“Then, we blow the fucking door open.”
“You don’t want to do that, dear nephew.”
Both Sam and Liam turned to see a woman holding a gun on them. Helen Harrington, the evil hag who’d tricked Catriona by approaching her as Hazel. Their aunt was as monstrous and sick as her brother, and had conspired against them, becoming a danger in her own right and one they shouldn’t have dismissed so easily.
“Hands up and no sudden movements. You wouldn’t want to push your luck, especially since you’ve pretty much run out of it.”
Sam tried to move closer, but Helen shook her head. “Don’t try it. I know what you’re capable of, please give me the same courtesy.”
“What do you want?”
Helen arched an eyebrow, seeming delighted by the question. “My dear, remember, you boys were the ones who stirred the pot, not the other way around. You don’t believe it wouldn’t come with consequences, do you?”
Liam leaped forward to tackle the woman, allowing Sam a shot at stopping this when the metal door opened.
Forward motion halted, he skidded to a stop when he came face to face with Finch.
Liam stared at the man before him, who he’d never met in the flesh and compared the man standing with his gun drawn to the pictures he’d seen of the one who’d given him life. His face looked thinner, and his hair was grayer. He’d aged and not well.
In a split second, the little boy in him perked up, but the man he’d become, honed by pain, held him back. That’s when pure fear started streaming through his veins. If Finch had been in there, what had he done to Catriona?
“Well, isn’t this wonderful to have a visit from two of my wayward sons. Surprised to see me? Don’t you think that since the last time I was unfortunate enough to see my blood, I wouldn’t come prepared, and be ready to retaliate?” He boomed in laughter, and Liam ground his teeth at the sound.
“We came after you because you’re a psychopath who needs to be put down.”
The accusation didn’t dim Finch’s bright smile. “Come on, son. We’re blood. Many may say the same thing about you and your brothers for that matter. Of all of them, you were the one with the greatest potential for walking the straight and narrow, and still you failed. What does that say about you? But don’t stand there, come on in!”
Liam and Sam exchanged a glance, but Helen was having none of that. “After you, boys. Now! And keep your hands up and start walking.”
Caught between their father and aunt, Liam knew that they had to bide their time. On that, he could count on Sam to keep a cool head and be on the lookout for a chance to escape.
Finch ushered them inside an executive room that has seen better days with its decor straight out of the seventies. The faint morning sun was streaming through dirty windows, illuminating the massive desk in the center. And in front of it, Catriona was on her knees, ankles, wrists, and mouth duct-taped.
When they entered, his angel glanced up, and he noticed that she’d been hit, her cheekbone was swollen, and fresh blood showed on her eyebrow.
Her eyes grew wide when she saw both Liam and Sam enter, trying to convey so much without voicing a word.
She was alive and breathing, and with that knowledge alone, Liam only had one mission to accomplish now, even if it was the last one of his life—get Catriona out safely.
“You see? I’m not so bad. I haven’t killed her—yet.”
Still in a precarious position, Liam didn’t resist when Helen wrapped his arms behind his back with layer upon layer of duct tape, followed by Sam.
“This girl is incredible. I can’t believe she came to me willingly, trusted me even though she only knew me only from the church. I would have found her perfect if she hadn’t been so nosy. Screwing up part of our plan.”
Finch relaxed, lowering his gun, knowing that his sister was still aiming for both their heads. His attention shifted to Catriona. “And she’s a pretty one, same hair color as your mother as I recall, Liam, but less flame. Is that why you like her? Why you probably fucked her?”
Finch ran his fingers through her hair and Catriona flinched, which made him and his sister laugh. “She has gumption. It’s been a long time since I’ve had such fire for myself.”
It was an obvious taunt, one that almost pushed Liam to the brink of insanity. He had to keep his head, he had to think.
Scanning the room, he saw dirty clothing in the corner, and a sleeping bag rolled on top of it. The ceiling had partly opened due to Catriona’s passage. On the desk was a laptop, closed and by the window, a black box plugged into the wall. The white tower.
Small details, like the state of his clothing and his growing beard told Liam that they may have damaged Finch more than they’d thought, and created a kink in Finch’s armor that would allow them to get through this time.
“Is this where you’ve been hiding?”
The question made Finch relinquish Catriona, turning his attention to them again. But this time, he looked at Sam who tensed.
