Chapter 18
Take His Place
Brooklyn
“Now that I know where Logan is, I’m doing everything I can to get him home. However, that’s not being made easy, and I have to be careful,” Sam says as we sit in a private room at Club Desire.
“What do ya mean careful?”
“He’s in their prison system, lost under someone else’s name. How hard do you think it would be to make him disappear for good?”
I ball my fists and grind my teeth. The bullshit seems like it’s never-ending. My visit to Scotland yielded me nothing but more hatred for my grandfather.
The digging I did only brought on more questions. Reading between the lines and given the little information I was able to find, I only know that my siblings and our relationships with Deja and Ciara somehow threatened Oland. It’s this fucking alliance.
I know it is. If it weren’t so important to my granda Ian, I would burn it to the ground myself. However, I do know how important it was to the old man.
“How do we know he’s safe in there while ya work to get him out?”
“This is Logan. He’ll survive. Besides, I’m working to get my own eyes and ears in there.”
I grunt and nod. He’s right, Logan isn’t going down without a fight. Nine times out of ten, he’s walking away while the other party isn’t.
“I want to know something, and I want ya to be honest with me, Sam. Oland has something to do with all of this, doesn’t he?”
“Did you really need to ask?”
“Ach, not at all.”
“Listen, Brooklyn. There are reasons we haven’t taken him out. Right now, I need your help. You and I will have to cover for your brother until he’s home.”
“Aye, I’m already covering for him. I’ve got ya.”
“No, you’re taking care of O’Brien business for him. I need you to learn the Alliance business now. You will sit for your brother until his return.
“We can’t show weakness at the moment. I know you’re up for the task. Can I count on you?”
“Aye.”
“Are you sure? Logan’s role is a heavy one to bear. Once you see the Alliance from his seat, everything will change. You will have a greater understanding of why this is necessary. Why we are risking everything to make it happen.”
“I said I’m ready. I already know enough to want to see this through.”
“Good, the first thing you will need to know is the structure. In the Alliance power will run from the head down, but it will cycle in a way that will never topple the infrastructure. To implode the middle is to swell the top,” he begins.
I listen closely so that I can represent not only Logan but our granda’s memory.
Deja
“What are ya up to?” Blair asks as she peeks over my shoulder.
“Deciding where I would go if I went to America,” I mutter.
“So it’s true. Yer thinking about leaving us.”
I look up from my tablet and search her face. The glum look on her face and sadness in her eyes tugs at my heart. I’ve known her for as long as I’ve been here.
She’s become a big part of my life. I can only imagine what my presence must mean to her. If not for me, she’d be the only female.
Ewan doesn’t go easy on us because we are women, but it can be rough some days to be the female trainees. We’ve leaned on each other over the years.
I think it has made us both tougher. I know I try to lead by example. On days when I want to give up, I always think of her and keep pushing.
“I’m not leaving ya. Wherever I land, my door is always open to ya. Ewan would kill me for saying this, but ye guys could think about coming with me,” I say and wink.
She throws her arms around my neck. “I’m going to miss ye. I’ve always known things would change. It’s just hard knowing that time is actually coming.”
I turn to fully face her and wrap my arms around her. I really do wish she and Callum would consider coming along. I would love to have my little family with me. I think we would be great out there together.
“I’m about to head out to the range. Ya want to come?”
“Aye, Ewan’s been complaining about my target time.” She rolls her eyes.
Blair could pick a room off with her eyes closed. Ewan is just a stickler for perfection. If he had it his way, we would train day and night. In the beginning, we used to. It drove us all crazy.
I go to get up to head out with her, but my phone rings. It’s Cole. I’ve been ignoring his calls since I walked out on him and my uncles.
I bite my lip as my gran’s words come back to me. The lad who loves ye is already here, isn’t he? I don’t think I can say Cole loves me, but who else would Gran have been talking about?
I want to trust him, but my mum’s warning is ever present in the back of my mind. Releasing a sigh, I hold a finger up.
“Give me a minute, I’ll be right out. I need to take this,” I say.
“I’ll set us up.”
“Thanks.”
Blair nods and bounces out of the room. I can’t help smiling after her. She’s always in such a good mood. Ya would never expect how lethal she is.
“Hello,” I say as I answer the call.
“Hey, baby. I’ve been trying to call you for days now.”
“Ew, I can hang up, and ya can try again,” I tease.
“I’m not in Ireland, so no, I don’t sound like I am,” he grumbles.
“What’s eating yer arse?”
I’m only teasing and he knows that. There’s no need for him to sound so frustrated with me. I get up and walk over to the window to look out while I wait for him to speak.
“Ach, yer right. I’m sorry. I just have a lot on my mind, and I miss ya. How are ya, DJ? How’s yer gran?”
“She’s still alive and kicking if that’s what ya want to know.”
“I didn’t mean it like that. I told ya, I’m not going to rush ya. If there’s anything I can do to make her more comfortable or to relieve yer stress, let me know. I’m here for ya.”
“Um, there is something ya can do for me.”
“Aye. What’s that, love?”
“Tell me what me uncles were talking about?”
“Ach, I wish I could, but I still don’t understand everything that’s going on.”
“Someone is lying. I don’t know if it’s ya or them, but it’s a fib I hear, I do.”
“Why would I lie to ya? What would be the point in coming to find ya just to lie?”
“I don’t know, Cole. That’s what I’m trying to figure out. Along with why ya came here for me in the first place.”
He scoffs hard. “Un-fucking-believable.”
“Excuse me?”
“I came for ya because I’m in love with ya. I love ya, DJ. I’m absolutely crazy about ya.
“If something happened to ya, I would torch the fucking earth because of ya. I came for ya because I wanted to tell ya my feelings years ago, and against my better judgment, I came running to tell ya now,” he growls into the phone.
“Against yer better judgment. What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I’m getting this sick feeling that I fucked up. First, Logan comes up missing, then yer uncles said what they said and got me to thinking I never should have been there in the first place. I don’t think straight when it comes to ya. I never have.”
“Where is Logan now? Is he still missing?”
“Ach, we know where he is, but we’re having trouble getting him back home.”
“What can I do?”
“Yer doing it. I needed to hear yer voice. I’m sorry I started this shit. I … ya belong with me.
“I don’t know how to explain it, but I know ya belong with me. I’m going to keep ya safe, I promise,” he says.
“I can take care of myself, Cole. Ya would be surprised.”
“I can’t lose ya again.” He pauses as it seems someone else is talking in the background. “Fuck, I have to go. If ya need me, call me.”
“Aye, ya do the same. Be safe, Cole.”
“Aye, I always am.”
“Cole?”
“Aye, love.”
“I … I … I love ya too.”
“As if ya had a choice. Prince Pádraig had mad game,” he teases. “Talk to ya later, baby.”
I hang up with a smile on my face. Maybe Gran’s friend does know what she’s talking about. It looks like New York is where I’ll be calling home. Maybe.