Liam grabbed the small chest and leaped to the ground with Boyd on his heels. The old man’s angry curses could be heard as the carriage disappeared around the bend.
The Bricks came lumbering up a few moments later, snorting like winded bulls.
“What happened?” Liam looked from one to the other, dreading the answer.
“One of the footmen decided to play the hero. Pulled a knife and tried to threaten me with it.” The twin glanced at his brother, and their faces broke into craggy smiles. “Shot him in the arm, I did.”
“And I got the other one in the shoulder,” said his brother proudly.
Liam’s stomach grew queasy. “Are you mad? You could’ve killed them.” Even with those injuries, the footmen were ruined. They’d never be able to keep their jobs, especially with a master like John Brady.
“Aye, that was the goal,” one of the twins said in annoyance. “I was aiming for his heart, but I missed.”
“We just need a bit more practice,” his brother explained. Neither of them seemed to understand the magnitude of what could’ve happened. Liam had always known the Bricks were savage and mercenary, but he never thought they’d go so far as to try to kill someone. It was one thing to steal from the rich, but murder was another thing entirely. In all his years as a thief, Liam had never even considered it. Some lines you just didn’t cross.
“Imbeciles, the both of you,” Liam said, gripping the chest of gold tightly so he wouldn’t be tempted to knock their heads together. They wouldn’t make it easy for him, but he’d give it a good try. “Thieving’s one thing, but murdering people in cold blood has never been my game.”
“Maybe you’ve gone soft, then,” one of the Bricks said smugly.
Liam closed the distance between them until he was right in his face. “It’s you who’s gone soft. In the head. I’ll tell you right here and now, you’re only a part of this because Boyd’s always vouched for you, but this goes too far. We don’t kill people, do you hear me? Not now, not ever.”
“Oh, I don’t know.” The other brother moved to stand shoulder to shoulder with his twin. “Seems like sometimes it’s the best way to make a point.”
“Enough,” Liam said in disgust. “Both of you toss those pistols in the woods before the night is through.”
One of the brothers crossed his arms in challenge. “Not even if you paid us, O’Connor.”
“You insist on keeping them, then take your cut of the loot tonight and leave this village. You’ll have enough to take you anywhere else,” Liam said coldly. “Go, and never step foot in Kinsley again.”
One of the Bricks snorted in derision. “Who died and made you king?”
“Nobody,” his brother answered. “Liam here is just as dirty as the rest of us, even though he likes to put on airs.”
“I mean it,” Liam said icily. “I never want to see your faces again.” They were too dangerous with firearms, and too unpredictable. Even though he was running away with Cora, he couldn’t leave these murderous thieves in his wake to wreak havoc on the village. Liam and Boyd had always targeted the rich, but the Bricks had no code of honor. He hated thinking of what they might do in the future, and if he had a chance to stop it, he’d take it.
“You wound me,” one of the Bricks said, slapping a hand dramatically over his heart. “And here I thought we were friends.”
“You’re no friends of mine,” Liam said grimly. “Never have been.”
“Where are the footmen now?” Boyd changed the subject. He’d been strangely quiet through the whole confrontation.
“Ran off together,” one of the Bricks said.
“And the coachman?”
“Out cold in the bushes. Maybe we should finish him off.” The brute’s expression lacked all traces of empathy when he looked directly at Liam. “I could use the target practice.”
“I’m finished with the both of you,” Liam said furiously. “Leave now, or I’ll—”
“Come, let’s not fight,” Boyd said in a placating tone. “We’ve just landed our biggest haul yet. We should all be celebrating. Let it go for tonight, Liam. The lads didn’t do any real harm.”
Liam clutched the box of gold coins, staring at Boyd as if he’d never seen him before. Boyd was slapping the twins on the back, visibly thrilled with the treasure they’d just acquired. For the first time Liam felt like an outsider as he watched them. Had Cora changed him so much that he could see just how far they’d all fallen?
“Let’s get out of here before anyone else comes along,” Boyd said.
Later, they’d divided the treasure among them in tense silence, and each gone their separate ways. Liam walked home in the dead of night, his pockets heavy with gold. He tried to feel optimistic about his future with Cora. He was glad they now had enough money to run away together, but he couldn’t stop thinking about the two injured footmen. If they even survived the trek out of the forest, their lives would never be the same. The Bricks had gone too far this time. It was only by God’s grace that they missed their targets, and the men still lived. But even if their injuries weren’t fatal, they could die later if they weren’t able to work again. The rift between Liam and the Bricks was as vast as the ocean now, though Boyd was pretending like everything would go back to normal. It was just as good Liam was leaving. He never wanted to see any of their faces again.
Liam slid his hands into his pockets, rubbing one of the smooth coins between his fingers. With stone-cold clarity, he suddenly realized that he and Boyd were no longer as close as they’d once been. They’d been stealing ever since they were lads, and they’d stayed together out of necessity. The friendship was based on their shared struggle to survive, but when it came down to character, they weren’t the same anymore. Maybe they never had been. Seeing Boyd flippantly dismiss the Bricks’ actions tonight made Liam realize just how much they’d grown apart. Boyd had become harder and more bitter over the years. More mercenary. What would happen when the twins got better at shooting and they actually killed someone? Would Boyd be there to witness it, and would he care? The fact that Liam couldn’t answer that weighed heavily on his mind.
When he reached the field near his brother’s tiny cottage, he stopped at the low stone wall dividing the land. Kneeling in the dirt, Liam felt around for the loose stone he’d pried free years ago. Inside was a small hollow where he kept his secret stash. He placed the gold coins in the hole and replaced the stone, then sat with his back against the wall.
God, if Cora had any idea of all the sins he’d committed over the years, she’d never love him. But he could change, dammit. He would change. With a weary sigh, Liam stared up at the bleak night sky. A million stars shimmered above him like tiny beacons of hope, and he found himself saying a silent prayer for the future. Maybe somewhere up there, someone would have pity on him for Cora’s sake. Because even though he knew he was just a common thief who didn’t deserve her, it didn’t stop him from wanting to be a man who could.