The plan is for the three of us to enter. Once we have Lily, I’m to get both girls as far away from the church as possible down the route she described.
“I’d prefer for you to leave with the girls,” I say to her.
“I’m not leaving here,” she says cryptically.
I don’t know what she means by that, but I’m loath to ask. No point in arguing with her. I’ll just drag her with me when it comes to it. Even if I have to pick her up and carry her out of the fucking church myself.
While we drove here, I sent a discreet message to Lorcan, so the cavalry is coming. I just don’t know if he’ll make it on time.
Viola looks at her watch. “Ready?”
Fuck no, but I let out a breath and get out of the car anyway.
The church is partly boarded-upbut most of it is open to the elements. We duck inside and the first thing I notice is the smell of piss mixed with earth and mold. There’s a cracked, half standing altar at the end of an aisle of broken benches. Viola walks toward the altar with purpose, leaving Pascal and I to follow her.
When I get halfway down the aisle, Viola ducks down and slides the violin case under one of the pews. Then she gets up off the floor, dusting herself.
“What are you…?”
She shakes her head, finger to her lips, and carries on walking to the end of the aisle. When I reach her, she makes eyes at me and then glances left. I follow her gaze to see a small passageway hidden from the front of the church. That must be the exit around the back of the altar. Viola points and I nod to let her know I understand. I’m just about to ask when my brother is getting here, but I’m saved the trouble.
Kristian and Griffin appear through the broken board, as well as a couple of their men.
“Well, well, well. If it isn’t the Brady fucking Bunch.” He glances at Griffin. “Kato wants his niece back, really?”
As soon as I hear my fucked-up brother’s voice, the urge to smash his mouth in assaults me. I suck in a lungful of air and clench a fist around the handle of the gun Viola gave me. I’m itching to use it.
Viola and Lor were right to have a go at me for not killing Kristian sooner.
I fucked up.
I’m not about to make that same mistake again. I’ve been throwing my dice every fucking day and every time it lands on double four, it reminds me I need to kill the bastard. Sometimes it doesn’t, but I ignore those times.
“Stop right there. Don’t come any closer,” Viola calls over to the men.
“Where’s Lily?” I shout.
“Impatient as ever baby brother.” Kris grins and a few seconds later another heavy of Kristian’s turns up holding Lily hostage.
I release a breath when I see her. There’s a bruise on her face and her lip is busted, but she’s alive.
“I’m okay. But this fucker has the worst breath in the wo—” Lily says earning herself the slam of a gun butt to the head. “Oww,” she exclaims.
“Shut your mouth, you fucking cunt,” the guy snarls, grabbing a handful of her hair and jerking her head back with it.
I start forward, but Viola stops me with her arm in front. There’s a dangerous glint in her eyes that only I can see.
“Send her to the middle of the aisle and we’ll do the same with Pascal,” Viola says, looking back up to where Kristian and Griffin are standing.
Griffin nods at the man holding Lily.
“Viola,” says Kristian, in a dangerous voice. “This isn’t the trade we discussed.”
Griffin frowns and I shoot a look at Viola. “What’s he talking about?” I say.
She looks at me with glazed eyes. “I told you, I’m coming back.”
I shake my head. “No, no. That’s not what you told me in the car.”