Thy Kingdom Come

“Someone almost killed Cian, thinking he was me. I don’t know who told them that. Erin Doyle is apparently involved, but I don’t buy it. So tonight, I’m going to get to the bottom of this. And I’m goin’ to avenge my ma.”

Co

“Brody knows a Kelly took his brother, so he’s go

“Sean knows about this?”

I nod. “Aye. He knows it all.”

“And ya didn’t think to tell me this?” he exclaims, fists bunched by his sides.

“I’m tellin’ ya now,” I reply, unmoved by his theatrics.

Co

He fumbles over his feet as I push him away. “Ya speak to yer da this way?”

I toss my head back, laughing. “Yer not my da. Ye never were. I’ve the test to prove it. I may not be a Kelly, but I’m the one who’s about to save this family. So quit yer yackin’, we’re away to the lorry.”

I don’t wait for him as I turn on my heel and head for the car. His frantic footsteps reveal he’s following. I order Co

As I get into my car, the passenger door is almost ripped from its hinges as Co

“Don’t forget yer seat belt,” I quip, unable to wipe the smile from my bake.

He fights with it, but eventually gets it done up.

Once we’re buckled up, I start our journey to where Uncle Sean and his reinforcements lay waiting in hiding. Liam is expecting me, so my face is one they’re expecting to see. The others, however, not so much.

“Why’d ya have their address and not do anythin’ ’bout it?” I ask, deciding to fill the uncomfortable silence with even more awkwardness.

“What did ya want me to do?”

“Um, how ’bout the right thing: killin’ every last fucker who murdered yer wife?” I offer like it’s a no-brainer.

“That’s not how this works, Puck.”

“It worked a beezer for me,” I challenge, gripping the steering wheel. “But I suppose ye stopped carin’. Ya moved on with yer new life and that.”

“I never forgot yer ma, contrary to what ye think. I loved her.”

This would be the moment in a film or a book where the son forgives his father, and they work together and make amends for the past. But this is neither. This is my life, and no matter what Co

“So ya got the tests done?”

“Aye, you are not the father,” I say, mimicking Maury Povich—Amber’s favorite daytime TV host. “That’s come as a huge relief, I can imagine.”

“Naw, I can’t say that it has.”

His comment unsettles me.

“Why did ye have all that gear in yer bedroom? Y’know better than that. I can’t get my head around it.”

Co

“I just ca

He shrugs, turning to look back out the windscreen, leaving me with this mankin’ feeling in my guts. I don’t want to believe him because if he didn’t do it, the only other person who knew about the gear was Babydoll.

“Ya feelin’ all right?” Co

Touché, fucker.

Refusing to give him the pleasure of seeing me ragin’, I focus on the road and park the car where Uncle Sean directed me to. He has set up surveillance around the area, so the ambush will go off without a hitch. Looking at my watch, I see that it’s time to go.

“Uncle Sean is comin’ in north from Old Brewery Lane. Meet him there.”

I open the door, but Co

“Aye,” I confirm. “I’m undercover, remember? I can’t exactly have ye taggin’ along.”

“I don’t like this plan.”

“Well, stay in the car then.” I yank my arm out from his grip. I don’t have time for this. I arm myself and open the door.

“Puck!”

He leaps from the car and runs to where I stand. “I’ll come with ye.”

“That’s not happenin’, aul’ lad. I didn’t come this far for you to mess it up.” I slip on my hoodie, positioning it low. “If ye want to help, go find Uncle Sean, will ya.”

“This feels wrong. Ye tell me y’ve killed Hugh and Aidan. No way Brody is coming to Belfast, alone.”

“Uncle Sean has it sorted. It’s an ambush.”

“And yer the bait? Is that it?”

“Sure, this is it,” I reply angrily. “I brought ya here ’cause I wanted ye to see the mess y’ve made. If y’d sorted this years ago, then we wouldn’t be here. But I refuse to let those cunts walk into my country, thinkin’ they can steal from me!

“I may not ’ave yer blood in my veins, but themens killed my mum, and they’re to pay for what they’ve done.”

Co

With a sigh, he nods. “Ye may not be my chile, but y’ll always be a Kelly, Punky.”

This is the first time he’s called me Punky. I don’t know what it means, but I can’t let sentiment get in the way.

“I’ll go to yer uncle. Be careful.”

He turns in the direction of where Uncle Sean will be waiting, but I stop him.

“Here. Take it.” I offer him my gun, but he places a hand over mine.

“Naw, I’ll be fine.”

I don’t insist and watch as he treks through the long grass, knowing this landscape like the back of his hand as this route is his.

Once he disappears, I inhale deeply, needing a second to compose myself. This is it. The moment I’ve been waiting for since I was locked in thon wardrobe and forced to watch my i

I walk in the opposite direction of Co

It’s a ten-minute walk which gives me more than enough time to think about what Co

I refuse to believe it was Babydoll, but when it comes to her, I’ve a bad dose of denial. I know that. But I can’t believe she would plant drugs, only to tell me they’re there. It doesn’t make sense. None of this does.

Co

Liam said he’d be waiting at this precise spot, exactly five minutes before the lorry was headed this way. His knowledge of the driver’s schedule has me guessing Ferris is also in cahoots with the Doyles. Or at the very least, in contact with whoever the rat is.

“This is for you, Ma,” I whisper aloud, adrenaline coursing through me.

When Liam sees me, he waves. I instantly notice the gun concealed in the small of his back. He’s come prepared for bloodshed too it seems.

“Hey,” I say as I step over the banjaxed fence. “You could have told me I had to hike through the wilderness. This place is off the map.”

Uncle Sean purposely had me take this precise route as I was to be on lookout for any Doyles, keeping dick on us. The coast was clear.

He laughs, appearing amused. “Sorry ’bout that. But we had to keep it low key.”

“No worries. So what’s the plan?” I ask, keeping my cool.

“The lorry should be here in”—he peers down at his gold watch—“four and a half minutes.”