Home > Into Temptation (Deliver Us From Evil #2)(2)

Into Temptation (Deliver Us From Evil #2)(2)
Author: Monica James

Darcy discreetly wipes away a tear from the corner of her eye as she turns her back, busying herself with her briefcase. “I’ll be out in a moment. You head on.”

I don’t know why she’s crying. I don’t know much anymore.

Not sure what to say, I nod and follow Officer Grenham out the door. We walk the long hallway, which suddenly feels like the longest walk of my life. The steel gate buzzes open, and Officer Grenham glares at the man who opened it, knowing he was one of the arseholes who partook in my parting gift.

Walking past him, I take great satisfaction in seeing him flinch. But his time is coming, and there won’t be any witnesses when it does. Instead, I blow him a kiss.

Officer Grenham opens the door at the end of the hallway and stands by it with a smile. He is the only officer who actually gives a fuck. Hannah steps into view, tears streaming down her cheeks. But the person standing behind her has my heart clenching with the memories I hold.

“Punky!” Hannah rushes forward, not bothering with personal space as she hugs me tightly.

Instantly, her unique fragrance eases my nerves, and I hug her back loosely. I need to relearn how to walk before I run.

“I’m so happy right now,” she cries against my chest.

“Bout ye, wee dote?”

“I’m grand. Everythin’ is grand because yer here.”

I kiss the top of her head, still shook that this is my wee sister, the wee sister who saved me. Even though she is actually my cousin, I’ll always see her as my little sister. That’ll never change.

She lets me go when she’s ready while I wipe her tears away with my thumbs.

Looking at the person behind her, I smile—the first genuine smile in a very long time. “How’s things, Cian?”

He has always been a handsome devil, but time has been quare and kind to him. He is built like a brick shithouse and matured into the big man I always knew he was going to be.

He nods, holding back his tears. He’s always been a big softie—some things don’t change.

I offer my hand, but he doesn’t take it. Instead, like Hannah, he pulls me in for a tight hug. “Ye too good to give yer best friend a hug?” he teases as he tightens his hold.

It’s suddenly too much, but I fight the impulse to push him away. This is Cian—my best friend, the lad who stood by me through thick and thin. Ten years may have passed, but that hasn’t changed the strength of our friendship.

So, I embrace him as best I can.

He slaps me on the back before letting me go. “Ye look like shite.”

I shrug in response.

Hannah greets Darcy as she joins the reunion. “Should we head?”

“Aye.”

There is one last thing I have to do.

“Thank you.” I address Officer Grenham. “Ye were the only officer who gave a shite. Yer a good man.”

He nods and extends his hand, which I shake. “And so are you, Puck. Good luck out there.”

With nothing further to say, I turn and embrace this new life…as a free man.

The moment I step outside, I shield my eyes from the daylight—it’s something I haven’t seen in a long while. Hannah is chatting happily to Darcy, but stops when she notices me lagging behind. Cian instantly wraps his arm around my shoulders, offering me his strength.

“Ye feelin’ all right?”

“Aye, I just need a minute.”

Cian doesn’t let me go, and anyone else’s touch would be unwelcome. But not Cian’s. He is familiar. He reminds me of happier times. A time when I fell in love with a parful doll…

I’ve tried to keep her out of my thoughts, but it’s hard to do that when she became a part of me. Even though I know the truth, I can’t expect her to be here, welcoming her “brother” with open arms, which is why I don’t allow my disappointment to show.

I asked Hannah not to tell Babydoll the truth. I wanted to be the one who did that. I owe her that. But ten years is a long time. I don’t even know if she’s in Northern Ireland anymore. What reason would there be for her to stay?

Hannah mentioned she helped early on with trying to set me free, but I hurt her. I don’t blame her for moving on, which I’m sure she has. These past six months, I haven’t spoken to Hannah about Babydoll, and the thing which has surprised me most is that Hannah hasn’t spoken about her either.

Just like always, Babydoll leaves me with more questions than answers.

When I’m ready, I take a deep breath and recommence walking. The lights on a flash red Mercedes flicker when Darcy deactivates her alarm. She tosses her briefcase into the car.

“I’ve a meeting to finalize everything. Can I call on ye later?”

I don’t realize she’s talking to me until no one replies, hinting the question was for me. “Ach, sure. If ya want.”

“He’s stayin’ with you?” she asks Cian, who nods.

But I won’t be having that. “No, take me home.”

“Punky, the castle is boggin’. There’s no electricity or water,” Darcy says, trying to make me see reason. But I don’t care.

“I’m not worried about that. I just want to go home.”

Hannah works her bottom lip, but Cian understands. “All right. If that’s what ya want.”

“I’ll come by after tea,” Darcy says, thankfully respecting my wishes. I appreciate everything she’s done for me, but that doesn’t mean she has a say in how I live my life.

Nodding, I follow Cian as he walks to a gray Ford Fiesta. I pause, not expecting my best friend to be driving such a…conservative car. However, I don’t say anything and get into the back. Hannah offers the front, but I decline.

Darcy beeps her horn as she zips past us before Cian starts our journey home. Hannah and Cian make small talk, leaving me to take everything in.

I stare out the window, refamiliarizing myself with the sights and sounds which shaped my life. But now, they’re foreign, and those memories are just out of reach. I see Northern Ireland with new eyes. So much has changed, while in the same breath, some things are frozen in time.

There is so much green. My eyes can’t adjust to the color. I once took this for granted, but I won’t ever again. I see a paddock filled with cows. I’d forgotten how big they were. I’ve forgotten a lot of things.

It’s suddenly too much, too fast.

Closing my eyes, I lean my head against the headrest and stay this way until Cian’s tires crunch over gravel. This sound transports me back in time.

I’m home.

Slowly opening my eyes, I adjust to the lighting, and when I see the castle, I wonder if I’m stuck in a nightmare. The once majestic building is now in shambles.

The windows are smashed in, and by the graffiti tags, it’s safe to assume they were broken by the hallions who thought it was okay to vandalize a place that once was the envy of many. The door is kicked in, and I notice the side wall is crumbling.

No matter how much I hated Connor, I never wanted to see his home end up this way. This was the last place his essence remained, and now, nothing is left. It’s just an empty shell housing broken memories.

Unsnapping my seat belt, I open the door and step outside. The fresh air fills my lungs, and I inhale deeply, the smells of the past warming me. It’s replaced with bitterness a second later.

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