Page 63 of Sins and Salvation

I stand, wiping the blade on my jeans. The gunfire inside has stopped. Either Cormac's men won, or they're all dead.

My phone rings—a number I don't recognize.

"Hello?"

"Declan." Maeve's voice, breathless with relief. "We're safe. Conor's with me."

"Where are you?"

"At a friend's house on the coast. Sarah's place, remember her?" She pauses. "I got him out. Before you arrived."

"I know. You scared the shit out of me."

"I couldn't wait. I couldn't let you walk into that trap alone."

"Where did you get a gun?" I ask, remembering what Petrov's man said.

She laughs, the sound tinged with hysteria. "From one of their offices. I climbed through an air vent like a fucking action movie."

"Jesus Christ, Maeve."

"I did what I had to do." Her voice hardens. "For our son."

Behind me, Cormac walks out of the warehouse. His men haul corpses. None of our guys are dead, thank fuck.

"It's over," I tell her. "Petrov's dead."

"Good."

"Stay where you are. I'll come to you."

"Declan." She hesitates. "Is it really over?"

I think of what Petrov said about Siobhan, about Cormac's lies. But now's not the time for those doubts.

"Yes," I say. "It's over. We can go home."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

I hang up and walk to Cormac, who's directing the cleanup. Bodies disappearing, evidence erased. The Donovan way.

"Maeve has Conor," I tell him. "They're safe."

Relief flashes across his face. "Good. Where?"

"Somewhere safe. I'm going to them now."

He nods. "And Petrov?"

I gesture to the body. "Done."

"Clean." He looks me over. "You're bleeding."

I look down at my shoulder. The stitches have torn, blood soaking through my shirt.

"It's fine."

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