Page 52 of Sin of Love
“And how long have you worked for Marco?”
“Why does this fucking matter?” She throws her hands up. “I told you where she’d be tonight, so give me my money!”
Liam chuckles. Maggie blanches, and even I shiver a little at the dark sound.
“How about this?” He takes a step toward her. “You deliver Deirdre to our car, outside, in exactly fifteen minutes, or I send Marco a little note telling him just how loyal his employee is.”
“He’ll never believe you.”
“Oh, really? Not even when I invite Gideon here to give you a big hug while I snap a photo?” He pulls his phone from a pocket.
“Wait.”
“Yes?”
Maggie looks at me, her eyes big and glistening, like I might give one lonely shit what she’s feeling.
“I love him,” she tells me. “This isn’t his fault. Deirdre makes him sick. Makes him want horrible things and do horrible things. He isn’t like that with anyone else. He’s a good man.”
“We’re talking about the same person? Marco Lazcano?” asks Liam with a sharp edge to his voice. “The notorious human trafficker with a penchant for killing teenagers after sexually brutalizing their bodies?”
“No, no, no.” Maggie shakes her head. “None of that happened. All lies.”
Grimacing, I shake my head. “I didn’t know I could be totally disgusted by someone and feel sorry for them at the same time, but here we are.” Then, to Liam, “We’re wasting time. If she isn’t going to help us, we need another plan.”
“Wait—I’ll do it!” bleats Maggie, dashing tears from her face. “Please, just promise you won’t tell him, and take Deirdre far away. Another continent. The fucking Antarctic. Otherwise he’ll never stop looking for her. She’s… she’s his poison.”
My rigid step toward her is stopped short by Liam’s arm. He murmurs, “Not worth it.”
I blow out a hard breath, nodding. His arm falls, and I take a long, hard look at the woman before me. Past the dense black cloud of my rage, I see her for what she is.
“You’re sick,” I tell her, my voice calmer than I feel. “I’m sorry for whatever happened to you that made you this way, and I hope someday you get the help you need. Bring Deirdre to us, and I’ll take her where no one will ever find her again. I promise.”
“And the money?” she asks.
Liam flicks imaginary lint from his shirt. “You’ll get exactly zero dollars for being a giant pain in the ass. But you won’t die, so take it or leave it.”
Whatever Maggie sees in the Irishman’s eyes makes her nod. “Deal.”
