Page 125 of Bound By Darkness

"The men," he says grimly.

I narrow my eyes."We already talked about this.We wait until they have no choice but to fall in line."

"And most of them will," Ronan agrees."But not all."

I know what he’s getting at before he even says it."Seamus," I say, rolling the name over my tongue like a curse.

"You know he won’t turn, even when O’Sullivan’s gone," Ronan says."They grew up together.He’s loyal.That kind of devotion doesn’t disappear because his boss is dead."

I drag a hand over my jaw, weighing his words carefully.Seamus has always been one of O’Sullivan’s most trusted men.Ruthless.Calculated.Deadly.It’s what makes him dangerous, but it’s also why he’d be valuable if he pledged loyalty to me instead.

"Let me handle him," I say.

"No."There’s a sharp edge to Ronan’s voice."Seamus will never be loyal to us.He’s a liability we can’t have.”

Seamus is a relic, a man who clings to the idea that Eamon is untouchable.I take a slow sip of my drink, letting the burn settle before answering."Then we make an example of him."

"That’s not quite what I had in mind," Ronan chuckles.

“What are you proposing?”I ask, already anticipating his answer.

"We let Aoife handle him," Ronan replies, his tone casual like he’s suggesting something as simple as moving a chess piece across the board.

I go still.A muscle ticks in my jaw as I carefully set my glass down."Aoife?"

For the first time in our partnership, Ronan catches me off guard.Of all the ways I imagined he might deal with Seamus, this wasn’t one of them.I was ready for blackmail, pressure, or a quiet disappearance.I was prepared to spill his blood myself if it came to that.

But handing him to Aoife?As a test?

The thought sinks into me like rot, slow and cold, spreading through the hollow spaces I can no longer ignore.

I don’t move.I don't blink.

I let the stillness hold me together while the poison curls deeper into my bones.

"You’re hesitating," Ronan notes, a smug edge creeping into his voice like he’s caught me in a moment of weakness.

I force my expression to smooth out and keep my voice carefully measured."I don’t see the point in testing her when I already know where she stands."

"Do you?"he presses."Because I’m not convinced.You say she’s with us, but she’s been treading a fine line, keeping both Ruairi and Eamon within reach.We need to know she’s truly loyal to you.To us."

I don’t like the idea.Not because I doubt her but because I know exactly what she’s capable of.

Aoife isn’t weak.

She’s sharp enough to cut, ruthless enough to destroy if she chooses to.There’s a darkness in her that Ronan hasn’t seen yet.One I should fear more than I do.

But forcing her hand now, before she's entirely mine before the last chains settle—it's a risk I can't afford to second-guess.

I drag a breath through my nose, cold and shallow, swallowing the hint of unease in the pit hollowing out my chest.I can't let Ronan see it.

"Fine," I say, at last, my agreement a slow, measured concession."We’ll test her."

He doesn’t hear the death already written into my voice.Doesn’t realize he’s just another piece I’ll sweep off the board when the time comes.

He still believes I’ll leash her.

Tame her.

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