Page 87 of Reckless Desires

Donal is hesitant, knowing whatever is in that building isn’t going to be good. We get out of the car and head toward the door of the building. My eyes don’t leave him, and just as my hand touches the door handle, I look past his shoulder where Trevor and Leon wait in a parked car. If I need to take out my whole unit, they are the perfect ones to help do that.

We enter the dimly lit abandoned building; the air is stale. Donal walks in front of me toward a spot where there are two women bound and terrified. JoJo stands there watching them.

I watch as Donal’s face contorts, his eyes wide with disbelief when he realizes one woman is his wife, Evie, and the other is his mistress, Sarah.

“What’s happening here? What are you trying to pull here, Killian?” His voice is full of panic.

I stand with my hands in my pockets. “I was once told you can’t trust a man who cheats on his wife.” I look to Evie, who looks mortified but doesn’t say a word.

Donal sighs. “I can understand that logic, but women and business are two very different things. More than half of our own men cheat on their significant others.”

I nod my head as I pull my gun out. “But you’re my right-hand man, Donal. I need to know you can commit to everything. And when put under pressure, I need to know what choice you’ll make.” I point the gun at the women. “Choose.” My voice is low and menacing. “Who will you save?”

Donal’s jaw clenches, and I can see the internal battle raging within him. I’ve crossed a line, and now it’s time to see if he will rise to the challenge or crumble under the pressure. The road ahead is dark, and I need to know if he is someone I can trust, or if he’s been a traitor all along.

Donal looks about ready to faint. He glances at Sarah, tears streaming down her cheeks, then at Evie, who looks equally terrified but holds a pleading gaze.

“Killian, please,” he stammers, desperation creeping into his tone. “You want to test my loyalty, then do it in any other way. Please.”

“Not the answer I’m looking for,” I reply, my finger hovering over the trigger. “You have ten seconds.” Time seems to stretch as his loyalty is being tested in this agonizing moment, a choice that could shatter his world.

“Five seconds!” I bark, the tension coiling tighter.

“Me!” Donal shouts, his voice cracking. “Kill me and spare them!”

A smirk crosses my lips, but my eyes remain cold.

The gun fires.

The women scream.

A window breaks.

This is just part one of the test. Donal stands frozen, and when he realizes no one was shot, he drops to his knees and reaches for his wife. Nodding to JoJo, we head out in silence to let Donal deal with this aftermath. I open the door and take in the breath of fresh air.

“How exactly is that testing his loyalty to you?” JoJo questions as we walk toward the car the twins have now started.

“He chose to sacrifice himself. Which means his actions are for the greater good. Instead of having one woman die, he would rather take the bullet so neither dies.”

JoJo shakes his head. “What if he did it to be selfish? That way he won’t have to deal with a scorned woman.”

I glance at him. “Then he would have chosen the mistress. A scorned wife only creates more problems that will take away from his responsibilities to me.”

“Exactly my point. Mistress would think it’s an act of love.”

I laugh. “You think the mistress won’t bug the shit out of him to get married? And then the cycle will just repeat itself.”

We get into the car and take off. “Where to?” Trevor asks.

“New York.”

“What’s in New York?” Leon questions.

“Cartel.”

Chapter Fifty-Nine

Killian