INTO TEMPTATION (Deliver Us from Evil #2)

Eight-2

The back of the building has been blown out because of the blast, so I frantically race toward it as it leads out into the alley. There are people slumped against the brick wall, coughing, crying for help. I pass a man who is pushing his entrails back into the gaping wound in his body.

I see a woman cradling her dead baby.

I see the destruction my father caused because he wanted to send a message. He has eyes everywhere, and the gloves are off. Nothing, no one is off-limits. He doesn’t care who he kills to get what he wants.

“Please, help me.” A woman tugs at my jeans with one hand; the other has been blown off.

This is a war zone.

“Help is comin’,” I assure her because she needs medical assistance, something I can’t provide.

A man who is missing both his legs screams for help, and when I look his way, I see her—Babydoll.

She has collapsed on the ground. She’s covered in soot and blood. I almost trip over my feet as I desperately run toward her. Dropping to my knees, I cradle her lifeless body against me.

“No!” I cry, rocking her in my arms as I’m blinded by my tears. “Please, no. Wake up, Babydoll. Please.”

But she doesn’t wake.

With Babydoll in my arms, I look at the c*****e around me, promising to avenge each life Sean took.

“Come back to me, Cami. Please don’t leave me. All I wanted was to protect ya, but all I’ve done is get ya hurt.”

I kiss her temple, her brow. I promise if she wakes, I’ll never allow her to be hurt again.

Brushing the matted hair from her cheeks, I kiss her lips. “I love…you. So much.”

A guttural sob fills the air, and I realize it’s come from me.

If I could trade my life for hers, I would, and when her chest shudders, it seems my wish has been granted. But both our lives have been spared—for now.

“Punky,” she wheezes, trying to open her eyes. “I can’t feel my…b-body.”

And just like that, I feel like I can breathe again.

“Shh,” I assure her gently, kissing her cheeks frantically. “It’ll be all right. I’ve got ya, and I’ll never let ya go again.”

I wrap her arms around my neck and come to a stand with her securely against my chest. I cradle her close as I leave the c*****e behind. I want to help, but I need to get Babydoll somewhere safe.

As I walk down the alley with my eyes downcast, not wanting to draw attention, I see a blood-splattered Brody sitting in his car with his phone pressed to his ear. Erin’s bloody body lays twisted in a heap, feet away. Brody locks eyes with me, and with a simple nod, I know that he’s in.

I need Brody to regain what is mine, and he needs me to kill Sean. We can work out the details later, but this attack is personal and has allowed Brody to see that it’s only a matter of time before Sean finishes the job.

This was a warning. Next time, we won’t be so lucky.

Brody’s allies are no more. Sean is the new king, and he has no qualms about spilling innocent blood.

With Babydoll pressed to my chest, I run toward my truck. Ambulances, police, and fire engines line the street, but I can’t be here because they’ll ask questions I can’t answer.

A tender caress against my face has me peering down to see Babydoll touching my cheek. “You’re bleeding,” she deliriously slurs. “I liked your piercings. Will you put them back in?”

“Aye, whatever ya want, Baby.”

She smiles, her hand slipping from my cheek as she doesn’t have the strength to hold it up. But that’s all right—I’ll be the strength she needs.

She’s passed out by the time I gently place her into the truck and speed away.

I can’t help but glance at her every few seconds to ensure she’s breathing. She is.

She needs to go to the hospital as I don’t know the extent of her injuries. Everything looks to be attached, but it’s the unseen which worries me.

“It’s going to be all right. A’ll take ya to the hospital.”

“No,” she groans, attempting to shake her floppy head. “No hospital. Too many questions. I’m okay now. I can feel my legs. I think.”

She’s right about the questions, but I won’t risk her life.

“Take me back to Belfast,” she breathlessly pleads.

My heart hurts because, of course, she’d want to be with Rory. As much as it pains me, I dial his number, but Babydoll reaches out and winces as she disconnects the call.

“Ya don’t want Rory?” I ask, confused.

And what she says next confirms what a bastard I truly am, because these are the words I’ve wanted to hear for ten long years.

“I think…I think I’m broken because I have a man who could make me happy, yet…I still want you. I always want you.” She closes her eyes and slumps against the chair.

She’s breathing. She’s just exhausted.

I’ll heed her wishes, and we’ll go back to Belfast. I’ll call an old doctor friend of Connor’s. He’s surely retired by now, but I’ll make clear this request isn’t optional.

“She’ll be all right,” Dr. Shannon says, packing up his supplies. “If anythin’ changes overnight, give me a call.”

“Thank you, Doctor. I’ll make sure ya get paid.”

He nods, coming to a stand. “I’m glad yer back, Puck. Yer father would be happy that yer fixin’ this place up.”

“I’m tryin’,” I confess, running a hand through my hair as I sit vigil by Babydoll’s bedside.

“I’ve left some medication for you too,” he says, gesturing to the tablets on the nightstand.

“I’m all right, but thank you.”

Dr. Shannon insisted he look over my injuries once he examined Babydoll. I had shrapnel embedded in almost every part of me, but it was an easy fix, and he stitched everything up. Besides, my injuries are the least of my worries.

Babydoll has a few broken ribs and a sprained ankle. She also sustained a nasty gash on the back of her head. Like me, she had shrapnel in every part of her, but the doctor could remove it without her needing to go to the hospital.

Dr. Shannon didn’t ask any questions, nor did he insist we go to the hospital, as he knows better. He’s seen enough during his time being on call to Connor.

Babydoll is sleeping soundly as the doctor gave her sedatives. She is a f*****g warrior because not once did she cry out, or hint the real pain she was in.

“A’ll see myself out.” The door closes a few moments later.

I’ve not let go of Babydoll’s hand since Dr. Shannon said I was able to be with her. I wish I had the chance to fit my bedroom with a proper bed, but since I got out of prison, life has been a f*****g shitshow.

The soft sighs slipping from her parted lips as she hugs my pillow reveal she doesn’t seem to mind, however.

I won’t leave her until she wakes, but I need to make some calls. So, I quietly reach for my phone and see I have a text message from Brody. It’s a link to a news report.

Reading it over, I snicker as the peelers are saying gangs are responsible for the bombing. This has me wondering if Sean has them working for him too as this was an inside job.

I’ll bet my life that Sean was the one who planted that bomb. The unexpected delivery was the perfect ruse as it didn’t raise any suspicions until it was too late. The Doyles welcomed Sean into their pub, underestimating him and his need for power and control.

Babydoll was lucky to be outside when the bomb went off, as there is no way she’d be alive if she were inside.

My phone rings and I quickly answer it, not wanting to wake Babydoll.

“Bout ye,” I say to Cian.

“Have ya seen the news?” he says on a rushed breath. “The Doyles’ pub was bombed. The peelers are saying it’s some gang.” The doubt in Cian’s voice reveals he too knows the truth.

“Aye, I was there. I’m all right,” I add as I know he’s about to panic. “So was Cami, and Brody. It wasn’t some gang. This is Sean’s doing. He wanted us to be in the same place, at the same time.”

“f*****g hell,” Cian curses. “I knew it. Is Cami all right?”

My pause is all the answer he needs. “Punky, have ya called Rory?”

“She asked me not to,” I reply, looking at a sleeping Babydoll. “Dr. Shannon has just been. He’s looked after her. Now, she just needs to rest.”

“She can rest at Rory’s flat,” he says. “I don’t want to be involved in this.”

“Then don’t,” I snap. “This isn’t yer business. Cami is a big girl. I’m not about to throw her out. She’s always welcome in my home. When she wakes, she can decide what she wants to do.”

Cian is quiet as I know he sees this as the bad idea that it is.

“I’ve got to go. I’ve to call Brody. He’s on our side after what happened. Sean will pay for what he did.”

“All right then, call me later and let me know what the plans are. No matter if yer a buck eejit, I still want to help.”

This is Cian’s way of telling me he doesn’t want to choose sides, but if push comes to shove, he’ll side with me. He won’t tell Rory where Babydoll is.

“I owe ya everythin’. I’m sorry for puttin’ ye in an awkward position.”

“I’ve yer back, Punky. Always.”

He hangs up, while I exhale loudly, absolutely knackered.

I decide to send Brody an ambiguous text, as I’m sure he’s dealing with the peelers and I don’t want to alert them onto anything suspicious.

Where ye ended my life is where we’ll meet tomorrow. The hills have eyes…

It’s too dangerous meeting anywhere public as Sean has proven that he has eyes everywhere. I decide to meet at the place which kickstarted this entire ordeal, the place where I watched Connor take his last breath.

It’s a deserted road and allows easy access if we need to flee. Out in the open is far safer than somewhere where potential victims are.

Brody replies a moment later.

Those eyes are about to be blinded.

I take his response to mean that I’ll see him tomorrow.

There’s no way Brody will take this lying down. If he felt confident he could do it alone, I’d already be dead. But he realizes he needs me, as I am a Kelly, after all, and what better ally to have; the son of the man you want dead.

“Thanks for not calling Rory.” Her croaky voice startles me as I thought she was asleep.

Looking down at Babydoll, I manage a strained smile. “No bother. How are ya feelin’?”

Babydoll winces as she shifts onto her side. “I’m okay. Dr. Shannon was great. He said my injuries are minor. Are you all right?”

She looks at my arms which are stitched up, as is the gash across my eyebrow.

“I’ll live. You should rest.”

But I know better than to order her to do anything as she shakes her head. “Sean called me minutes before the bomb went off. That’s why I was outside.”

I don’t know how to respond, so I allow her to continue.

“He told me to take the call in the alleyway. When I asked what he wanted, he said he had a message he wanted me to pass onto you.”

“What was it then?” I ask, my breathing measured.

She licks her dry lips. “That you’re starting a war you won’t win. That he’s giving you one chance to back out. If you choose not to, then everything that happens from here on out is on you. After that…everything went black.”

I clench my fists.

“Why would he save me? That’s what he did by calling me, right? He led me outside on purpose.”

I tip my face to the ceiling, taking three deep breaths before I explode.

“Punky?”

When I think I can speak without punching something, I lock eyes with her and state, “He saved ya to show me that he’s in control. That all our lives are in his hands. What else did he say?”

When she averts her eyes, I know there is something else she’s not willing to share.

“His message proves that he’s scared. He knows I’m the only person who can beat him. He could have killed all of us, but he didn’t, and that proves he still needs us alive.”

I don’t know why that is, but I’ll die finding out if need be.

“So Brody is still alive?”

I nod while Babydoll sighs. I don’t know if it’s in relief or sadness.

“Erin wasn’t so lucky.”

Images of her mangled corpse will forever haunt me. Even though she was a Doyle, she didn’t deserve to die that way.

“Why were ya at the pub in the first place? What did Brody want with ya?”

She chews her bottom lip, clearly torn. “He told me that I shouldn’t trust you.”

“Ach, well I’ve been tellin’ ya that for years,” I state firmly.

She ignores me. “That you’re not the person I think you are. What does that mean?”

This is the time I tell her the truth. But the words don’t come. I don’t know how to tell Babydoll that we’re not kin. What does that mean for Rory? I don’t want to sound conceited, but her comment about always wanting me confirms that Rory will be the one who suffers from my confession.

My loyalty to him has me sighing.

“Never mind,” she says, shaking her head. “We’ve all got secrets, right?”

Looking at her closely, I c**k my head to the side. “Aye, so we do.”

She indicates we’re done talking when she turns her back to me.

I understand she’s mad. She also almost lost her life. It’s a lot to take in, so I leave it be.

Exhausted, I sit in the chair by her bedside and watch as her shoulders shudder. She’s crying, but she doesn’t want me to see. So, I don’t console her. I let her cry tears for me too.