INTO TEMPTATION (Deliver Us from Evil #2)

Five-1

My first instinct is to protect her.

And my second? Well, the second instinct is to rip out Brody’s spleen and feed it to him.

Babydoll’s accelerated breathing hints that Brody wasn’t invited. She’s just as surprised as I am at seeing him here. But Darcy seemed to know he was coming. I wonder how?

I can figure that out later because now, I need to salvage the last ten years of my life.

Brody enters the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He obviously wants privacy. My stance in front of Babydoll remains firm. He’s going to have to go through me before he touches her.

I was seconds away from telling her the truth—that we’re not brother and sister. But when I asked her why we couldn’t give in to what we both wanted, her response put everything into perspective.

“Because Rory doesn’t deserve this. Just because we’re f****d up doesn’t mean we have to take him down with us.”

She’s right.

I lost sight of everything because all I could see was her.

I didn’t care that my best friend was happy and living the life I wanted for him. All that mattered was giving in to temptation because my hunger for Babydoll has only grown, and I know that regardless of what’s right or wrong, she feels this undeniable pull as well.

Her body responded to me just how it did ten years ago. She may love Rory, but it’s clear our feelings for one another haven’t diminished with time. Which is why I will never tell her the truth. If she believes we cannot be, then her feelings will eventually fade, and she and Rory can have a chance at living the life they both deserve.

Every part of me rebels at the thought, but what nearly happened is proof that together, we’re on a collision course, bound to destroy anyone in our way. And I won’t allow that to happen. I need to accept that Babydoll and I are better off apart.

The hunger she stirs in me is unbearable, but I won’t let it win. I will treat her as if we are really related and forget that I want her more than I need air to f*****g breathe.

“Bout ye, son?” asks Brody, smiling happily. “Look at ya. Yer a big man now.”

He almost sounds proud at the fact, that going to prison because he sent me there was a grand life lesson.

“How dare you!” Babydoll snarls from behind me. “You say that like it’s something to be proud of. Puck was in jail because of you. You’re not welcome here. Get out before I throw you out myself.”

Brody chuckles, not at all intimidated by her demands. And why would he? He’s the king of this f*****g town.

“I’m a wee bit hurt ya didn’t invite yer da to yer engagement,” he says while Babydoll scoffs.

“You may have been the sperm donor, but you are not my dad. As far as I’m concerned, I have no father. And I’m totally fine with that.”

Brody merely smiles in response. But what I say next wipes his smile clean.

“I thought y’d have better things to do, like trackin’ down Sean. I mean, surely ya know he’s not dead?”

Babydoll gasps while Brody’s jaw clenches. “I can’t say I do.”

But he’s lying.

Although he may not want to believe it, I’m certain he’s heard rumors about the fact. However, without proof, he has merely passed it off as hearsay. I’m here to change that.

“I think we have some things to discuss in private.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Babydoll argues, and I know this is a fight I won’t win.

So, I put my plan into action as I confront Brody.

“We both know that’s a lie, but I suppose honesty isn’t a quality ya possess. Yer sloppy. And yer f*****g arrogant. Yer not untouchable. You may think that ye are, but yer not. Sean is smarter than ya. He also has somethin’ that you don’t. And that’s the Kelly name.

“Don’t you ever forget that we once ruled Northern Ireland, and if Sean is intendin’ to return, then ya won’t stand a chance against him. He managed to fool ya once. The second time around, he won’t be so generous.”

“Ye know an awful lot, considerin’ ya just got out of prison. Ya shouldn’t be believin’ everythin’ ya hear.”

I smirk, taking great pleasure in seeing him squirm. “Suit yerself. But don’t say I didn’t warn ya when he comes for yer head.”

Brody folds his arms across his chest. “What concern is it of yers, anyway?”

“’Cause that cunt has fooled my wee brother, and for that, I will do everythin’ to take him down. I won’t stand back and let him ruin Ethan’s life. He’s cancer, a cancer which needs to be cut out.”

Babydoll is silent throughout the exchange as I know this is news to her.

“So, what do you propose then?”

Levelling Brody, I detail my plans, knowing he’ll listen because deep down, he’s afraid of the power Sean still holds. “I’m goin’ to smoke him out. He believes I don’t know of his plans, but he’s underestimated my hatred for him.”

As a twitch spasms under Brody’s left eye, I see it. He’s read between the lines—he realizes I’ve uncovered the truth. He knows I’ve found out who my real father is.

“And y’ve underestimated yer men. Y’ve given them more credit than they deserve, for Sean has recruited them. He’s building an army, and he’s waitin’, waitin’ for the perfect time to strike and bring ye down. And when he does, ya won’t stand a chance.”

Brody doesn’t say a word, but for me to come to him with this information, he understands I have an inside source—Sean’s journal. Written in his own hand, I have Sean’s plans detailed in black and white, and with Hannah’s sighting of him and Ethan’s attack on me, I know he’s putting those plans into action.

“Why are ya tellin’ me this?”

“’Cause we both want the same thing. Sean dead, and for real this time.”

“And ya think I need ye for that? If I wanted him dead, then I’d have it done. Things have changed, Punky. Yer no longer in charge. I’m the one in control now.”

I burst into a cynical snicker. “Ach, is that so? Is that why Sean was able to fool ya into thinkin’ he was dead? Or that ye’d actually be partners once ye were rid of Connor and me?”

Brody’s cheeks flush in anger. “Ye cheeky wee hallion. Ya don’t know anythin’.”

“All right. You go on believin’ that. But when Sean takes everythin’ from ya, don’t say I didn’t warn ya.”

I stand composed, knowing I’ve won.

“What do you have that a hundred men don’t?”

Apart from the fact that this is personal to me, I have one thing that no one, not even Brody, has.

“Sean fears me,” I state with confidence because it’s true. “He knows I have nothin’ left to lose. And I won’t stop until one of us is dead.”

Brody ponders over my words, realizing I mean every single one.

“I know my…uncle,” I say, ensuring he understands the pause was intentional. “I know how he thinks, how he can win yer trust without ya even knowin’ it. And when he has ya where he wants ya, he’ll strike. Yer livin’ on borrowed time.”

“Ye want to work together, is it?” he asks with a deep snicker. That soon stops when I nod firmly.

“Aye. I want to form an alliance with ya. Ya need me, and I need you.”

“How?” Brody questions, eyes narrowed. He has every right not to trust me, but for him to still be here, he knows I’m right.

“Ya need someone to remind yer men that yer the leader, not Sean. They’ve strayed, just how our men once did because yer no longer feared or respected.”

Brody storms forward, fisting the lapels of my suit jacket and drawing us nose to nose.

“Let him go!” Babydoll demands, but my grin hints that I’m the one in control. Brody losing his cool is a sure sign of this.

“f**k ye. I should kill ya right now.”

“Go on then,” I challenge, never breaking eye contact with him. “But I have a sneakin’ suspicion that if ya wanted me dead, I’d already be so. I’m alive ’cause ya know that ye need me. Ya always knew that I’m more valuable to ya alive than I am dead.”

“If what ya say is true, then I’m just expected to believe ya won’t double-cross me how yer uncle did?”

Tonguing my cheek, I don’t take the bait. He wants me to explode. Wants me to confess I know that Sean is my dad, not Brody. But I will not.

“I want no part in it,” I declare resolutely. “Besides, what allies do I have? Ten years is a long f*****g time. I’d have to start from scratch, and I don’t have the patience for that. I want revenge on Sean for killing Connor and for stealin’ my life.

“That’s it. You can have Belfast. All I want is Sean’s head.”

Brody lets me go, his anger palpable. But he believes me because he thinks I want revenge on Sean for lying to me about being my father and killing my ma. And I do. But I want my legacy back as well.

In saying that, however, I know he won’t trust me, but he’ll work with me because he needs me. And I need him. He knows I’m the only one who can take Sean down because I’m a Kelly. I think like a Kelly. And I’m Sean’s son.

This partnership is similar to the one he entered into with Sean. If he had done the job right the first time around, he wouldn’t be in this predicament. But I’m glad that he didn’t, because now, I get to kill both him and Sean for the error of their ways.

“It’s a lot to take in. Ye know where I am when ya make the right choice. But trust me, Sean is huntin’ ya, and he will not stop until he gets what he wants. Look what he did to my ma. She double-crossed him, and in return, he fuckin’ killed her.”

Brody’s eyebrows shoot up into his hairline. “Ach, so ye know the truth then?”

“Aye. I know he killed her because she had a secret that would destroy him. I know that he killed Connor because he wanted what is now yours. Don’t ever mistake yerself as safe, ’cause yer not. None of us are.”

Whether he knows I’ve uncovered that he’s the third man who killed my ma, I do not know. But he will.

“This is all an interestin’ story, but yer an…ex-Kelly, and I don’t do business with Kellys.” I am a Kelly, but he doesn’t want Babydoll to know that. “I learned that the hard way. So, there is no deal. Enjoy yer freedom, and remember, if ya try to outsmart me, I’ll kill ya.”

A hoarse laugh leaves me. “You and what army? Yer men are traitors, and sooner or later, y’ll see that ya need me. I know this because Sean did this to my da. His own flesh and blood. Can ya imagine what he’d do to you?”

Brody has heard enough, and that’s because he knows I’m right. “Congratulations again, Camilla. I’ve left yer gift downstairs. Annette sends her wishes.”

Annette? I’m assuming this is Brody’s wife?

Before she can respond, Brody opens the door and exits, leaving me the winner. He’ll be back. I’ve given him food for thought, and he’ll soon see he needs me.

But now, I need to deal with the wrath of Babydoll.

“What the f**k are you thinking?” she questions, her horror over what she just witnessed clear.

I’m going to be as honest as I can. “I wish I could do this without him. But we’re stronger together. And I won’t let him slip past me again.

“Better I have one arsehole huntin’ me than two, which is what will happen if I don’t have Brody on my side. I will be fightin’ him and Sean, and I know that I will lose.”

“You think because he’s your father, he’s just going to trust you?”

I conceal my feelings because Babydoll has no idea how f****d up this entire thing is.

“You’re wrong, Punky. He’s going to kill you. You’ve just told him what he needs to know about Sean, and he’ll deal with it accordingly. And what the f**k? Sean is alive? He…killed your mom? How do you know all this?”

She begins to pace, and I realize I haven’t looked at her since Brody entered the bathroom. Turning slowly, I’m hit with her beauty, just how I am every time I lay eyes on her.

I give her time and space as I know it’s a lot to take in. This is why I wanted to talk to Brody in private. But knowing Babydoll, there was no way she would let that happen.