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“Stop it,” Poppy says firmly. “Youdidsave her. Because despite what you think, Cillian, that’s what you do. You saved me, remember? You knew my father was going to take me to the disused part of The Tunnels and led Lorcan there. And let’s not forget you saved Lorcan too. You shot Antoin to save his life.” She squeezes my hand. “And for that, I’ll forever be grateful to you.”
I don’t reply. Instead, I stare out of the window, at the gently moving sea. It’s the same color as Dahlia’s eyes.
“You’ve found your heart,” Poppy adds, quietly. “She’s very pretty, you know.”
A bitter laugh hurts my chest. “I know. She’s a fucking angel.”
“And we’re taking very good care of her.”
This time, I’m the one to squeeze her hand.
“Thanks, Poppy.”
Dahlia
I wake up to a gentle kiss on my lips. I know that mouth like I know the inside of my eyelids.
I open my eyes and Cillian is staring at me with that blistering intensity of his. He’s frowning, jaw clenched.
“How are you feeling?”
I smile. Reach for his hand. “Relieved that you’re here.”
“But your injuries… did he hurt you?”
“No. In fact, I hurthim.” I laugh, wheezily, and Cillian shakes his head.
“I can’t believe you smuggled my Bonsai tree clippers into the factory. You’re insane, do you know that, angel?”
I grin. “Insane and proud of it. I can’t lie, stabbing that asshole felt good. Anyway, I’m just being treated for a concussion and mild shock. I’m all good.” My eyes drift over him. Despite the dark circles under his eyes and the stubble shading his jaw, he looks as heartbreakingly handsome as ever. Doesn’t hurt that he’s shirtless, either. I nod to the sling around his arm. “Does it hurt?”
His turn to grin. “Not the first time I’ve been shot. Won’t be the last either, I’m sure.”
He lifts my hand to his mouth, brushing his lips against the back of it as he stares down at my bedsheets with a frown. “I’ll never forgive myself for breaking my promise to you. For not being able to save you.”
“You did save me, Cill. You gave me a reason to want to save myself, which is why I smuggled the clippers in my bra. You couldn’t have known that Nimo was going to be there.”
“Yeah. Seems like you forgot to mention that your ex-husband was the biggest cocaine manufacturer in Colombia.”
“Was?”
We lock eyes. “He’s gone, baby,” Cillian says softly. “He’s dead. So is Abruzzo. Nobody is looking for you anymore.”
Relief escapes my lips in a small hiss.Dead.It’ll take a while to sink in, but I know eventually, I’ll feel a huge weight off my shoulders knowing that Lucky and Nimo are six feet under.
We sit in comfortable silence for a few moments. Me tracing the sharp line of his cheekbone with the back of my finger, him stroking my thigh through the bedsheet. Eventually, he meets my eyes with a sad gaze.
“You know what today is?”
I shake my head.
“Exactly one month.”
He doesn’t need to elaborate. I know he means it’s been one month since I moved into the Garden. Today is meant to be the day he lets me fly free into the real world with a new identity.
I have held up my side of the bargain, now he’ll honor his.
“So, what happens now?”
