Chapter 3 - Kieran Was Betrayed by His Closest Ally — But Claire Had Already Set a Trap
The betrayal came disguised as loyalty.
Ronan arrived at the Walsh estate just after midnight.
He carried a bottle of whiskey.
He wore the expression of a worried friend.
“Kieran,” he said, “we have a problem.”
Kieran sat in his office.
Claire stood behind him.
Exactly where Ronan expected her to be.
Exactly where Claire wanted him to think she was.
“What problem?”
“One of the port crews disappeared.”
“Which one?”
“Pier Seven.”
Kieran frowned.
“That crew is scheduled for tomorrow.”
Ronan smiled.
“Not anymore.”
Claire watched him carefully.
His shoes were wet.
But it had not rained.
Interesting.
Kieran glanced at her.
He saw the smallest movement of her fingers.
Their private signal.
Something was wrong.
“Sit,” Kieran said.
Ronan sat.
Claire remained standing.
“Where did you hear about Pier Seven?” Kieran asked.
Ronan answered quickly.
“From a driver.”
“Name?”
Ronan hesitated.
“Eddie.”
Claire almost smiled.
There was no Eddie assigned to that route.
Kieran stood.
“You know what I hate?”
Ronan frowned.
“When people lie badly.”
Ronan reached inside his jacket.
Claire moved first.
She slammed his arm against the desk.
The gun dropped.
Ronan cursed.
Three men burst through the side door.
Kieran grabbed the nearest man's collar and drove him into the wall.
Claire took the second.
The third ran.
She followed.
The hallway became chaos.
Gunshots thundered.
Kieran fought like a man who had spent his life expecting betrayal.
Claire moved like someone who had already survived it.
The third man escaped through the kitchen.
Claire reached the back door just in time to see a black SUV disappear.
She returned to the office.
Ronan was on the floor.
Kieran stood over him.
“Why?”
Ronan laughed.
“You still don't understand.”
“Understand what?”
“You were never supposed to inherit everything.”
Kieran went still.
Ronan looked at Claire.
“She knows.”
Claire said nothing.
Ronan laughed again.
“She knows what happened to Declan.”
Kieran's expression changed.
“Tell me.”
Ronan shook his head.
“You think you own this city?”
Kieran grabbed him.
“Tell me.”
“You don't.”
Ronan whispered the final sentence.
“Your brother didn't die in a robbery.”
Silence.
“He was killed because he found out your father had been paying Victor Vaughn for years.”
Kieran released him.
Ronan smiled.
“And you thought I betrayed you.”
Claire spoke quietly.
“You did.”
Ronan looked at her.
“I was trying to save this family.”
“No,” Claire said.
“You were trying to survive.”
His smile disappeared.
Claire had planned for this.
The moment Ronan mentioned Declan, one of her hidden audio devices began recording.
But she wanted more.
The next day, Claire arranged for a fake shipment to leave Pier Seven.
News of it spread.
Victor took the bait.
At midnight, five cars arrived at the port.
Armed men stepped out.
They expected a helpless operation.
Instead, they found empty crates.
And cameras.
Every vehicle was recorded.
Every face.
Every license plate.
Claire watched everything from an unmarked van.
Kieran sat beside her.
“You set all this up?”
“Yes.”
“You knew they'd come.”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“You told three people.”
Kieran smiled.
“And one of them was Ronan.”
“And now Victor knows.”
Claire nodded.
Kieran looked out at the docks.
“You're dangerous.”
She glanced at him.
“So are you.”
“No.”
He looked at her.
“I'm the man they think is dangerous.”
Claire said nothing.
Kieran continued.
“You're the person they don't notice until it's too late.”
That night they captured two of Victor's men.
One broke quickly.
The other did not.
Claire sat across from him.
“We don't need you to confess everything.”
He stared at her.
“We only need one name.”
Silence.
Claire placed a photograph on the table.
Victor.
Then another.
Ronan.
Then another.
A woman neither Kieran nor Ronan recognized.
“Who is she?”
The man's face went pale.
Claire leaned forward.
“Who is she?”
He whispered.
“Evelyn Cross.”
Kieran looked at Claire.
“Who's Evelyn Cross?”
May you like
The prisoner smiled.
“The woman who owns the money.”
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