𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙭𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙧𝙖 • 𝙟𝙤𝙝𝙣 𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙗𝙮 [complete]

••• 33 •••

IT WAS burning me alive, consuming my every waking moment, and screaming out at me during every silence.

The desire to kill Adrian Doyle was an incessant, overpowering intoxicant, preventing me from being able to focus on much else. I hated that I had to hold back, at least until the deal was done. I knew that telling Tommy would screw things up for him, and I didn't want a repeat of what happened with the Cruz family.

I had a personal vendetta against Doyle, and I couldn't let anyone else be the one that pulled the trigger.

"Alex, do you have any idea what's going on?" Isaiah asked me outside the office, his eyes wide and panic-filled. "Brian West was found dead," He revealed gravely. "And everyone knows... they know it was you."

I scoffed, my eyes narrowing. "I did not kill him."

"Seriously?" Confusion filled his features. "His neck was slit, and there was a bullet in his head. That pretty much screams Alexandra."

"Well, it wasn't me," I insisted, pushing past him. I was furious that Seamus would purposely kill Brian in a way that looked like I did it, and not even dispose of the body.

Isaiah grabbed my hand before I could walk into the office and pulled me back, fear in his eyes. "I wouldn't go in there, Alex."

"Why not?"

He sighed, glancing to the ground. "Tommy... he's pissed. Like, more pissed than I think I've ever seen him. He's even past the point of shouting; he's barely said a word since he found out."

"Fuck," I grumbled, rubbing my temples. "I need to talk to him."

Before he could stop me again, I stormed into the silent office. Arthur looked at me with raised eyebrows, while Tommy kept his gaze trained on the desk.

"I didn't do it," I stated bluntly, folding my arms across my chest as Isaiah entered the room behind me. "If I did, I wouldn't have been dumb enough to leave the body where someone could find it. I didn't do it."

"Adrian Doyle thinks you did, which is all that matters," Tommy uttered, finally looking up to meet my eyes with his cold ones. "He wants to call off the deal."

Just the mention of Adrian's name made my fists clenched as anger surged through me. I hated having to keep him happy, after he had brutalised me beyond trauma. "Then convince him not to."

"The only way I can do that is by killing you," Tommy revealed coolly, his eyes void of any emotion. "Putting you down like some rabid dog, before you bite someone else."

"I didn't do it," I repeated, clenching my jaw. "So you can explain that to Mr. Doyle, and get your precious fuckin' clubs."

"Is there a problem here, Alex?" Tommy queried, tilting his head slightly. "You seem unhappy about something. Please, don't hold back."

It took all my willpower not to roll my eyes at his sarcastic tone, my nails digging into my palms. "I don't want anything more to do with this," I began, breathing heavily as I tried to calm myself down. "I don't to be involved." Arthur's eyes filled with concern as he watched me, his eyebrows knitting into a frown.

"Why not?" Tommy asked calmly, shrugging his shoulders slightly. "What's the problem?"

"Adrian raped me." The words left my mouth before I even knew what I was saying, and it was like time stood still once they were spoken. The brothers turned their heads to me with pure shock on their faces, and I could feel Isaiah stiffen beside me. I was brought rushing back to reality when Arthur roughly stood from his chair, causing it to fall backwards onto the floor.