Page 68 of The Celtic Resolution
Once the leash is secure around one wrist, Bruno leads me out of the cell with a quiet request that I go with whatever he does and says. I nod because this is a chance I don’t want to mess up.
Bruno leads me down a long, winding corridor, up a flight of stairs and then down another winding corridor that turns in the opposite direction. Then he stops abruptly and I almost walk into his back.
“Ow,” I mutter as the sudden halt sends an ache up my wrist when pulling on the cuffs. Bruno turns around and places his hand on my shoulder, drawing my attention up to his face.
“Saoirse,” he murmurs. “Look to my left, slowly.”
As I do, he leans down as if he’s about to bury his face into my neck and the urge to recoil rises and then fades instantly. To my left is a door with a square glass panel and through the glass is the best sight I have ever laid eyes on.
Cian.
He’s alive!
He’s fucking alive! His head hangs to one side, resting on his shoulder and he’s chained up to a wall, but his chest is visibly moving and one hand twitches as he shifts.
Bruno was telling the truth.
He’s alive.
My heart explodes into a flurry of movement and my head swims with the rush of relief that pours through me. Suddenly I’m clinging to Bruno and fighting a sob that threatens to escape as my world blurs with tears. Blinking furiously to clear them, I want to stare at Cian for as long as I possibly can and soon I can’t stop the wail of relief that rises.
“Oh, my God,” I weep. “He’s… I don’t understand, he’s really?—”
“Oi!” Someone barks loudly behind Bruno and he flinches, abruptly standing upright. “What the fuck, Bruno. You’re not allowed here— why the fuck is she out of her cell?”
“Uh…” Suddenly Bruno’s palm collides with my face as he slaps me, then he grabs my chin and forces me to look at him through pouring tears. “What did I tell you about running away? I told you I’d make you pay!”
Is this what he meant by playing along? Luckily the pouring tears and utter relief at seeing Cian alive makes it easy to play into the apologetic prisoner and I sink to my knees, sobbing.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry, I was confused and I got lost. I’m sorry!”
“Fucking hell,” mutters the stranger. “Pathetic.”
“Don’t worry,” Bruno sneers above me. “I’ll reprimand her swiftly.”
His ‘reprimanding’ involves sitting next to me on the bed while tending the fresh bruise he gave me under my eyes while I sob in utter disbelief that Cian is alive.
“I’m sorry,” he murmurs, keeping his head low as if to hide his mouth. “I was hoping to get you back here before anyone saw but with how often they switch up the guards, I knew there was a chance. Thank you for playing along with me.”
I can’t speak. I just close my eyes and picture Cian over and over again.
“Do you believe me now?” Bruno asks.
I nod.
“You’d do absolutely anything to save him, wouldn’t you?”
Opening my eyes, I meet his gaze and nod again.
“Just like I would with Mary. I’m just trying to savebothof you and I know I have no right to ask you this but we need to work together so please… please Saoirse. Hate me all you want,curse me out all you want, even kill me afterward but please… please work with me here.”
Gathering what emotional stability I have left, I hurriedly wipe away my tears. Seeing Cian alive and well has formed a protective cage around the hope fluttering away inside me. I take a deep breath and try to organize my tumbling thoughts.
“Tell me everything,” I say hoarsely. “From the very beginning. Tell me every detail. Then I’ll decide if working with you is the right call.”
30
BRUNO
