Five-2
1962 Words
“Ethan tried to kill me. I went to visit my ma’s and Connor’s graves, and he was there. Dressed in a balaclava, too f*****g gutless to face me. Sean sent him, and it was a test Ethan failed.”
Babydoll covers her mouth with a trembling hand.
“I let him go because I will not give up on him. Sean will not destroy his life as he did to mine. I let Ethan and Hannah down, but I’ll make it up to them,” I reveal, still feeling the guilt eat away at me. “And if that means sidin’ with Brody Doyle, then so be it.”
“I don’t understand why Sean has waited this long. I mean, he could have taken Brody down by now. How do you even know he’s still here? What’s he waiting for?”
“I know he’s close because predators stay where they’re comfortable. Belfast is his home. He’s waitin’ for the right time, Babydoll. He almost had that, but he never saw us comin’. We ruined his plans, and he won’t have that happenin’ again.”
“Why can’t you just kill them both?”
“I wish I could. But the truth is, Brody’s men know where Sean is hidin’. They will surely tell me where. If not, I’ll carve out their tongues. If I kill Brody, what happens then? I need him alive so I can steal his allies and the few men who are still loyal to him.
“I know this plan is far from perfect, but it’s easier if I work with Brody than against him. We both want Sean dead. He will see that I won’t stop until I get what I want.”
“What’s going to happen?” Babydoll asks, her eyes filling with tears.
“I suspect Brody is going to confront his men and make an example of a few. But it’s too late for that, just how it was for us. Sean managed to steal everythin’ from Connor, and his plan would have worked if it wasn’t for us.
“We were the force he didn’t see comin’. If I hadn’t asked questions and Brody hadn’t used ye to infiltrate us, Sean would have won.”
“That doesn’t excuse what I did,” she cries, unable to look at me. “You lost ten years of your life because of my lies.”
Stepping forward, I gently lift her chin with my pointer. “Naw, that was my choice. Don’tcha be blamin’ yerself for that.”
Her lower lip quivers. “What do you mean?”
Sighing, I shake my head. “Now is not the time. Rory will be lookin’ for ya.”
Something I can’t quite place overcomes her, and she subtly removes herself from my touch. She’s angry I won’t tell her the truth. “This makes no sense. Why can’t you go to the police?”
“How did that turn out the last time the peelers were involved?” I pose. “I understand this is reckless and f*****g dangerous, but I have no one. I need to start from scratch.”
“You have me,” she professes in a whisper.
“I won’t be havin’ that. There’s no way I’ll allow ya to risk yer life—again.”
She pulls back her shoulders. “That’s not for you to decide. I’m involved, whether you like it or not.”
“Or not,” I counter, forgetting just how stubborn she is. “This isn’t yer fight. Rory will agree with me on that.”
She narrows her eyes as she knows I’m right. “f**k you both. I’m my own person. Neither of you has the right to tell me what I can or can’t do.”
“Aye, yer right. But I don’t need ye.” And what I say next has the impact I suspected it would. “I don’t want ya.”
She blinks once, her surprise clear. She’s taken it how I knew she would—personally. But this is the only way I can keep her safe.
“But you want Darcy? Is that it?”
My silence is all the response she needs.
“Fine. Have it your way then. You always do.” She pushes past me and opens the door, slamming it shut behind her.
Once she’s gone, I stare into the mirror, my knackered appearance confirming I look as s**t as I feel. I can’t have Babydoll involved in this. She and Rory have a shot at happiness, and I won’t stand in the way of that.
A knock sounds on the door before it opens, and Cian appears. “What happened?”
With a laugh, I turn toward him and shake my head. “It’s times such as this that I miss solitary confinement.”
“Ach, stop bustin’ my bollocks. I told ya I was sorry. And I promised Rory.”
I understand the predicament Cian was put in. He was caught in a very uncomfortable position because it wasn’t his place to tell me Rory and Babydoll were engaged. But I still can’t help but feel it’s me versus the people I once trusted with my life. Except for Darcy.
She’s the only one who’s been honest with me this whole time.
“I saw Brody leave. What did he want?”
“It doesn’t matter what he wants. This is about gettin’ what I want. And I have no doubt that’ll come about awful soon.”
“Ya told him the plans?”
“Aye. He’ll come around,” I say, having complete faith. “Now that I’ve planted the seed, it’ll grow.”
Cian’s cheeks billow as he exhales loudly. “So what do we do now?”
“Now, ya go and enjoy the festivities. I’m goin’ home.”
Cian appears guilty for the fact, but I won’t have it. This is a happy time for Rory. He deserves at least one friend here to help him celebrate. Before Cian can protest, I bring him in for a loose hug and leave him behind.
“There ya are,” Darcy says as I walk down the hallway.
I was hoping to remain undetected, but she is technically my date, so I suppose I owe her an explanation. “I’m goin’ to catch a taxi home. You stay, though.”
She shakes her head. “Naw, I’ll take ya. Besides, I don’t think I’m welcome here anymore.”
I know that’s because she brought me here.
I don’t argue as I want to ask her how she knew Brody was going to be here. We leave without saying goodbye.
When the valet brings the car around, Darcy gestures with her head that I’m to drive.
“I don’t have a current license,” I say, but Darcy smirks.
“Since when have you ever followed the rules, Puck Kelly?”
“Aye, I suppose yer right,” I reply, ignoring good sense and getting behind the wheel.
The moment Darcy buckles in, I plant my foot onto the accelerator and speed down the drive. She yelps, reaching for the grab handle, but I don’t slow down. I’ve not driven for so long. I’ve forgotten the thrill of being in control.
Darcy turns down the radio as if I need the silence to concentrate, but it only has me going faster.
“Y’ve obviously not forgotten how to drive,” Darcy states, white-knuckling the seat belt across her chest.
Her fear only spurs me on.
“How’d ya know Brody was comin’ tonight?”
“My dad does business with him.”
Turning to look at her, I ask in horror, “What?”
“Keep yer eyes on the road!” she exclaims, recoiling back in her seat when I aggressively overtake the car in front of me.
But I’m in control.
What I’m not in control of, however, is Patrick Duffy doing business with the man who played a part in Connor’s death and the end of the Kelly name.
“The f**k is yer da doin’ business with that arsehole?”
Darcy appears regretful for the overshare. “Just like everyone else in this town, he’s afraid of Brody Doyle. If yer not with him, then yer dead. There’s no way around that, which is why…” Her pause has me gripping the steering wheel in anticipation.
“Which is why I needed to get ye out of prison. Yer the only one who can stop him.”
I’m not surprised Darcy had an ulterior motive. Nor am I angry at the fact either. But I don’t understand why she’s so confident that I can put him down like the sick dog that he is.
“Is that right?” I question, interested to know her reasoning.
“Yes. I know he’s afraid of you. I’ve heard him speak to my father about ye. How he’s glad ya were in prison because yer the only worthy opponent capable of bringin’ him down. But ya were in prison ’cause of him. He was braggin’ ’bout that. And that is why I needed to get ya out.
“He stole Belfast from ya. These past ten years have been hell without ya, Punky. Everyone lives in fear. At least when the Kellys ruled, they looked out for us. But now, no one trusts anyone anymore. Brody rules with fear, while Connor, he ruled with respect.”
I clench my jaw because her claim makes me feel uncomfortable. To speak of Connor this way reveals that even though he lost the respect of most of his men, he made those he did business with feel safe. They trusted him, and that’s why his associates never turned on him, which is why Sean needed Brody to help beat Connor.
“Brody was talkin’ with my da, and I casually mentioned the engagement party and that I was bringin’ ya as my date. I knew Brody would take the bait.”
Darcy is far more cunning than I ever thought she was. Because of her plotting, I’ve been able to plant the first step in my plans. Brody and I were able to talk without violence because he knew better than to cause a scene with so many witnesses on hand.
“Thanks, Darcy. Y’ve done so much for me. For my family. I don’t know how to repay ya.”
When she gently places her hand on my leg, I try to remain calm. “Just kill that fucker, and make sure he suffers. That’s all I want.”
“Why is this so personal to ya?”
When she removes her hand, I realize there is so much more to this story. “Let’s just say yer not the only one who has a vendetta against the Doyles.”
“What did they do to ya?” I ask, turning to look at her.
She dips her chin, attempting to hide her tears. But I see them, and I know they’ve hurt her. “I didn’t know who he was, but I should have known us meetin’ wasn’t a coincidence.”
“Who?”
She turns to look out her window, unable to face me as she confesses, “Liam Doyle. He seduced me so his father could become close to mine. And when both Doyle men got what they wanted, Liam dumped me.
“He humiliated and lied to me,” she admits. “And for that, I want him to pay. If it wasn’t for me, maybe my dad would never have gotten into business with Brody. I blame myself for it.”
“Don’t be blamin’ yerself,” I say, assuring her. “The Doyles are poison and would have infected yer da with or without yer help.”
“But they did have my help,” she argues, quickly wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. “And I’ll never forgive myself for it.”
I suddenly see Darcy in a different light. She too wants to make right the wrongs of her past, and I respect her for that. So I’ll help her.
“I thought he really loved me,” she professes with a tremble before covering her face with her hands. “What’s wrong with me, Punky? Why do I fall in love with the wrong men?”
I don’t know what to say as most would say something comforting like the right man is out there. Or it’s not you, it’s them. But the truth is, sometimes, life is just unfair.
I pull up the drive of my house and park the car, a million thoughts racing around my head. Darcy realizes the answers she seeks are not here and gets out of her car. She doesn’t say a word as I get out as well, only for her to slide into the driver’s seat and pull away, leaving me with more questions than answers.
Freedom is suddenly not what I thought it would be.
- Writer
