Page 32 of Malevolent Hearts
Rising to my feet, I move towards the shelf and then run my hand along the edge before dragging it toward me. With a flick of my wrist, I reveal a secret room filled with monitors. Inching forward, my eyes widen when I see what’s playing across each screen. There’s camera footage covering every area of the estate. From left to right, my attention sweeps across each monitor. One shows the main house, including my dad’s office. Next, the grounds surrounding the property. There’re even cameras dedicated to every square inch of my mother’s gym. When my gaze lands on the last one, my stomach flips as bile races towards my mouth. There, in vivid Technicolour is my and Liam’s gate-lodge. The screen is blocked off into eight smaller camera views, covering every room we have, including my library. How long has he been watching me? Did he know Cadden had been sneaking onto our property for years? Was he aware of our relationship?
It’s then I notice the empty daybed, not a sign of the sleeping man that should be there.
Shit! “Where the hell is he?” A quick glance at the other screens shows Cadden thundering through the garden, heading straight for the main house. Not wanting him to find me or this secret room, I take a step backwards towards the hidden doorway, hoping to cut him off before he finds my whereabouts.
But right as I’m about to hightail it out of there, my eyes land on the first screen, and my mouth dries when I see the last person I expect to see. My brother. Suddenly, I couldn’t give a shit if Cadden finds me or this room, because all I can focus on is a paused frame of Liam in my parent’s bedroom, murder lighting his stormy eyes. My gaze darts towards the date in the bottom left corner. Friday, May 13—the night of Saoirse’s party, and the night my brother died.
From this angle, I can’t see my dad’s face, but judging by the tight clench of Liam’s jaw, the conversation they’re having is more than a little heated.
My hand itches to reach for the blob on the screen, and before I can stop myself, I’m stepping forward and running the pad of my finger over my brother’s face. I jolt as the screen reacts to my touch and brings the video to life, replaying their conversation.
“Fuck you. This is my life and my choice. And for once, I am choosing me.” Liam turns on his heel and strides towards the doorway, seemingly done with the conversation.
Not one to have the last word, my father steps forward. “What happens to Beibhinn if you walk away now?”
Liam halts, his hand clawed around the door-knob but he doesn’t turn around.
“Do you really think she’s cut out for a leadership role in this family?” My dad pushes, making my blood turn molten.
Suddenly, Liam’s gaze snaps over his shoulder, cold and brutal. “Beibhinn will be twice the leader you ever were if that’s what she decides she wants.”
My father’s lips twist into a sickening smile that makes the hairs on my arms stand at attention. It was rare I ever saw this version of the man I called Dad, and when I did, it was never directed at me. Instead, it was reserved for his workers, the men he employed to run his shipments or any other syndicate business that needed attending to. But, judging by the indifference on my twin’s face, it’s a look he’s more than familiar with.
“That’s where you are wrong, Devin.” He uses Liam’s given name, accentuating each letter with a roll of his tongue. “If you walk away from the role of the head of this family, she won’t have a choice.”
Liam’s shoulders drop as he exhales, but he remains silent as my father continues. “Maybe you should think about that before you piss away your sister’s future, all because you got your heart broken by a little slut like Saoirse Ryan.”
Liam pulls the door open, but he pauses, throwing one final statement into the air. “Saoirse Ryan will be the queen of Killybegs, with or without me by her side. And Beibhinn, as for her, you will rue the day you underestimated her because I promise you, she will reign supreme throughout the entire syndicate. And I for one can’t wait to watch you bow at her feet while you beg her for mercy.”
A tear falls from my eye as Liam slams the door shut behind him. Liam’s faith in me was unwavering, as is the edge in his tone. A sad smile curls my lips. He finally did it. He stood up to Oliver without hesitation.
Then, just when I think there is nothing more to see, my father surprises me by pulling his phone from the inside pocket of his suit. I wait with bated breath as he waits for the call to connect.
Finally, he greets the other caller. “We have a problem. Liam is being difficult. He could cause a problem tonight.”
Unfortunately, I can’t hear what is being said on the other end, but when my dad glides his hand through his hair, he gives me pause. A dark glint swirls in his gaze, making my breath lodge in my throat. Then when his next words filter the air, I choke on them. “The Leinster seat is mine to take.” Once again, the room falls silent as the other caller speaks up. For a second, I presume it’s Gabriel, but then my father throws me with his next statement.
“Don’t worry about Gabriel King. He will be dealt with in due time, but first, we need to get rid of his cocky son and that stupid cunt Saoirse. Stick to the fucking plan. Then by the time the sun rises, there will be nobody to stop me from taking what should have always been mine. Unfortunately, I didn’t know that slut Éanna was already fucking pregnant before we gang fucked her, ruining my chances at getting my Ryan heir.”
My father’s manic laughter has vomit filling my mouth, but I swallow it back.
“Do what needs must. If my son becomes collateral damage, so fucking be it. As long as Cadden sticks to his end of our deal, we can carry on with business as normal.”
I don’t hear anything else as everything turns to white noise. My father confirmed my worst fears in a few sentences. He had my brother murdered. And Cadden knew his plan. He fucking knew they were going to kill my brother, and if this video is anything to go by, also Rohan and Saoirse. Cadden was fucking involved.
My knees buckle and I grip the table. So focused on keeping myself from falling to my knees, I ignore when my knuckles knock the handgun my father must have left next to the keyboard. That is until I hear the deep, dripping-with-guilt baritone behind me. “Beibhinn, I swear to you. That wasn’t how it sounded.”
Closing my eyes, I draw in a breath before wrapping my fingers around the butt of my father’s Beretta 92. Slow and steady, I turn on my heel and raise the gun until the barrel is aimed between Cadden’s eyes. “Keep. My fucking name. Out of your lying mouth.”
His hands raise in surrender, but he steps forward, trying to plead his case. “The night of the party?—”
“Take one more step and I swear on my brother’s grave, I will pull this trigger.”
“Let me explain, please?”
The flames of revenge burn brightly within me, propelling me forward on a path that leads to confrontation and reckoning. I close in on him, leaving just enough space to extend my arm as I hold the muzzle between his brows. “I will never believe another word out of your fucking mouth. You have five seconds to piss off back to the hell-hole you came from. Starting now.”
“Bev.”