theater.
"Let me know when you have some answers." Declan glanced down at the unconscious meat suit at my feet. "Then clean up the mess."
"Sure thing." I grinned before dragging my prize away. We needed answers, and I was happy to go the extra mile to get them.