Chapter 17
T he heat of the roaring fire in my office can’t block out the winter wind howling outside, looking for any crack it can seep through. It’s an icy reflection of the dread churning in my gut. The FBI's relentless pursuit has backed us all into corners, making us more desperate, more dangerous. It's a twisted game of chess with our lives as the pawns.
"Too close for comfort," I whisper, my thoughts a jumbled mess of strategy and fear. Every decision feels like groping through fog, each step forward shrouded in uncertainty. And Liam... his growing distance is like a splinter under my skin—irritating, persistent, and inexplicably painful.
"Boss," a gruff voice calls from behind me, pulling me back to the harsh reality of my empire crumbling at the edges.
"Speak," I command without turning, fixated on the chaos inside.
"We picked up Rory. Got evidence that he snitched to the feds. ”
My blood runs cold at the accusation, a venomous thread weaving through my veins. Without a word, I pivot on my heel and stride toward the interrogation room. My heart pounds a fierce rhythm, each beat a gavel sentencing Rory to damnation.
There he is, Rory O'Neil—a distant cousin, a trusted confidant, now bound to a chair under the harsh glare of a single bulb. His eyes are wide, deer in headlights, but it's the sheen of sweat on his brow that seals his fate.
"Rory." My voice is steel wrapped in velvet, deceptively calm.
"Sl-Sloane, I swear—" He begins, but I cut him short with a sharp gesture.
"Save your breath. You've been singing to the feds. Did you think we wouldn't find out?" I lean in, allowing my perfume to envelop him, a reminder of the intimacy of our family ties and the betrayal that has torn them apart.
"Please, I didn't—I wouldn't—" He stammers, but his words fade against the hard set of my lips.
"Your weakness disgusts me," I say with a sneer. My hand moves swiftly, the blade hidden in my sleeve glinting briefly before it finds its home in the soft flesh of his thigh .
His scream pierces the silence of the room, a symphony of pain and terror that resonates deep within my chest. I relish the sound for a moment, letting it wash over me—the price of disloyalty.
"Let this be a lesson," I announce, my voice echoing off the walls as I stand to my full height, towering over his crumpled form. "No one betrays the O'Neil family. No one."
I leave him there, writhing and whimpering, a stark reminder to all who might consider crossing me. As I exit, the spicy tang of blood lingers in the air, mingling with the adrenaline flooding my system. It's a scent I've grown accustomed to—a scent that speaks of power, control, and survival.
In the quiet aftermath, my mind drifts unwillingly to Liam, to the warmth of his touch and the intensity of his gaze. How much longer can I hold onto this fragile web of lies and loyalty? How much longer until everything I've built comes crashing down around me, taking my heart with it? The whisper in the back of my mind that I could have avoided all of this if I only took Liam up on his offer of alliance grows every day, with more evidence piled up that we may not make it out of this unscathed.
But I haven’t heard from Liam, not since I got news of the FBI sniffing around. He's slipping away from me, retreating into a realm of secrets I'm not privy to, and it burns hotter than the fiercest jealousy .
Each passing day stretches the distance between us, a gulf widening with unspoken truths and lies woven tight. I can feel the weight of his internal struggle, the way it clings to him like a second skin whenever we share the same air. It's there in the furrow of his brow, the tight set of his jaw, the way he looks through me as if I'm made of smoke.
He's avoiding me and I know it's not just the FBI closing in that's driving a wedge between us. There's something else, something darker, that gnaws at the edges of my consciousness, threatening to spill forth and shatter the fragile illusion of control I maintain.