Page 9 of Desperate Measures

“Do I need to remind you who the fuck I am?” she growled.

Well, I mean, she tried to growl, but to me she sounded more like a kitten than a tiger.

“I know who you are, Maggie. Maybe you’re the one who forgot whoIam,” I said, sighing and walking to the small bar setup I spied in the corner.

I poured myself a whiskey. One for my sister, too.

“Sláinte,” I murmured and handed it to her.

“Sláinte,” she replied and tossed it back.

Maggie exhaled and placed the glass back on the bar, then faced me.

“Listen—”

“No. We’ll find a way, Maggie. But this isn’t it,” I said and shook my head.

“You ungrateful little shit,” she shouted. “After everything I did for you. I am delivering you a way to ultimately secure the future for the O’Doyles on a silver fucking platter here!”

“Don’t start,” I growled. “I did everything you ever asked. You sent me to work for the Vipers when I was still in college, for fuck’s sake, Maggie. Everythingyoudid. I remember what you did, alright,” I snarled.

Anger fueled me as I got right up in my sister’s face. Her cold eyes stared at me, unblinking. They were the same shade as mine, but that was where the resemblance ended.

“Getting duped by some fucking woman in a tight dress. Being an accomplice in the kidnapping of Angel Fury’s woman. Oh, I fucking remember what you did,Maggie. I had to pay for your goddamn mistakes, or didyouforget? Don’t you dare callmeungrateful.”

“That was years ago,” Maggie spat back.

“Feels like fucking yesterday.”

Chapter 2-Liam

I’d been in college, Just a kid, really, when Ghost and her men kidnapped me and tied me up, tossed me in our garage. Used me to make my sister do what they wanted.

No, I didn’t forget.

I promised myself I would never be caught off guard again.

Never that weak again.

Never at the mercy of another person who was stronger than me.

Not fucking ever.

The Vipers had come storming in for the rescue, with the help of Adrik Volkov, that was not the end of it.

I was forced to take a leave of absence from school, made to move to Jersey City, dragged away from everything I knew.

My life.

My friends.

My school.

All to pay for Maggie’s sins.

“You owe me,” Maggie said.

“I don’t owe you shit, Maggie. And you know it.”