Irish Promises

Chapter Fifty

I survived.

Cian's right I did survive. Despite the bruising, scars and the memories, I made it through all of it.

I'm still here.

After I've finished crying and wiped off the ridiculous make up I'd used in an attempt to cover up me and Cian finally step out of my room.

Greater by his brothers all waiting patiently for us.

All eyes land on me and there's a mix of emotions amongst them. Guilt, pity, sadness. You name it it's there.

"Let go" I say with a smile and I don't miss the way they all share a hesitant look amongst themselves.

"I'm not letting him win" I say squaring my shoulders. "I need him to see that he didn't break me" I then add and that seems to soften them all a little.

An hour later we're pulling up outside an old rundown looking pub. It doesn't look like anyone would actually go in for a nice drink and when we walk inside I see why.

The place is filled with people I recognise, all of them working for the brothers. I've seen them here and there, not really knowing any of them by name.

One of them comes straight over and starts talking to Hugh quietly. I only manage to hear parts of their conversation but it's obvious they're talking about Irvin and Lydia.

"They're both here?" I ask turning to Blake and he nods.

"Hugh hasn't been near her" he chuckles clearly seeing something in my expression.

But I still don't fully like what he said. Peering up at him with narrowed eyes I then snap "What and you have?"

Laughing he shakes his head.

"No none of us have" he says, his arm coming round me as he pulls me into his side. "I just knew that's exactly where your head went" he then whispers.

He's not wrong, that's the first thing I thought of and it does in-still me with a little more confidence that he's kept away.

"You're such a possessive little thing aren't you"

"No I just don't like other people touching what's mine" I grumble.

He throws his head back and laughs.

"That's called being possessive" he then chuckles.

Okay maybe he's right and I am a little possessive but I also don't care. That bitch has been out to get Hugh this whole time and she was willing to work with Irvin to get him. It doesn't help matters that Hugh used her to get to me at the restaurant opening either.

"Maybe we should get a move in before this one combusts with all the murderous thoughts she's having about your assistant" Blake chuckles to Hugh.

Hugh gives me a questioning look and then holds his hand out for me to take. Which I do without hesitation even though I do miss the warmth of Blake.

"Who do you want to see first?" He asks quietly and I already know the answer to that.

"Him" I say not really wanting to say his name out loud and Hugh nods.

He leads me to a door that heads out to the back of the pub.

He then leads me us down a set of stairs that brings us to a cellar that's clearly been adapted for a certain purpose.

There's numerous doors on either side of the dimly lit long corridor and I gather Lydia is being held in one of the rooms that we bypass until we come to the one at the very end with one of their men standing outside.