And I’m case anyone else doubted him, he would make sure they also understood:
His wrath was legendary, and he was not to be fucked with.
“I want to know who put you up to it.”
Franklin paled. “I-I don’t know what you mean.”
“Oh, I think you know exactly what I mean,” Uilleam continued, pouring his drink on the table, watching as the liquid spread in Franklin’s direction before taking the lighter from his pocket. “You’re not smart enough to act against me on your own. Someone put you up to it and I want a name.”
“Come on,” he whined, sputtering. “That’s like asking me to commit suicide. I can’t.”
“You night think you have more to fear from them, but I assure you, you won’t like how I respond if I have to ask a second time.”
And to emphasize that point, Uilleam flicked his lighter, watching the flame dance.
It was enough to prompt the man to give up the information he had.
“They call her Mother. That’s all I know, I swear.”
“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Uilleam patted the man’s shoulder. “Now, according to my sources, they found more than thirteen shell casings at the court house because of the men you sent to kill me. My men here are going to let you love this evening because I’m feeling rather generous.”
Uilleam waited for the man to breathe a sigh of relief before he finished.
“But for each shot fired, they’re going to break one bone in your body. Seems fair, doesn’t it?”
Uilleam turned to make his leave, the man’s desperate shouts and pleas falling on deaf ears.
He might have turned over a new leaf, but he was the same bastard when it came to those who crossed him on this way.
* * *
Arriving back at his hotel some hours later, Uilleam considered his plans for the rest of the evening now that he was a free man. He didn’t doubt the FBI were still monitoring him—which was why he’d taken an extra hour to get back to Obsidian in case anyone had thought to tail him.
And now, with the War Dogs off enjoying their own night at Bunny’s club, he had nothing but time on his hands.
He laughed to himself as he thought of how different they were compared to the mercenaries that had come before them. He wouldn’t have cared about their happiness or comfort despite all they had done for him.
Rather, since he intended to get some work done, he would have ensured they had an assignment to do as well. But after the last fiasco, and how it had all ended, Uilleam was having a changed of heart with the way he treated those that worked for him.
And though his motives were still selfish, he figured if he wanted to use them to his advantage for longer than he had the mercenaries, perhaps he should treat them a touch better.
Instead of heading straight up to his room, he took a detour into the mostly empty restaurant, heading straight for the bar.
But when the bartender walked over to take his order, he surprised himself even when he didn’t order a drink with any alcohol.
“Don’t tell me prison has changed you this much,” said a soft voice that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
Just her voice was enough to make him feel like he was coming alive. He was more aware of the thump of his heart, the way the leather seat felt beneath him, and especially how badly he wanted her to come closer.
Karina.
For once, her expression wasn’t particularly mocking, nor did she looked annoyed to see him.
She was as he remembered years ago—soft and open.
“How do you mean?” he asked.
Perhaps she was remembering their last night together too because he could swear on his life that there was far more sway in her hips as she walked toward him than there usually was.
Not that he was complaining.
But instead of answering his question, she changed the subject as she trailed her fingers across the breadth of his shoulders. “How you managed this, I don’t think I’ll ever understand.”
“I’d be happy to explain my methods,” he said with ease as he reached for her. “If you agree to give me something in return.”
Her smile grew a touch. “Everything for a price.”
“Are you willing to pay it?”
“I think we both know the answer to that.”
“Are you ready then?” he asked, putting everything else to the back of his mind.
“Ready for what?”
He could show her better than he could tell her …
20
Unfortunate Truths
Isla normally didn’t care to know the women that worked for her mother unless they could provide her with some form of entertainment—whether they knew it or not—which was why it took her longer than she would have liked to track down the woman she only vaguely remembered from the day in question. It also didn’t help that she was trying her best not to tip off Katherine to what she was doing.
It did help that Katherine kept very few women under her employ who were older than her—younger women were more moldable to what she needed from them—so though there was a slight delay, she did, eventually, find the woman in question.
It only took a few hours before they tracked the woman to a small market on the edge of the village where she lived.
“That her?” Zoran asked, lifting his sunglasses long enough to peer through the windshield of their rental at the woman in question.
Isla could guess she wasn’t what he’d been expecting. He’d been around long enough to know the sorts her mother surrounded herself with, and this woman, with her demure clothes and delicate scarf that both covered her hair and shoulders didn’t fit the bill.
She was oblivious to them surveilling her, taking her time as she picked up an assortment of fruits and herbs from the vendors.
“If she’s going to be here a while, this is probably the best time for us to—”
Before he could finish, Isla seized his arm, gripping so tight she had to imagine it was painful for him even though he didn’t complain, but she couldn’t help herself because while she had been paying attention to the woman she had only come to question, she hadn’t noticed the girl who’d been slowly trailing behind her.
The distance was too great for her to make out the features of the girl’s face, but the sheet of dark hair that fell around her shoulders and the pale blue dress she wore stood out. For a moment, it was as if she had been transported back to her own childhood, remembering the way Karina used to trail behind her wherever they went.
It was hard to estimate at this distance how old the girl was—she had never been good at guessing someone’s age—but her heart did a slow leap all the same. It could have been anyone … but a part of her knew that wasn’t true.
Katherine had lied to everyone and Isla had unknowingly been a part of the greatest deception in her sister’s life.
A deception that was going to break her heart once she learned the truth …
Elsie Runehart hadn’t been wrong.
* * *
Her hands were shaking, but she didn’t realize just how badly they were trembling until she attempted to place her cup back on its saucer and the sound of the fine china scraping across the surface of the small dish made her look down.
Isla drew in a heavy breath, wishing her nerves weren’t as bad as they were, but what could she do? She’d seen some of the worst things humanity was capable of—survived a few, even—but this was beyond her realm of understanding.
She thought she knew her mother quite well. Now, she was sure she didn’t know the woman at all.
At least not the cold, vindictive woman who was capable of something like this.
But she didn’t need to
Even seated, Isla could tell the woman was afraid—she shook in her bonds, her gaze darting around the room frantically as she searched for an escape that didn’t exist.
It had been almost too easy grabbing her off the streets when she’d been on her
way home, and though she’d worried about scaring the girl too much, she had actually smiled at the sight of her—a fact that made her want to cry.
Clearly, Katherine had thought to tell her about them if the girl knew who she was without her having to say.
A sickening thought.
She knew her real grievance was with her mother and not the woman the girl she was sure was her niece had been staying with, but as far as she was concerned, the woman would never leave this room alive.
“I’m not an expert on torture, I have to admit,” Isla said as she cross the floor over to the weapons carefully placed on the bed, ignoring the woman’s quick intake of breath. “Not like he is, of course.”
This, she said, with a nod of her head in Zoran’s direction. He managed to make standing in one place look easy and intimidating.
“Unfortunately, he has this frustratingly annoying rule about not harming women or children.” She made a point to roll her eyes as if the very idea was ridiculous. “I, on the other hand, don’t believe in such philosophies, so I’ll just have to stumble my way through this.”
Isla wasn’t entirely sure which she would fear more if she was in the woman’s position.
“I’ll tell you anything you want to know,” the woman said quickly, shaking her head as if that could truly prevent her from being tortured.
“Is she …” Isla swallowed, trying to gather the nerve to ask the only question that mattered. “Poppy. Is that Poppy in the other room.”
Even as fear practically bled out of her veins, the woman nodded, shame shining in her eyes. “Yes.”
“Karina’s daughter?” Isla asked just to be sure.
The woman nodded again and when she did, Isla struck her before she could stop herself. The slap felt good—far too good—but it didn’t quell the first burning inside of her.
No, that was for someone else entirely.
But … she would make a worthy substitute in the interim.
“Zoran, be a dear and call Elsie Runehart for me—her number is in my mobile.”
To her surprise, he didn’t immediately move to leave her and she knew why, but when she refused to take her eyes off the woman in front of her, he got the message.
This was going to happen whether he liked it or not.
And whether or not she felt the weight of her actions later, she was going to enjoy every second of this while she could.
Consequences be damned.
21
Harbor
Feather light kisses brushing down her spine gradually brought Karina awake, and for once, her slumber wasn’t fitful and her dreams weren’t nightmares.
Last night was the best sleep she’d had in ages.
“I’ve missed this,” Uilleam whispered against the small of her back. “Not this exactly—though I would be lying if I said I didn’t—but being here with you. These quiet moments when it’s just us and nothing else.”
“I have too,” she confessed, feeling no shame about admitting as much.
He moved up her body to kiss her then, soft and languid.
These were the moments she had missed the most with him. When it was just the pair of them without a care in the world.
When business could be left for another day.
It was just them.
Uilleam and Karina.
God, she’d missed this.
“What do you want to do today?” he asked once he finally pulled away.
For once, she had no plans—no need to do anything other than what they were doing right now.
“What do you have in mind?” she asked.
“How about I tell you after my shower,” he said with a playful laugh.
Sounded good to her.
She watched as he padded naked to the bathroom and disappeared inside.
Rolling over, she listened to the shower run, imagining Uilleam standing beneath the spray of water.
Normalcy.
The one thing she had always craved and he was ready to give her that in his own way.
The thought made her smile.
Speaking of being normal, Karina rolled out of bed, grabbing the first thing she could find to get dressed in.
If she wasn’t mistaken, there was a quaint breakfast place not too far from the hotel and she couldn’t remember the last time they’d eaten together.
It would, at the very least, be a nice surprise for when he got out of the shower.
The sun seemed a little brighter as she stepped out of the hotel and started down the street toward the small diner at the corner.
It felt almost ridiculous, but she didn’t feel like the same woman. So much of the last many years had felt as if she were walking in darkness—as if pain was the only thing she knew and the only thing she deserved.
But now … the pain was still there—she was almost certain it always would be—but at the same time, she was certain she would be able to better manage it.
And on the days when she couldn’t, Uilleam would be there to help her through it.
This was their second chance.
Without the secrets.
Without the lies.
This was their chance to start over and be themselves for once.
At the thought, Karina smiled.
She was almost to the diner when the hairs on the back of her neck stood up and she had the undeniable sensation that someone was watching her.
Glancing over her shoulder, she didn’t see anyone at first glance, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.
But she saw no one.
Thinking she was just being paranoid, Karina shook her head, pulling out her phone to send a quick text to Uilleam letting him know where she had gone, but she never got the chance.
One second everything was normal and in the next, a hand clamped tight over her mouth, an arm banding tight around her.
She only had a moment to perceive there were two men dragging her off the street before she felt a pinch and very quickly, the world went dark around her.
* * *
Karina came awake to a dry mouth, clammy hands, and the start of a raging migraine she was in no mood for.
The bed she was lying on was soft but unfamiliar, and the moment she realized she wasn’t in Uilleam’s suite, she bolted upright, her heart galloping in her chest as she tried to piece together just where she was.
The sudden movement only managed to make her headache rage harder. She pressed her hands against her temples, willing the headache to subside long enough for her to figure out where she was and just how the hell she’d gotten here in the first place.
Whoever had done this would pay dearly.
She hardly had a chance to plot her revenge when the door swung open on the other side of the room.
A girl who couldn’t have been older than a teenager peered in, and upon seeing that she was awake, walked carefully into the room carrying a tray of food as well as a small bottle of pain reliever.
Blinking twice to clear her vision, Karina looked from the tray and everything resting on top of it, to the girl that carried it. “Who are you?”
“Mother sent me,” she said in a voice so soft it was a miracle Karina had heard a word she said—she also didn’t miss the fact that the girl hadn’t actually answered her question.
“My mother,” Karina asked, though she already knew the answer, even if it was taking her a little longer than needed to grasp.
Most alarming was the fact that this wasn’t the oddest thing her mother had done over the years, though it was a bit extreme. Worse, she was slightly less bothered knowing this was Katherine and not a stranger.
“Mother thought you might be hungry,” the girl said, setting the tray aside. “And she said these are for your headache.”
Karina ignored the food entirely in favor of the pain medicine. She practically ripped the top off and shook two out and swallowed them before even reaching for the glass of water.
Though she knew she had at least fiftee
n minutes before they kicked in, she already felt better knowing relief was imminent.
“Where is she?”
“Oh, well, I don’t think—”
“You can tell me or I’ll find her myself,” Karina said shortly.
It wasn’t the girl’s fault that she was here or that her mother had clearly lost her mind, but she was also in no mood to sit around and wait for answers once Katherine deemed her worthy to receive them.
Ducking her head, the girl gestured behind her at the open door. “She’s in the library.”
Karina didn’t hesitate in standing and leaving the room, venturing down the lengthy hallway and opening every door as she went until she found the one she was looking for.
To her surprise, Katherine was alone in the room.
Attempting to ignore how odd this entire situation was—and not wanting to think about her own mother having her kidnapped off the street like one of her enemies—Karina was careful as she spoke. “What the hell is going on? Is there some sort of threat I don’t know about?”
Katherine didn’t respond for a long time, seeming captivated by the painting hanging up on the wall that had been in their family for as long as Karina could remember.
It wasn’t a particularly special one—she’d never suspected that Katherine was even particularly fond of the thing beyond what it was worth—but with the way she studied it, one would have thought it was her most prized possession.
More than a minute passed before she deigned to speak. “I never wanted to be a mother, you know. My own was a particularly nasty woman who thought she was God’s gift to the world—a bleeding narcissist I’d say. I despised her very existence.”
Karina expected her first remark to hurt—to wound her since her mother had all but she she hadn’t wanted to have her—but it didn’t.
Not even a little.
Which spoke more to their relationship than anything else possibly could.
Dark Horse: The Kingmaker Saga #5 Page 16