“He’s dead,” Kelly said, “Knox did it. I saw everything.”
“Knox fucking O’Connor,” Sabrina said bitterly. “If only you knew what ye were getting into, Lennon. He is not a good man…not a good man at all. Just think of the blood on his hands every time he touches ye. Think of the women who have cried because of him, the kids who have no parents because Knox thinks he’s Judge, Jury and Executioner.”
“I know what kind of man he is,” I spat and pressed harder on her stomach. She grunted in pain and I felt a little satisfaction.
But not enough to erase the concern I had. Did I actually know what kind of man Knox was? Had I agreed to marry a cold-blooded killer?
Chapter Thirty Two
Knox
I’d been so relieved to find Sabrina still alive.
Not because I gave a single shite about the fekking little snake.
Only because I didn’t want Lennon to know what it felt like to kill a person, not if she didn’t have to. And in this case I doubted Sabrina would have actually harmed Lennon. I think she was letting her jealousy get to her, but going so far as to murder me girl? Sabrina wasn’t that fekking stupid.
We managed to haul Jake’s ass onto the plane and by the time we got him settled in, he had opened his eyes.
“Did you see the truck that hit me?” he asked groggily.
“I think a hit and run would have left less damage,” I said. “What te fek happened to ye?”
“Some guy clocked me with the butt of his gun,” Jake said. “I feel like such a fool, I didn’t even see it coming.”
“Hang tight, we’re gonna get ye back to the states and into a hospital in a matter of a few hours. Think ye’ll live that long?”
“I’ll try,” he replied and leaned back into the reclining leather chair and closed his eyes.
It probably wasn’t the wisest thing, letting him sleep with such a bad head injury, but we didn’t have much choice. Me and Pete had to unload the cargo in case we were questioned heading back over the border. We could lie and say it had been a miscalculation on Pete’s part or something.
It didn’t take long, we had a dolly and loaded wooden boxes of drugs and guns onto the runway. It was strange though, leaving hundreds of thousands worth of illegal contraband right next to Duncan’s body.
I’d checked, given the fact that Sabrina had survived, but Duncan weren’t so lucky. I knew what I was doing and I’d ended his life so he couldn’t harm me girl, Lennon.
It had all been for Lennon, I hoped she could see that and not think of me as a cruel monster now.
Or once she found out about me past, growing up on the streets of Belfast.
I had to take the chance though, she needed to know all of me, not just the man she knew now.
We finished in no time, got back on the plane and Pete headed to the cockpit to take us home.
I sat next to Lennon who was on the floor holding her sweatshirt over Sabrina’s middle.
“How’s it look?” I asked, nodding towards Sabrina.
“She’ll definitely live,” Lennon replied with a grim set to her lips.
“That’s good,” I replied. “It will be a lot easier to get her to sign the annulment papers than trying to have her declared dead.” I reached down and pulled Lennon up to my lap. Sabrina glared at me from the floor. “You, help her,” I said to the girl who reminded me of Katie.
A little shard of pain pierced my side and I knew I’d have to open up and share that part of my past with Lennon too. There would be no more secrets. Even the ones that still hurt like they’d happened yesterday.
“How ye doin, kitten?” I asked and held her against me. I needed to feel her heart beating against mine, to know she was safe from harm and still me bride. I reached around and stroked her hair, moved a strand of it off her face and looked at her, searching for signs that she couldn’t handle the mental stress she’d just gone through. She’s been through so much in such a short amount of time.
“I’ll be okay,” she said quietly, locking her eyes on mine. “Let’s make a pact. Let’s never do anything this stupid ever again. Please.”
“I promise,” I replied. “We’ll lead the most boring lives you can imagine from here on out.”
“Thank god,” she said with the ghost of a smile flickering across her lips. “I can’t believe I ever thought it would be fun to have an exciting life like this.”
“The most excitement I can handle now is to spend the night with you,” I laughed and kissed her.
We sat like that, cozied up together for a while until Lennon’s lids grew heavy and she began to drift into sleep. She finally fell with her head on my chest and her arms wrapped around my neck like a child.
I felt nothing but love and protection swelling through my body at the feel of her need like that. I held her close the entire flight.
Half an hour before landing I texted my guy who was in the know and requested a medical team be ready to go. It helped having those underground connections in spite of the fame and fortune I’d achieved for myself.
How could we possibly take a known international terrorist to a public hospital without calling attention to ourselves? I cursed the fact that we had to keep Sabrina hidden in order to save ourselves, but it was the only way. Lennon had pulled the trigger, and the last thing I needed was for her to get arrested for attempted murder.
There was little said as we moved Jake and Sabrina to the town car and loaded ourselves in with them. Lennon hung back with me as I told Pete to get cleaners in to take care of the blood in the jet. I wanted it spotless for the next time we flew.
She sat pressed against me in the car, her hand in mine and her body beginning to tremble. I recognized shock when I saw it, so we pulled up to the private clinic and I told Lennon to stay put while I helped Jake and Sabrina in to see the doctors.
Sabrina stumbled and fell as she exited the car, she was pale and cold and also hitting shock. I pushed the girl’s hands away, lifted Sabrina into my arms and walked her inside.
As there was no paperwork, it was easy enough to get them set up. I followed Jake to his cubicle and said, “You want me to call yer wife?”
“Fuck, no,” he groaned. “Do that and she’ll make me quit. I’ll tell her it was a boxing injury and catch a car home later. Go tend to your woman, she’s starting to crumble.”
“Aye, I know,” I said as the doctor began to clean Jake’s wound up. “She’s a strong woman, but nothing ken prepare ye for shite like this.”
I found Sabrina being cleaned up as well and prepped for surgery. I put my hand on the doctor’s arm and said, “Hold off, I’ve got something to say.” I shoved the papers I still had in my jacket pocket in front of Sabrina’s face and said, “Sign these or I’ll have them dump you back out on the street where ye’ll die.”
She glared at me with fire and hatred, but I was unflinching in my gaze. “Fine,” she spat, “Give me a pen.”
A nurse handed one to her, I watched her as she signed every spot needed to have her free and clear out of my life at last.
I snatched the papers from her hand, looked her up and down and said, “Never fekking contact me again or next time the bullet will be from me right in yer head.”
She blanched even whiter at that as I strode out and paid the bill in cash, all hundreds.
As I left I saw the young girl shivering in the waiting room, her pale face was drawn and anxious. I handed her a wad of bills, a few grand, and told her, “Git yerself back to Ireland, stay in school and listen to yer fekking mom and da, ye got that?”
She nodded miserably and whispered, “Thank ye,” as I left.
I couldn’t have saved Katie all those years ago, but I could at least try to help the poor thing Sabrina had with her now.
I headed back out to the car, opened the back door and found it empty.
Lennon was gone.
Chapter Thirty Three
Lennon
I was shivering so hard I thought my t
eeth would break after Knox left. I hunched over in my seat and tried to calm my nerves. I closed my eyes and attempted to envision us back at home, me in his arms, our life together finally starting out.
What flashed against my closed eyelids was an image of the gun going off and Sabrina’s chest exploding in a gush of blood and flesh.
I hadn’t killed her though; I didn’t know why it bothered me so much when she’d survived.
Maybe it was because she knew what had happened, because there was another person in the world who had seen me at my worst. She knew that I hadn’t hesitated; I’d become some primal creature hell bent on death and destruction, something unrecognizable to me.
I opened my eyes and saw Knox bend down to pick her up. He held her in his arms gently, she wrapped her hands around his neck like I liked to do, and she looked over his shoulder at me.
And winked as she gave me a smug, terrible grin.
My stomach clenched and my blood ran cold. What did she have in mind? I knew she’d never be satisfied leaving him with me; Knox O’Connor wasn’t the kind of man women just gave up on.
She was planning on digging her claws in and never letting go. And how could I fight it now? It’s not like I was a better person any more, I’d shot her point blank. I was just as depraved as she was.
I felt hot tears flood my eyes and spill over down my cheeks as I watched Knox carry her into the private clinic. I ran my hands over the leather seats of the luxury car I was in and wondered if I was selling myself out for money.
Did I really love Knox? Had I shot Sabrina because of love or because she threatened the comfortable life I had in my grasp?
I sniffled and tried to wipe my nose but couldn’t find any tissue. The only thing left was my bloody hoodie, but that made me gag to even look at it.
The car suddenly felt too small, as if the walls were closing in on me. My heart raced and my head felt light and I thought I was going to vomit if I stayed there any longer.
“Are you okay, Miss?” Knox’s driver asked from the front seat. The car was long, but not quite a limo, so I couldn’t pretend that he didn’t see my mini breakdown.
“I’m fine,” I replied and opened the door.
“Where are you going?” he yelled as I slid out.
“Anywhere but here,” I exhaled and started to hyperventilate.
His door opened and I panicked at the thought of him dragging me back inside, so I bolted.
I didn’t know what came over me, I’d never had a panic attack but it felt like this must be one. I ran through the streets, pushing past people and blindly turning corner after corner until I had no idea where I was.
I’d never been in this area of the city, and it was looking a little rough as the sun went down.
I could finally breathe and focus, but by then I was hopelessly lost.
I searched my pockets for my cell phone so I could call Knox and explain to him what had happened but it was nowhere on me.
Fuck. I must have forgotten it in the car.
I felt tears spring to my eyes again, closed them and saw Sabrina’s chest covered in blood and that triumphant grin on her face.
I snapped my lids open, took a deep trembling breath and started walking.
Chapter Thirty Four
Knox
“Where is she?” I bellowed to my driver, searching up and down the street for any glimpse of her.
“I don’t know, she took off running,” he replied in an annoyingly casual fashion.
“What fekking direction, ye daft arsehole?” I barked.
He jumped and opened his eyes wide. “That way,” he said and pointed down the street.
I took off running out onto the main drag and looked for her everywhere. She was nowhere to be found.
I cursed and grabbed my phone as I walked back to the car. I punched in her number and held it up to my ear. It rang and I heard music playing, getting louder and louder the closer I got to the car.
I opened the door and found Lennon’s phone on the seat where she had been.
“Fek!” I roared. “When did she leave? How long ago?”
“I don’t know, maybe twenty minutes?” he stammered and backed away from me.
“Get in,” I ordered, “we’re driving until we find her.”
He nodded and looked visibly relieved that I hadn’t kicked the shite out of him. I didn’t have a temper when it came to dealing with people in my day-to-day life, but I’m sure he could see how fekking worried I was.
He drove as I commanded, starting from where she went and making turn after turn as we followed an increasingly large circle around the clinic.
I had the window down in the back seat on both sides and spent time scanning the streets, stores and alleyways back and forth obsessively.
I didn’t know what I would do if I didn’t find her.
We began to edge into a worse part of town, the kind of place only the locals know about and avoid like the plague. The buildings started to get more and more shabby and the people on the street stopped rushing to and fro.
These people didn’t have anywhere to go but here.
I caught a glimpse in a stairwell of an abandoned building, just a flash of dark hair that might be me girl’s.
“Stop the car,” I yelled and had the door open before it came to a halt. I was off and running across the street, up the sidewalk and to the stairwell, taking the stairs three at a time.
A small crowd had gathered, five or six men, and in the midst of them curled a huddle figure with long, thick dark hair flowing over her thin, shaking shoulders.
“What the fek’s goin on here, then?” I growled as I reached the landing.
Five men turned towards me, gang bangers each of them. They were of varied ethnicities but all possessed a hungry desire for something more.
They each wore the same look that I had worn one time, before I’d gotten off the street. I hated having to take them on but I’d do anything to protect Lennon.
“Knox,” Lennon exclaimed from the cold cement. “I’m so sorry I ran.”
“We was just takin’ care of yer lady,” a tall man with a fighter’s coiled build told me as I moved towards her.
I didn’t even wait for an explanation; I punched him in the jaw and heard a satisfying crunch as he went down with a cry.
I dropped next to Lennon, pulled off me jacket and draped it over her. “I’m here, kitten,” I told her. “Let’s get home.”
Out of the corner of me eye I caught a flash of movement. I whipped my hand out and grabbed a foot just before it connected with my head. I twisted it and the man at the end followed suit and flew down the stairs with a clatter.
I picked Lennon up in me arms, glared at the remaining men and growled, “Any more of ye want to fekking take me on?” They all shook their heads and backed away down the stairs slowly. “I didn’t fekking think so.”
I crossed the distance to the car in a few long strides and pushed past the driver who held the door open for us. I set Lennon on the seat and slid in beside her.
“Take us home,” I told the driver as he got in, he nodded and we were off through the night towards our home, our safety.
“What were ye thinkin?” I asked her and kissed her tear stained cheeks.
“I wasn’t,” she said with a sad smile, “that was the problem. I felt like I was suffocating, and when Sabrina gave me that smile over your shoulder I just lost it. I’m not like her, I can’t be like her, so if that’s what you want then you need to find somebody who isn’t as weak as I am.”
I held her close and would have smiled had it not been so serious. “Ye still don’t get it, do ye?” I asked and rubbed her shoulders gently as I cradled her in my lap. “Yer not like any girl I’ve ever known and that’s the point. Yer the only one who has me heart, and yer the only one I’ve ever wanted te marry. Sabrina was a mistake, an arrangement set up to get her out of the group home early, you know. We never even did consummate it, kitten.”
“You never slept with her?” she sniffled and looked up at me.
“I never did. I was a love sick fool and she took advantage of me. She had me running here and there, but only because I was young and dumb and didn’t know what love really was,” I said. “Now I have ye, and I know what it is. And I wouldn’t give it up for anything in the world.”
“I shot her,” she said, “I didn’t even hesitate, I just shot her. I’m no better than she is really.”
“Of course ye are,” I told her.
“How?”
“Ye think about it afterwards, a girl like Sabrina just uses and uses everybody up without a thought. Yer a caring girl who does what’s necessary to keep herself and her love safe and that’s it. Ye could have harmed the young girl, ye could have even shot Sabrina again for good measure, but ye didn’t. Yer a good woman, kitten, and don’t ever let your head tell ye otherwise.”
“Thank you,” she said and pressed her face against my chest.
We pulled up in front of our house and I lifted her from the car and carried her to the bedroom.
I helped her undress and piled her bloodied clothes in the corner for Sylvie to dispose of. I wanted nothing to remind Lennon of the day she shot somebody, the day she walked the dark path. I never wanted her to question her purity again.
I ran her a hot bath and helped her in, washed her hair gently and washed the blood and grit from her body.
After we wound up in bed, desperate and needing comfort and sustenance from each other’s love.
We got it, all night, in each other’s arms. Entwined and joined, our bodies together. Nothing would ever tear us apart again.
Chapter Thirty Five
Lennon
A few days after the ill-fated Mexico trip, Knox pulled me aside and showed me his surprise, the papers from his lawyers.
His annulment was going through easily and he would be free to marry me within the month. He’d forced Sabrina to sign when she was in the clinic, he hadn’t been carrying her to show her affection, he’d been using her to get what he wanted.
IRISH: a Bad Boy Fighter Romance Page 11