Page 20 of Malevolent Hearts

“Watch it, King,” Cadden grits through clenched teeth.

My jaw tightens as I replay the entirety of my relationship with Cadden. When we’re together, we avoid talking about the syndicate and the roles we play within it. I’ve always assumed he was training in weapon trading. But bombs, he never mentioned anything about them, ever. Especially, that he was fucking making them.

Snapping my attention back to Cadden, I see the turmoil coiling his features, but I ignore it, searching for the answers I deserve to hear. “You make bombs for the syndicate?”

His teeth sink into his bottom lip as a coat of sadness washes over his eyes, but he holds his tongue. My hands slam against his chest. “Answer me.”

He gives me a stiff nod in response, his eyes closing as his chin dips.

Pieces of the puzzle start to fit together: Cadden insisted we leave Saoirse’s party. Visions of him screaming at me to get back into the car after Liam’s phone call, the needle in my neck when I told him I was going back to the castle after I saw the sky erupt into flames.

It hits me like a freight train. He knew that the bomb was going to go off, and he made sure neither of us was there when it did.

Anger like I’ve never felt before takes over, racing through my veins like liquid lightning. My fists pound against his chest. “You knew. You put that bomb there, knowing people could get hurt. Then you said nothing, did nothing to warn anyone.”

“I didn’t.” He shakes his head. “Beibhinn, you have to believe me. I swear, I didn’t plant that bomb.”

“But you made it.” Rohan’s statement is clipped, full of malice as he wraps his free hand around my waist to pull me away from Cadden.

Cadden makes no move to stop Rohan. Instead, he remains still, eyes pleading with me to believe him. His gaze stays locked on mine, but I ignore the sadness whirling in their depths. “How could you? People could’ve been seriously injured, or worse, killed.”

The arm Rohan has around my waist stiffens at my words, and a wave of dread washes through me. My breath halts, lodging in my throat when I realise the reality Cadden’s sheltered me from. Tears prick my eyes as I focus on the man before me.

“Who?” The question whispers past my lips, but I fear I already know the answer. My body shakes as I watch Cadden step towards me, regret twisting his every feature.

“I’m sorry, Beibhinn. I swear I didn’t know until it was too late. He was already gone. Please. Please believe me.”

He reaches for me, but Rohan’s hold on me tightens as he pulls me back a step, not allowing Cadden to make contact. Rearing forward, I thrash in Rohan’s grip as tears streak my cheeks, my entire body jerking with the force of them. The roar that escapes me rattles my bones. I need my thoughts confirmed. I need him to tell me the truth I already know. “WHO?”

Cadden’s jaw tightens as he closes his eyes and tips his chin towards the ceiling. When he brings his gaze to mine, I watch as a tear stains his cheek. The tip of his tongue swipes it from the corner of his mouth. Unable to look at me, he drops his gaze to the floor.

“Tell her!” Rohan pushes.

Finally, Cadden lifts his gaze, then shatters me to pieces. “There was a bomb under the driver's seat of Rohan’s car, and when it went off”—he pauses, his entire body shaking as he chokes out the words trapped in his throat—“Liam was the one behind the wheel.”

All the air sweeps from my lungs and the room spins. My legs buckle beneath me, and I drop to the floor. Rohan comes with me, keeping his arms around me, holding me as best he can while I fall apart. The cry that rips from my soul tears me in two. I’m gasping, body shuddering with the weight of the truth. My skin crawls as the blood drains from my veins.

Next to me, Cadden falls to his knees, reaching for me.

“Don’t touch me.”

“Please, look at me, B. I swear, I didn’t know.”

Burying my head in Rohan’s neck, I beg. “Get me out of here. Please. I can’t. I can’t be here.” Each word is trapped behind a gasp as I fight to fill my lungs.

Rohan lifts me into his arms and rises to his feet. I don’t look back at Cadden while I’m carried through the doorway. Still wrapped around Rohan, I fight against the grief tearing me apart from the inside out.

Before we descend the stairs, he halts, throwing his gaze over his shoulder. “There is only one reason you’re still breathing.”

Lifting my eyes from the safety of Rohan’s neck, I glance at Cadden as he remains on his knees. Tears stain his cheeks, and his eyes remain locked on me as he responds to Rohan. “Why is that?”

There is no hesitation in Rohan’s voice. “Because the second her heart stops breaking, she will end you herself. You’ve taken enough from her, she deserves at least that.”

Eleven

Beibhinn

The Present