Page 119 of Three Irish Kings
Isla’s worth it.
Being around her makes me feel lighter than I ever have, and I’m not about to give that up just because Liam can’t control his emotions. He’s lying to himself about how he feels about her, and it’s so obvious it almost hurts. But just because he feels the need to lie about how he feels, doesn’t mean I have to.
As I get out of the shower, my phone rings, buzzing along the sink’s edge. I grab it on the third ring, Ronan’s name flashing on the screen.
My heart squeezes in my chest.
Ronan rarely calls unless he has a job for me, and today I really wish I didn’t have a job to do.
Ever since I saw Maggie dead, looking just enough like Isla to rattle me, all I’ve wanted to do is spend time with Isla. Which, honestly, isn’t all that different from normal.
I’ve accepted I’m in love with her. I’m not obvious about it like Dare or hiding it like Liam, just quietly accepting how I feel.
I want her to be mine, and I hope that one day, she’ll choose me.
“Cill,” Ronan barks, bringing me back to reality.
“Aye?” I’m conditioned to answer when he calls, and I’m not sure I’ll ever shake it.
“Got a job for you. I’ll text you the details.”
“Aye.” My voice is flat now, dead, because I know whatever job it is, it’ll end up with more notches on my kill count. The little that might be left of my soul will take another hit.
Do I still have a soul? Will Isla loving me help me get some of it back?
No, I refuse to think about something as good as Isla when I have to become a monster.
Liam usually calls me when he knows his father has a job coming, and I haven’t heard from him. Does he know about this job, whatever it is?
There are a few jobs I do for Ronan that Liam doesn’t always know about—mostly cracking down on those who haven’t paid us for protection or killing a target that Liam wouldn’t sanction.
But ever since Ronan has been ill, every decision has gone through Liam.
My phone buzzes to life in my hand, and I look down at it to a text message from Ronan, with an address and a target’s name.
I don’t know the name. I don’t know why Ronan wants me to take him out.
Fuck. Now what? Do I just do it, or should I call Liam?
Ronan is not himself most of the time, so can I really take the risk of taking down an innocent target? Or at least as someone in the life can be.
It’s hard. I’ve spent my whole life as Ronan’s weapon. Soulless, unfeeling, ruthless. And even though I know he’s losinghis mind and can't be trusted, I am like a distorted version of Pavlov’s dog. Ronan whistles, and I kill.
But my loyalty to Liam is just as strong, so I sigh, putting on my clothes before calling him.
He doesn’t answer, so I call again.
He snaps up the phone on the fourth ring. “What?”
“Your da wants me to do a job.”
“What kind of job?”
“My kind. Texting you the details, now.”
“Thomas, aye? I’ve heard the name. I’ll make some calls and text you back. Stay put for now.”
I pace around the house, hoping against hope Liam says to lay low. I can go and visit Isla, feel like the man I could have been instead of the monster I’ve become.
