Page 174 of Deceived Wrath

How did this all go wrong so fast?

As if in answer, my phone starts buzzing in my pocket, and I jump out of my skin. I don’t even need to look to know it’s Lorcan.

I glance anxiously toward the door.

If I silence the call, nothing will stop him from showing up at Kieran’s house.

So, despite my racing heart, I answer the call.

“Fiona, you better have good news for me.”

“I haven’t been able to find the laptop,” I whisper as I keep my eyes trained on the bathroom door.

“You’ve had twenty-four hours.”

“I—I need more time.”

“You’re out of time.”

I’ve been out of time since the moment I realized I was falling for Cormac Sullivan.

“I should’ve fucking known,” Lorcan spits when I don’t answer, and I flinch at the iciness in his tone. “You’re trying to play both sides.”

“I’m not, I swear?—”

“Don’t lie to me! Do you really think you can double-cross me?”

I grind my teeth as I think of Cormac and Scout.

I might owe Lorcan a debt, but I don’t owe him my loyalty.

“No, because I’m not double-crossing you.”

“You thought you could whore yourself out to my nephew, is that it? Were you hoping he would protect you? Because believe me, princess, the moment he realizes who you’ve been working for, he won’t waste any time slitting your throat. Cormac might seem like a knight in shining armor, but he’s just as sick and twisted as the rest of the Sullivans.”

“You can threaten me with Cormac all you like, but it’s not going to help. Because I’m going to tell him the truth,” I state, though my entire body shakes with a mixture of fear and rage.

There’s a pause, and then Lorcan chuckles, though the sound is dark and cruel.

“Oh? Do you think that’s clever? Do you really think you can play the hero and walk away unscathed?”

“I don’t care about being clever. I’m tired of lying to him. I’m tired of this constant—” The word gets stuck in my throat.

I’m tired of theguilt.

Maybe Lorcan’s threats are the push I need to finally tell Cormac the truth.

“Enough, Lorcan. I’m done letting you hold this debt over me.”

“That’s your choice, Fiona. If you just did as I asked, you could be a free woman by now.”

“You and I both know you never would’ve let me walk away.”

“Your lack of faith in me is, quite frankly, insulting.”

“Your track record isn’t exactly gleaming. So, I suggest you find someone else to be your little puppet. Because we’re done here.”

“You do realize what’s at stake here, don’t you?” Lorcan warns, his words laced with venom. “You walk away now, and your niece pays the price. Or have you forgotten the little favor you asked of me?”