“No.”  Deklan’s tone is low, but he slams his palm against the table.  “Kera isn’t going to be anywhere near this.”

“She won’t still be there when it goes down,” Teagan says.  “Mac will drive Sean to make sure they’re far enough behind us.  We cross paths at the intersection and switch passengers—Kera will be with me, and Brian will be with you.  Mac and Sean follow you to the secondary warehouse.  Sean won’t even know she’s not with you anymore.”

“We’ll have about thirty seconds,” Brian says.

“That’s not much time.”

Teagan glances at Brian, and he nods very slightly.

“It’s enough time,” Teagan says.  “If Lucas did his job right, Sean is focused on all the acquisition stuff right now, which is a good distraction.

“He is,” Lucas says with a scowl.

“Yeah, Lucas gave him a whole stack of papers,” Mac says.  “It’s enough to keep him occupied until Christmas.”

“We don’t need that long.”  Deklan says.  “We also don’t need Kera there at all.”

“She’s supposed to be there, Dek.”  Teagan sighs and reaches across the table to touch Deklan’s arm.  “She sets Sean off just by being in the room.  If she’s not there, he might not take the bait.  With her in the room, there is no chance he will back down.  He has to show his authority over you in front of her—he can’t help himself.  That’s what we need.”

Deklan closes his eyes and presses his lips together, but he knows what Teagan is saying makes sense.

“It’s all right, Dek,” I tell him.  “I’ll be fine.”

“Going to deal with Grange at the last minute will take him by surprise,” Mac says.  “He’ll be pissed off that it wasn’t already done, and that should keep him focused.”

“I don’t like it.”  Deklan leans back in the chair and folds his arms over his chest.

“I think it’s the best option,” Teagan says.  “Sean will insist on going when Grange is released.  He doesn’t trust you not to kill the guy.”

Deklan glances over at me and narrows his eyes.  I nod at him.  I’m okay with the plan Teagan and Brian have concocted even if I do have to go back to that house and be near the man who broke into my apartment and videotaped me sleeping naked.  By the time it’s all over, Sean will be dead, and I’ll never have to worry about him again.

“Are you sure?” Deklan asks me.

“Yes.”  I nod more emphatically.  “Whatever risk there is, it will be worth it.”

Deklan rubs his chin with his hand before he looks back at Teagan.

“Let’s go over it all again from the top,” he says.  “I want to make sure everyone gets it right.”

*****

“I’m gonna go release Grange.”

Despite how calmly Deklan says the words, I can’t help how my body tenses.  I bite my lip and look up from the computer screen on the desk toward Sean.  He’s seated on the opposite side of the room at the larger, grander desk.  Mac is on the couch, twirling a toothpick between his fingers.

Deklan’s words are supposed to set everything off.

“What?”  Sean tilts his head and glares in Deklan’s direction.  “I told you to do that days ago.”

“I haven’t gotten around to it,” Deklan says with a shrug.  “It’s okay—Brian has been feeding him.  Come on, Kera.”

I close out the spreadsheet and stand slowly, watching Sean’s every move as he continues to glare at the back of Deklan’s head.  As I glance between them, I can see the vein in Sean’s temple starting to pulse just before he slams his fists down on the desk and stands.

“When I tell you to do something, you fucking do it!” he yells.

Deklan looks over his shoulder at Sean in mock surprise.

“Sorry, boss,” he says.  “I didn’t realize you wanted it done right away.  I figured it would be good for him to stay locked up a while longer—teach him a lesson.  Hell, he could probably use a few more days of it.”

Sean stalks over and looks up into Deklan’s face, apparently unfazed by my husband’s size.  Sean points his finger at Deklan’s nose.

“You do what I say when I say to do it,” Sean says with a growl.  “The hired help doesn’t get to assume anything!”

Deklan takes a slow, calculated breath.

“I’ll do it today,” he says.

“You’ll do it now.”

“Kera and I have dinner reservations,” Deklan says.  “He can wait a little longer.”

“Am I somehow not being clear?”  Sean leans back on his heels as his eyes sparkle with fake charm.  “Gee, I’m sorry about that.  I guess I’m not making my point.”

Deklan doesn’t move or say anything, but his shoulders and chest are tensed as if he’s waiting for a blow.

“You’re going to do it now,” Sean says, still smiling.  “In fact, I’m going to go with you just to make sure you don’t fuck it up.”

“That isn’t necessary,” Deklan says.  “I’ll take care of it now.  I just need to run Kera home first.”

“Fuck that.”  Sean turns his syrupy smile on me.  “Kera can go with us.”

“I’m going to take care of it for you, boss,” Deklan says again.  “There isn’t much of a back seat in the Viper.”

“I’m going, and so is she,” Sean says again.  “I didn’t ask you to give me suggestions.”

“I can drive ya, boss,” Mac says.  “That way everyone’s comfortable.”

“There ya go,” Sean says with another smile.  “No more bullshit excuses.  We leave now.”

I’m doing my best not to tremble as I follow the three of them out of the office and to the front door.  Deklan and I head outside to the Viper, and Mac heads toward the driver’s side of Sean’s BMW with Sean close behind.

I can’t believe how well this has worked so far.  Sean is behaving exactly as Teagan said he would, and the plan is in full swing.  Now I just need to make it to the intersection where Brian and I will switch places.  Once Brian and Deklan get to the secondary warehouse where Grange is being held, Deklan will take out Sean.

We slip into Deklan’s car, and I realize that within an hour, it could all be over.

“Fuck you!” From Deklan’s open window, I hear Sean yelling at Mac.  “I’m driving.”

Mac looks up at Deklan with wide eyes as Sean takes the keys out of his hand and shoves him toward the passenger side of the car.  Deklan gives him a slow nod, and Mac drops into the passenger seat.

“What do we do now?” I ask softly.

“It’ll work out,” Deklan says, but he’s not convincing.  “You might just have to move a little faster if he stays close to me.”

We pull around the circular driveway with Sean driving Mac’s car directly behind us.  As we get to the end of the drive and turn onto the street, Sean isn’t just following behind us; he’s right on Deklan’s bumper.

Deklan reaches into his pocket and slowly pulls out his phone.

“Keep the phone in your lap and text Teagan.  Tell her Sean’s driving.”

“Okay.”  I do as I’m told.  A few second later, Teagan replies, and I read her message out loud to Deklan.  “She says, ‘Two choices—lose him or we meet you there.’”

“If I try to lose him, he’s going to go apeshit.  Any element of surprise will be lost.”

“Should I tell her to meet us there?”

“Not sure we have a choice.”

I type the message.  Teagan doesn’t respond, but I assume she understands.  Deklan increases his speed a little, but Sean is still right up behind us.

Deklan reaches over and gives my hand a squeeze.  His expression is grave.

“Stay close to me,” he says.  “When possible, make sure I am between you and Sean.  If that’s not possible, get behind Brian.  Understood?”

“Yes.”

We arrive at the intersection where we were supposed to exchange passengers.  I glance in the side mirror and see Mac’s car, with Sean driving, looming close behind.  As I read the words on the glass—“Objects in mirror are closer than they appear”—I’m reminded of that dinosaur movie from years ago.  An image of the Tyrannosaurus Rex chasing the characters as they try to drive away fills my head, and I swallow hard.

“Where is this place?” I ask.

“Not far from here,” Deklan says.  “It’s a basement warehouse off an alley.  It’s below a restaurant the Foley family owns.  Since it’s centrally located, we only use it when timing is important.  It’s in the middle of the city, and there are often people around.  It’s not as secure as the other place.”

“Just stay in the car,” Deklan says as he pulls up in front of a Thai restaurant and engages the parking break.  “I’ll be back before you know it, and we can—”

Deklan is interrupted by my door opening and Sean pulling me out of the car by my arm.  I let out a surprised squeal, and Sean growls at me to shut up.

“Move!”  Sean grips my arm and shoves me toward the alley.

I glance from Sean to the wide alley and the tall buildings of the city skyline beyond.  A stench comes from the nearby dumpsters used by the restaurant, and I’m not sure if my stomach is rebelling at the smell or the man who has me by the arm.

I can hear Deklan’s car door opening and closing, but the alley is full of potholes, and I’m being dragged too quickly to look back at him without tripping over one of them.  Sean finally stops in the middle of the alley and stands near a set of large metal doors leading down to the basement of the restaurant.  The doors are enclosed by an iron gate on either side and locked with a padlock and a thick chain.

Deklan stops only a few feet away, and Mac walks cautiously past him until he’s closer to Sean’s side.  At the end of the alley, near the street, Brian appears from around the corner and heads in our direction.

“Sean,” Deklan says in his calm, deadly voice, “let go of my wife.”

“Fuck you!”  Sean spits at the ground near Deklan’s feet.  “You know what, Kearney?  I’ve had enough of your shit.  I’m sick of you not obeying your orders and walking around like this is your business when it’s not.  You aren’t a Foley—I am!  It’s time you understood that.”

“I never claimed to be a Foley,” Dek replies, his voice still calm, but his right hand is balled into a fist, “but Kera has nothing to do with any of this.  Let her go.”

“Yeah, boss,” Brian says as he comes up behind Deklan, “Mrs. K doesn’t need to be here.”

“Shut the fuck up,” Sean says.  His grip on my arm tightens, and I grimace.  “You think I don’t know you’re on his side?”

“Boss,” Brian says as he takes a step forward, “I’m with ya all the way, but Mrs. K should go.  I can call Teagan to come and get her if you like.”

“I do not ‘like,’” Sean says.  He takes a step backward, pulling me roughly to his side as he moves.  “This little bitch needs a lesson as much as you do, Kearney.”

“Sean,” Deklan says, his voice starting to reflect the look in his eyes, “let go of my wife right now.”

Deklan steps forward and then stops suddenly, his eyes widening as I hear a sharp click near my ear.

I glance down.  Sean has a large, black handgun pressed against the side of my head.  Brian stops his advance and looks quickly between Deklan, Mac, and Sean.  Mac takes a step away as Sean waves the gun at all three of them.  I stumble as Sean moves us both away from the group and points the gun at my side.

I brace myself for the shot, but nothing happens.  I want to run or fight, but I can’t move—I’m completely paralyzed as tears start to fall down my cheeks.

“Please, Sean,” I whisper, but he ignores me.

“Open the fucking door,” Sean says to Deklan.

Deklan nods, holds his hands up passively, and then locates a key on his key ring.  He crouches at the basement door and unlocks the padlock.  He loops the lock over the iron gate and then pulls the chain from around the door handles before standing up and backing away again.

He stares into my eyes, but I don’t understand the look in them.  Does he want me to stay calm or to fight?  What am I supposed to do now?  Though there was talk of a couple alternative scenarios, this wasn’t covered in the briefing with Teagan.

“Mac,” Sean says, “go get Charlie.”

Mac glances quickly at Deklan.  Deklan gives him a quick nod, and Mac pulls open the doors and carefully navigates the stairs into the darkness below.

“Now, let me tell you how this is going to play out,” Sean says with a wicked grin.  “Charlie is going to come out here, and he’s going to take your place as my bodyguard.”

“That don’t make no sense, boss,” Brian says.  “You know Dek’s the best, and with everything we got coming up, you’re going to need him.”

Brian tilts his head and smiles at Sean, but I can see his hand slowly creeping towards his waist.

“I don’t need him,” Sean says.  “In fact—I don’t need you, either.”

I see the flash before I feel Sean’s arm jerk and hear the blast.  Brian’s eyes go wide.  He looks at the gun in Sean’s hand before glancing at Deklan.  Brian opens his mouth to say something, but Sean levels the gun and shoots two more times, blowing holes in Brian’s jacket and sending him flying backward and onto the ground.  Sean turns the gun on Deklan, but Deklan is moving to Brian’s side when the shot is fired.

I scream as Deklan crumples to the ground, grabbing his shoulder and landing just a few feet from Brian.  Sean shoves me forward until we’re right next to both men, and then he pushes me by the shoulder until I’m on my knees.

I cover my mouth with my hand as my gaze focuses on the blood seeping through Deklan’s jacket.  The shot must have gone through, since there’s more blood on the back of his jacket than the front.

I shake my head in disbelief.  This wasn’t supposed to happen, and it’s all happening too quickly for me to wrap my head around it.  I have no idea what I should do.

Sean stands right next to me and points the barrel of the gun at Deklan head.

“I was his son!” Sean yells.  “I was his only son, but you are the one he looked to.  You are the one he talked about.  You are the one he wanted to be his flesh and blood.  You took everything from me, even the woman that was supposed to be my wife!”

Deklan’s eyes go wide.

“You wanna kill me, boss?”  Deklan rises up on his knees and tries to get between me and Sean, but Sean uses his foot to shove him backward.  Deklan rights himself and looks back at Sean.  “Fucking kill me if you want, but leave Kera out of it.”

“Leave her out of it?”  Sean laughs and looks up to the sky as his eyes dance in the sunlight.  “This is all because of her!  Don’t you see that?  She’s the reason for everything!  She’s why Fergus had to die!  She’s why Neil had to die!  She is the catalyst to everything that has happened to you!”

“You wanted this, boss,” Deklan says.  “Remember?  You wanted me to marry her.  This was your idea, and you’re the one in charge.  That’s why I did it.  I’m loyal to you, and so is Kera.  You don’t have to do this.”

“No you aren’t, and it’s all her fault.”  Sean giggles for a moment, the sound reminding me of a schoolgirl.  “She’s your downfall, Deklan Kearney.  Love killed you both.”

He takes the gun and places it against my temple.  I close my eyes, wishing I could somehow reach out and hold Deklan’s hand when all of this comes to an end.

“Open your fucking eyes, bitch!” Sean screams.

I startle and bite down on my lip, drawing blood.  I slowly open my eyes and look up to Sean’s wild eyes as they sparkle with lightning and fire.  I remember at one point, back when I was a teenager, how I stared at his picture on my nightstand and dreamed of the day I would be married to him.

How did we get here?

I stare up at that maniacal grin as the end of the gun presses into my skin, and the asphalt presses into my knees.

“How does it feel, Dek?” Sean asks slowly.  “How does it feel to lose everything?”