Chapter 6
Chapter Six
KIERAN
Sean O’Keefe killed my father?
I stare at Riley, completely dumbstruck, and from the look on my brothers’ faces they are just as in shock as I am.
Even Cormac looks taken aback.
“But I’m not handing the evidence over until I know I can trust you,” Riley continues.
I can’t help but snort.
This chick is sitting at my table, wearing a skirt that barely covers her ass, and is trying to call the shots? Did she really think she could flash some skin and we would all fall to our knees?
“You came to us, princess.”
“Out of necessity, not because I trust you.”
We lock eyes, but there is nothing but fierce determination staring back at me.
Ronan looks at her and nods. “Very well, you have our protection.”
“You’re joking! You’re going to whore us out just like that?” I slam my fist down on the table so hard it rattles.
Riley flinches, but I don’t look at her. My attention is solely focused on Ronan right now.
Brennan leans back in his chair, lifting his feet up to rest on the table. “Don’t be so dramatic. We were planning on going after Sean anyway.”
“Yes, but now we will have the Walshes on our backs too.”
“I think we already did, considering Ronan shot Declan between the eyes.” Brennan grimaces as he looks at Riley. “No offense,”
“None taken. The asshole deserved it.”
Ronan frowns. “That’s not the reaction I was expecting from you if I’m completely honest.”
“I mean, if I had some fireworks, I would be setting them off right now if that’s what you mean.”
Despite myself, I snort.
Riley glances sidelong at me, and the corner of her lips twitches.
Ronan braces his hands on the table. “So, it’s settled. I expect the pair of you to play nice. We’ve got a war coming and like it or not, Kieran, Riley just joined our side.”
“Great,” I mutter.
Brennan smirks. “You’re going to have to work on your hospitality skills.”
I sit up straighter. “Wait, hang on. This doesn’t mean she’s staying with me indefinitely, right? I mean, surely we can put her up in a hotel.”
“And again, I’m right here…” Riley mutters.
When Ronan doesn’t say anything, I almost choke on a laugh.
“You can’t be serious.”
Ronan gets to his feet. “Let’s talk outside.”
I don’t want to talk. I especially don’t want to talk to Ronan. But when he jerks his head toward the hallway, I follow like I always do. Mostly because if I stay in the same room as Riley Walsh for another second, I’m going to say something I’ll regret.
“So, are you studying at Columbia?” Brennan asks as I walk over to the door.
“Yeah, I’m almost done with my Sophomore year.”
“What are you studying?” Cormac’s voice now.
“Business analysis. I’m hoping to get a job at a fortune 500 company after graduation…”
I grind my teeth.
This is business, not a fucking tea party.
Riley Walsh has barely been in our lives twenty-four hours, but it seems she has each of my brothers wrapped around her little finger.
Unlucky for her, I’m not so easily swayed by the big puppy eyes.
The ass and thighs, on the other hand…
I clear my throat as I force the image of Riley’s bare thighs wrapped around my waist out of my mind. “Let’s go down here.”
I lead Ronan down the hall to my other study which doubles as my entertainment room.
“This is a mistake,” I tell Ronan flat out as he leans against the wall, looking far too casual for my liking.
“We’ve made worse.”
“That’s not comforting.”
“She needs our help.”
I scoff as I pace back and forth, trying to fight the urge to punch my brother in the face. The only thing stopping me is the verbal lashing I would receive from Ciara if I did, and honestly, that chick scares me a little.
Not that I would ever tell her that.
“You think I give a damn what she needs?”
“You should.”
“Why? Because she batted her lashes at you and told you a sad story?”
He pins me with a look. “Because she’s got evidence that can help us avenge our father.”
In my mindless rage, I had forgotten the fact that Riley holds information that links Sean to our father’s murder.
I tuck my hands into my pockets. “Allegedly. We don’t know for sure.”
“I don’t see why she would lie.”
“Oh, I don’t know… Because you killed her father?”
“She said herself that she’s glad I did.”
“Of course, she did! Because what else was she going to say to you, Ronan?”
Ronan’s jaw ticks as he looks at me.
We’re going around in circles here, wasting precious energy that could be directed elsewhere. But maybe that’s Riley’s plan all along…
“We don’t need her. I’m already building a case on Sean. Between Liam Kelly’s ties to Sean and the footage we got from the ambush at the docks, we have enough.”
Ronan shakes his head.
“She’s the missing piece, Kieran.”
“You’re a stubborn ass, you know that?”
“Perhaps, but contrary to what you might think, I didn’t make this decision lightly.”
“So, what? We protect her in exchange for a few files? And then what? We’re supposed to trust she won’t turn around and screw us over the second it suits her?”
“She’s not her father.”
“You don’t know that.”
“She ran from him. She ran from Rion and from Oscar. That doesn’t exactly scream loyalty to the Walsh name to me.”
“It screams desperation.”
“Exactly.”
I fold my arms over my chest, frowning. “I don’t follow.”
“Riley is risking everything by coming to us. She doesn’t have the luxury of double crossing anyone because she has nowhere else to go. If anyone has the upper hand here, it’s us.”
I pace a few steps, trying to burn off the frustration simmering under my skin. “You’re too trusting.”
“And you’re too suspicious. Besides, even if we didn’t need her, are we really the type of men to sit back and let her be married off to someone as toxic as Sean O’Keefe?”
“Maybe we should ask Ciara that question? She has experience in the arranged marriage department.”
“I’m being serious here, Kieran.”
“So am I.”
For a moment, we just glower at one another.
Sometimes, it feels like nothing has changed since the two of us were teenagers.
“This isn’t our problem, Ronan. If Rion wants to marry Riley off to O’Keefe, then let him.”
“That’s not going to happen because she’s not marrying Sean O’Keefe.”
I scoff. “Oh, right, of course.”
“She’s marrying you.”
“I’m sorry… What the fuck did you just say?”
“I want you to marry Riley.”
“And I want a brother who doesn’t make life-altering decisions without consulting me first, but we don’t always get what we want.”
Ronan runs a hand over his face. “Will you just stop fighting me for one damn second?”
He pushes off the wall and stalks toward me until we’re only inches apart, and I can see in his eyes that he’s deadly serious.
“I’m proposing a fake marriage between you and Riley.”
“All I’m hearing is the word marriage.”
Ronan closes his eyes for a moment and takes a deep breath.
I know I’m being an ass, but surely, he can’t expect me to just agree to this?
Fake or not, a marriage is still something I never planned on taking part in. Ever.
“By marrying you, it not only gets Riley out of the arrangement with Sean, but it also signals to him that we’re onto him. It’ll rattle him and give us the upper hand in taking him down.”
I’m completely dumbstruck by this plan.
“What about Brennan? They’re closer in age.”
“I don’t want Brennan; I want you.”
“Why don’t you ask Riley? I’m sure she’d choose Mr. Charming Smile over me anyway.”
“I’m not giving her the choice.”
“Ronan, this is insane. You seriously want me to marry this girl?”
“Yes.”
“Like...with a ring and vows and—”
“It doesn’t have to be real.”
“It’s already real enough that I want to punch you.”
He doesn’t even smirk. That’s how serious he is. “You want to help take Sean down, right? Well, this is how. He doesn’t know how much Riley told us, but this sends a message that we’ve got her, and that we’re willing to protect her.”
I shake my head. “This is too risky. I mean, you just took out the head of their family, and all of a sudden, I’m marrying Riley?”
“It’s not much different than my situation with Ciara.”
“Yes, it is.”
“How? Our father killed Ciara’s father, and now she’s my wife.”
He’s got me there, so I let out a low, bitter laugh as I realize that I have no choice but to agree to Ronan’s ridiculous plan.
“You’re really not going to listen to me, are you?”
“I am listening.” His expression softens just a little. “But I’m also looking at the bigger picture. This is what’s best for our family.”
I exhale slowly, trying to keep myself from exploding.
Ronan always has a way of getting people to agree to his plans, but still. Is a fake marriage seriously all he could come up with?
“There’s only one teeny tiny flaw here, brother.”
Ronan quirks an eyebrow. “What’s that?”
“What are you going to do when Riley says no? Which she will, by the way. Every time she looks at me, I swear I can see her mentally plotting my demise, so I know she won’t be willing to agree to us tying the knot.”
I try to picture the look on Riley’s face when I tell her she’s going to be my blushing bride, and I have to swallow my laughter.
“She won’t say no.”
“I appreciate the confidence, but Riley Walsh and I haven’t exactly gotten off to the best start.”
“You better not have slept with her, Kieran, or I swear to God—”
“I didn’t fucking touch her. Jeez.”
“You better not have.”
“I’m not that much of a whore.”
Ronan has an amused look. “Say that to the female population of Manhattan.”
“What can I say? My reputation precedes me.”
“Well, despite that, I have a feeling Riley will do whatever it takes to stay out of both Sean and her uncle's reach. Marrying you is the least of her problems.”
I hold a hand to my chest. “Way to make a guy feel special.”
Ronan fixes me with a look that has me pinching the bridge of my nose.
“Fine, I’ll marry the mafia princess, but don’t expect me to like it.”
“I never do.”
“And don’t expect me to trust her. That girl has an agenda, I just know it.”
Ronan ignores my warning and claps me on the shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go tell your bride-to-be the good news.”
I mutter a curse under my breath and follow him out.
Back in the weapons bunker, as Riley has christened it, she’s perched on one of the bar stools, her attention solely focused on Brennan as he sets down bottle after bottle of liquor in front of her.
Cormac is still in his seat at the table, tapping furiously away on his phone. The moment Ronan and I enter, he hastily tucks it away inside his jacket pocket.
Ronan ignores him and keeps his eyes on the girl in the room. “I have a proposition for you, Riley.”
Riley swivels on her stool and glances anxiously between Ronan and me.
I don’t bother to hide my distaste at what Ronan is about to say, and Riley seems to notice as the smile that was tugging at her lips after chatting with Brennan instantly fades.
“Oh?”
“My family will protect you, but it’s going to come at a cost.”
“Isn’t that what we’ve already decided? I will give you the documents—”
Ronan holds up a single finger, cutting her off.
“You’ll give us the evidence that links Sean O’Keefe to the murder of our father, and we’ll make sure no one can legally or physically force you into anything you don’t want to do.”
She narrows her eyes. “And how exactly are you going to do that?”
I tuck my hands into my pockets as I mentally brace myself for the explosion that is about to happen.
Suddenly, the soundproof walls don’t seem too extreme.
“We make it so you’re already married,” Ronan says plainly.
“Married…” Riley repeats slowly.
“Legally and publicly to someone that Sean O’Keefe wouldn’t dare to come after.”
“And who exactly would that be?”
Her gaze flicks to me, suspicious and calculating, and I take that as my cue to step forward.
“Me.”