“But you want Darcy? Is that it?”
My silence is all the response she needs.
“Fine. Have it your way then. You always do.” She pushes past me and opens the door, slamming it shut behind her.
Once she’s gone, I stare into the mirror, my knackered appearance confirming I look as shit as I feel. I can’t have Babydoll involved in this. She and Rory have a shot at happiness, and I won’t stand in the way of that.
A knock sounds on the door before it opens, and Cian appears. “What happened?”
With a laugh, I turn toward him and shake my head. “It’s times such as this that I miss solitary confinement.”
“Ach, stop bustin’ my bollocks. I told ya I was sorry. And I promised Rory.”
I understand the predicament Cian was put in. He was caught in a very uncomfortable position because it wasn’t his place to tell me Rory and Babydoll were engaged. But I still can’t help but feel it’s me versus the people I once trusted with my life. Except for Darcy.
She’s the only one who’s been honest with me this whole time.
“I saw Brody leave. What did he want?”
“It doesn’t matter what he wants. This is about gettin’ what I want. And I have no doubt that’ll come about awful soon.”
“Ya told him the plans?”
“Aye. He’ll come around,” I say, having complete faith. “Now that I’ve planted the seed, it’ll grow.”
Cian’s cheeks billow as he exhales loudly. “So what do we do now?”
“Now, ya go and enjoy the festivities. I’m goin’ home.”
Cian appears guilty for the fact, but I won’t have it. This is a happy time for Rory. He deserves at least one friend here to help him celebrate. Before Cian can protest, I bring him in for a loose hug and leave him behind.
“There ya are,” Darcy says as I walk down the hallway.
I was hoping to remain undetected, but she is technically my date, so I suppose I owe her an explanation. “I’m goin’ to catch a taxi home. You stay, though.”
She shakes her head. “Naw, I’ll take ya. Besides, I don’t think I’m welcome here anymore.”
I know that’s because she brought me here.
I don’t argue as I want to ask her how she knew Brody was going to be here. We leave without saying goodbye.
When the valet brings the car around, Darcy gestures with her head that I’m to drive.
“I don’t have a current license,” I say, but Darcy smirks.
“Since when have you ever followed the rules, Puck Kelly?”
“Aye, I suppose yer right,” I reply, ignoring good sense and getting behind the wheel.
The moment Darcy buckles in, I plant my foot onto the accelerator and speed down the drive. She yelps, reaching for the grab handle, but I don’t slow down. I’ve not driven for so long. I’ve forgotten the thrill of being in control.
Darcy turns down the radio as if I need the silence to concentrate, but it only has me going faster.
“Y’ve obviously not forgotten how to drive,” Darcy states, white-knuckling the seat belt across her chest.
Her fear only spurs me on.
“How’d ya know Brody was comin’ tonight?”
“My dad does business with him.”
Turning to look at her, I ask in horror, “What?”
“Keep yer eyes on the road!” she exclaims, recoiling back in her seat when I aggressively overtake the car in front of me.
But I’m in control.
What I’m not in control of, however, is Patrick Duffy doing business with the man who played a part in Connor’s death and the end of the Kelly name.
“The fuck is yer da doin’ business with that arsehole?”
Darcy appears regretful for the overshare. “Just like everyone else in this town, he’s afraid of Brody Doyle. If yer not with him, then yer dead. There’s no way around that, which is why…” Her pause has me gripping the steering wheel in anticipation.
“Which is why I needed to get ye out of prison. Yer the only one who can stop him.”
I’m not surprised Darcy had an ulterior motive. Nor am I angry at the fact either. But I don’t understand why she’s so confident that I can put him down like the sick dog that he is.
“Is that right?” I question, interested to know her reasoning.
“Yes. I know he’s afraid of you. I’ve heard him speak to my father about ye. How he’s glad ya were in prison because yer the only worthy opponent capable of bringin’ him down. But ya were in prison ’cause of him. He was braggin’ ’bout that. And that is why I needed to get ya out.
“He stole Belfast from ya. These past ten years have been hell without ya, Punky. Everyone lives in fear. At least when the Kellys ruled, they looked out for us. But now, no one trusts anyone anymore. Brody rules with fear, while Connor, he ruled with respect.”
I clench my jaw because her claim makes me feel uncomfortable. To speak of Connor this way reveals that even though he lost the respect of most of his men, he made those he did business with feel safe. They trusted him, and that’s why his associates never turned on him, which is why Sean needed Brody to help beat Connor.
“Brody was talkin’ with my da, and I casually mentioned the engagement party and that I was bringin’ ya as my date. I knew Brody would take the bait.”
Darcy is far more cunning than I ever thought she was. Because of her plotting, I’ve been able to plant the first step in my plans. Brody and I were able to talk without violence because he knew better than to cause a scene with so many witnesses on hand.
“Thanks, Darcy. Y’ve done so much for me. For my family. I don’t know how to repay ya.”
When she gently places her hand on my leg, I try to remain calm. “Just kill that fucker, and make sure he suffers. That’s all I want.”
“Why is this so personal to ya?”
When she removes her hand, I realize there is so much more to this story. “Let’s just say yer not the only one who has a vendetta against the Doyles.”
“What did they do to ya?” I ask, turning to look at her.
She dips her chin, attempting to hide her tears. But I see them, and I know they’ve hurt her. “I didn’t know who he was, but I should have known us meetin’ wasn’t a coincidence.”
“Who?”
She turns to look out her window, unable to face me as she confesses, “Liam Doyle. He seduced me so his father could become close to mine. And when both Doyle men got what they wanted, Liam dumped me.
“He humiliated and lied to me,” she admits. “And for that, I want him to pay. If it wasn’t for me, maybe my dad would never have gotten into business with Brody. I blame myself for it.”
“Don’t be blamin’ yerself,” I say, assuring her. “The Doyles are poison and would have infected yer da with or without yer help.”
“But they did have my help,” she argues, quickly wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. “And I’ll never forgive myself for it.”
I suddenly see Darcy in a different light. She too wants to make right the wrongs of her past, and I respect her for that. So I’ll help her.
“I thought he really loved me,” she professes with a tremble before covering her face with her hands. “What’s wrong with me, Punky? Why do I fall in love with the wrong men?”