Dust to Dust (The Irish Rogues #2)

Prologue Quinn

B elfast

Two years ago

I fucking hated parties.

All the people. All the noise. All the fake smiles and false bravado.

Considering I was a young, wealthy bachelor, one might assume I relished social activities. The free-flowing alcohol, the beautiful new women to seduce, the business connections to make.

But that wasn’t me.

It never had been. Given the choice, I’d take a good whiskey in a quiet room any day. Or even better, a hike along the bogs in the wilds of the countryside.

Anything to be alone.

I especially hated tonight’s party. I fucking loathed the guest of honor. That statement would be surprising to most since we were celebrating my father. Most children don’t encounter their first bully until they enter school. But for my brothers and myself, we had from the moment we were born.

At our estate, hundreds of guests gathered to celebrate my tormentor. To the outside, Hugh Kavanaugh was a gregarious man who wined and dined the rich, but also had a heart for the less fortunate. A larger than life presence who commanded the respect of those around him.

He appeared as a loving husband who doted on my mother with diamonds, fancy cars, and a beach house. At the same time, he stepped out on her every time a slut in a short skirt walked by. She was a prisoner outfitted in designer clothes. To leave him was out of the question. The first time she tried he threatened she’d never see her sons again. Since hers was the purest of maternal love, she endured hell to be with her children.

Some might boast he was a devoted father to his five sons and only daughter. That his success enabled us to attend the finest schools, wear the fanciest of labels, and vacation in exotic locations. But for every accolade we received, we wore a physical or emotional bruise because of it.

No one on the outside would ever believe the monster he truly was. Only those in his clan or those who saw him behind closed doors ever saw the mask slip. Only then was his true psychotic nature revealed.

Satisfied with my role as a wallflower, I surveyed the crowd around me. Most of the guests I knew from growing up here in Belfast. Bored with the Irish underworld and with his ego swelling, my father had set his sights on bringing our business to Boston eight years ago. I’d been just eighteen when I’d said goodbye to the only world I’d ever known, including my mother and youngest siblings who weren’t allowed to come.

As usual, my younger brother, Dare, surrounded himself with a bevy of beauties. God only knew which he would be taking to his bed for the night. Knowing him, it wouldn’t be just one.

Across from him with a gang of his friends, Kellan longingly eyed Dare’s circle of women. Like me, Kellan was quieter than our outgoing brothers. Unlike me, Kellan had the truest heart and purest soul.

My youngest brother, Eamon, hung around the food tables, stuffing his face while eyeing our mother to see if she was distracted enough for him to sneak champagne or whiskey. With a chuckle, I shook my head at him. Considering he was thirteen, I could only imagine he’d be puking his guts out most of the night if he managed any alcohol.

At the massive grand piano in the corner, my beautiful sister Maeve, provided the musical entertainment for the moment. Her stiff posture wasn’t just about elegantly performing the concerto. Maeve detested performing in front of crowds. She and I were alike in our dislike of large groups of people.

If anyone looked closely past the makeup artist’s work, they would see the red welt my father had left on her cheek. My jaw clenched at the sight while my fingers tightened around my glass.

Before the party had started, our family had congregated in the sitting room overlooking the front lawn. Maeve had barely made it over the threshold before my father informed her she would be playing at the party.

As she wrung her hands, tears had spilled down her porcelain cheeks. “No, Da, I can’t play in front of all those people. Please don’t ask that of me.”

It was the worst way to appeal to him. He hated tears and shows of emotion, even from women. Maeve would’ve been better off telling him to go fuck himself.

But she was too pure and kind to ever do that.

So, his palm had cracked against her cheek.

At her cry of pain, the room exploded around me. As I launched myself at my father, my whiskey glass crashed on the floor. Grabbing him by the lapels of his suit, I shoved him against the wall. When one of my father’s bodyguards made a move to restrain me, Callum drew his gun, causing my mother and Maeve to scream.

“Take one more step, and I’ll blow your brains out,” Callum growled.

At the same time, Dare and Kellan moved to shield Mam and Maeve. I narrowed my eyes on my father. Since we’d spent the last eight years away in Boston, Maeve had been spared the brunt of my father’s psychopathic nature.

“As long as I draw breath, you will never lay one finger on her again.” When he remained sneering at me, my forearm slid under his jaw. “Did you hear me?”

“You’ve got a hell of a lot of cheek to put your hands on me like this.”

“As the head enforcer, I’m exactly what you taught me to be, aren’t I?”

“And I’m the head of your fucking family!”

Callum spit at my father’s feet. “You’re nothing more than a fucking coward when you hit your own daughter.”

“I don’t give a shite what you think.”

At that moment, we were interrupted by the butler announcing the first guest had arrived. Reluctantly, I pulled my hands off of him. “ Mallacht Dé ort ,” I spat before stalking off. I did hope for God’s curse on him. He was a scourge on our family for sure.

Hours later the bastard who had sired us now stood in the center of the room, basking in the adulation from the crowd. His chest puffed out when anyone complimented Maeve’s piano playing. “The angel told me she wanted nothing more than to play for my birthday. Who could possibly tell her no?”

“Fucking cunt,” I muttered into my whiskey.

“I’ll second that,” Callum said as he sidled up next to me. “Nice work earlier.”

“Thank you. I only wish I could’ve saved Mae the sting.”

“Aye. I agree.” Callum’s usually blue eyes darkened to black as he stared at our father. “I’m going to end him one of these days.”

“Sooner than later, I hope.”

We fell into silence then. After all, what else can there be said after voicing a shared desire for patricide? Instead, we surveyed the crowd and sipped our whiskey.

With a sardonic twist of his lips, Callum asked, “Enjoying yourself?”

“Immensely.”

He grinned. “Aye. I’d rather fuck Father Leahy’s sister again than be here tonight.”

A laugh burst from my lips at the reference to Callum’s previous night’s escapades. “Was she really that bad?”

Callum’s eyes bulged. “Besides the fact she tied me up and beat the shite out of me with a riding crop, she wanted to take me up the arse. Like she actually had the strap-on thing in her drawer.”

“Maybe you should’ve tried it. I’ve never been one to say no to a tongue or a finger in mine,” I teased.

“Cop on to yourself, arsehole.”

I laughed at his remark of taking it too far. “What do you bet Dare has?”

Callum snorted. “Aye. Or at least a vibrator.”

“Who would’ve guessed a priest would have such a kinky sister?” I mused.

“Not me for damn sure.”

As I once again surveyed the crowd, my gaze honed in on the man talking to my father. He appeared to be close to mine and Callum’s age. It wasn’t the first time tonight that I’d noticed him with my father.

Nodding my whiskey at the two of them, I asked, “Whose that fecker sniffing around Da?”

Callum’s expression darkened. “You’ve been in Boston too long if you don’t remember him.That’s Oisinn O’Toole.”

“The arsehole who used to torture animals in the neighborhood and get the shite beat out of him by the older kids?”

With a snort, Callum replied, “Aye, that’s the one.”

“Why the feck is Da giving that ejit any attention?”

“Since we’ve been gone, that ejit, as you rightfully call him, has somehow made a name for himself and his branch of the O’Toole family. They’ve edged out the Walsh’s and the Doyle’s to be the most powerful family in the city.”

“Jaysus. Who would’ve thought?”

Glaring at Oisnn, Callum grumbled, “Not me.”

“What’s he wanting with Da?”

He winced. “He’s been pressuring him for an alliance with our family.”

“Guess that means your cock is on the block for marriage.” With a smirk, I added, “If I remember correctly, he’s got three very unattractive sisters.”

“Fuck you,” Callum muttered around the rim of his glass.

“Come on, boyo. You’re almost thirty, and you’ve already dodged two marriage contracts. The noose is tightening.”

“It’s not the marriage I’m opposed to. It’s the choices.”

Growing up, we feared the impending shadowy chains of arranged marriages. It was just the way things were done in our world. After all, we were the products of an arranged marriage. My mam’s family, the Byrne’s, ran Drogheda as well as parts of Dublin, so their union had united a large chunk of Ireland.

At that moment Dare and our cousin, Rian, ambled over to us. As the only child of my Uncle Seamus, Rian was raised just like my brother. “What are you two cunts gossiping on about?” Dare questioned with a grin.

“Oisnn O’Toole.”

Disgust filled his face. “I hadn’t thought of that fucker in years.”

“You better get used to him since he’s going to be Callum’s brother-in-law,” I mused.

“Bite your fucking tongue,” Callum snarled.

Rian shook his head. “I heard Da say that Uncle Hugh told him Oisnn wants Maeve.”

While I growled, Callum spat, “Not on his fucking life.”

“But Maeve’s barely seventeen,” Dare remarked.

Disgust shadowed Rian’s face. “He said he’s willing to wait until she’s of age for the marriage.”

“She’s still just a kid,” I protested.

With a nod, Rian said, “That’s what my da said. He couldn’t believe Uncle Hugh was even entertaining the idea.”

“Over my dead body will I ever allow Maeve to be given to that bastard,” Callum said.

“Aye. And mine as well,” I added.

As Dare and Rian nodded in agreement, Callum stiffened beside me. “What the fuck is she doing here?” he questioned.

Expecting to see one of my father’s many mistresses, my gaze followed Callum’s across the crowded room. At the sight of the tall brunette, I sucked in a harsh breath. “Fuck me,” I muttered.

This woman didn’t belong to my father. At one time, she had been mine.

Or at least I thought she had.

Maura had been the love of my life. Even though her father was only a soldier in our clan, I’d asked my father if he would broker a marriage for us. To my surprise, he gave his permission.

Then when I proposed, Maura cut me deeper than any man ever had.

At the sight of me on my knees with a glittering diamond, she’d recoiled in horror. She explained the months we’d spent together was just a fling–a very lucrative one for her considering the trips I’d taken her on and presents I’d bestowed. Moreover, she loathed this world and never wanted to be tied down to a man from the clan.

Tonight it appeared her aversion to clan men had wavered since she was on the arm of one of my father’s wealthier soldiers. When her gaze found mine, her lip curled in disgust before she ushered her new man far away from us.

Pain seared through me, causing my chest to tighten. I hated that after all these months, she still managed to cut me.

“She’s got fucking cheek to show her face here,” Rian sneered.

“Someone should warn Colin off that conniving cunt,” Dare added.

Unable to bear being in the same room, least of all house as her, I shoved my whiskey glass into Callum’s chest. “I’m out of here.”

After he clasped the glass, he shook his head. “Sorry, mate.”

“If Da asks after me, tell him to go fuck himself,” I grunted.

Callum’s lips quirked up. “That would be my pleasure.”

As I started out of the room, someone fell in step beside me. When I glanced over, Rian grinned. “Thought you might need some company.”

“I’d rather be alone.”

Rian clapped a hand on my shoulder. “I’m well aware that you’d rather slink away to lick your wounds alone–”

“I’m not fucking slinking.”

He laughed. “Come on. Let me buy you a pint at the pub.”

Since we were kids, Rian and I had been close. Sometimes I felt closer to him than I did Callum or Dare. Whenever the two of them teamed up against me, Rian always had my back. I wasn’t surprised that tonight it was him trying to cheer me up.

“Fine,” I replied, as we made our way down the hallway to the back door.

Once we got outside, I sucked in a harsh breath of the cool night air. After power walking down the backstairs, our feet crunched on the gravel.

Jaysus, what a mess of anight.

At Rian’s playful nudge, I turned to look at him. “If it makes you feel any better, Colin’s got the smallest lad I’ve ever seen.”

A laugh burst from my lips. “Do I even want to ask how you know he’s got a tiny cock?”

Rian grinned back at me. “How quickly you forget we were the same age in school.” With a wrinkle of his nose, he replied, “I had to see the wee schlong in the showers after rugby practice.”

I snorted. “It must’ve been traumatizing for you to remember all these years later.”

“He tried hiding it. Especially when I was around since we both know how well-endowed the Kavanaugh men are.”

“Get on with ya,” I replied.

As we started for the garage, Rian skidded to a stop before a shiny sports car. After letting out a low whistle, he said, “Get a load of that Aston Martin.”

“It’s Da’s.”

A snort escaped his lips. “Since when would a dryshite like Uncle Hugh buy a car like that?”

I laughed. “He didn’t. It was a gift. They just delivered it this afternoon.”

“Ah, that makes more sense.” After sliding his hand down the shiny, red hood, he waggled his brows. “Where’s the key?”

I groaned. “Not bloody likely.”

“Why not?”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “Because I’m too fucking old to be stealing my Da’s car.”

“Don’t look at it as stealing—it’s just borrowing .”

“You know Da won’t look at it like that. Especially since he hasn’t even had the chance to drive it himself yet.”

Rian’s eyes lit up. “You mean, we could break her in?”

Holding up my hands, I countered, “There’s no we . I want no part in this.”

“Stop being a dryshite for one second and do something spontaneous.”

His words sent a jolt through me. They were so much like Maura’s when we were together. Maybe I did need to get my head out of my arse and start living more.

With a roll of my eyes, I said, “Fine. I’ll get the key.”

Rian clapped his hands together. “Now you’re talking.”

I walked around the car and over to the garage. “Evening, Vance,” I said to the guard on duty.

“Evening.”

“Where’s the key to the car they delivered today?”

His salt and pepper brows popped wide. “The Aston Martin?”

“That one.”

“You sure you’re wanting to take that one, boyo?”

I flashed him a shark-like smile. “Aye. I’m in the mood to piss my Da off.”

He snorted before eyeing the box that held the keys to all the estate cars. After taking out a shiny one, he replied, “It goes without saying not to feck up the car, but watch yourself with the key. It’s two thousand pounds to replace it.”

“Jaysus,” I muttered as I took the key from him. I then shot him a sheepish look. “If anyone asks, you didn’t see me take these.”

He chuckled. “Yes, sir.”

As I started back to the car, Rian leaned back against the hood. “Why don’t you drive to the pub, and then I’ll drive your pissed self home?”

“That sounds like a plan.”

The next thing I knew Rian had snatched the key from my hand. Laughing, he replied, “You’re too gullible, mate.”

“If any Kavanaugh is breaking her in, it’ll be me ,” I protested.

“Fat fecking chance!”

Before I could snatch the key back, Rian sprinted over to the driver’s side with me close on his heels. Cackling, he flung the door open and slid across the seat.

As he fumbled to put the key in the ignition, I jerked one of his hands off the steering wheel. “I’ve got fifty pounds on you, you langer! Don’t make me drag you out of there and beat your arse.”

Rian threw his head back and laughed at my comment. “You’d really kick my arse before letting me drive this car?” At my nod, he sighed. “All right. I concede.”

“Glad to talk some sense into you.”

He started to get out, but then gave me a cheeky wink. “Sucker.”

“You asshole!” I protested with a laugh.

Grinning, Rian brought his other leg into the car. “Bitch seat is waiting,” he mused as he slid the key in the ignition.

And then came a deafening roar.

Before I could pinpoint its origin, heat consumed the right side of my body. It singed my clothes along with my exposed skin. As a scream of pain tore from my lips, a force sucked me backwards and propelled me into the air, twisting my body around like I was a weightless rag doll. I slammed against something hard that sent a crackling through my joints.

The world around me silenced as my eyes fought to focus. Blinking repeatedly, I stared up at the blurry onyx sky. When at last I could see through the fog, I turned my head toward the car.

A fireball raged where it had once been.

“RIAN!” I screamed, but the words only came out as a croak. When I tried pulling myself to my feet, my legs gave out, sending me sprawling back onto the ground. Digging my elbows into the grass, I began army crawling to the car.

Men started pouring in the area. Their arms gesticulated wildly while their mouths opened wide in shouts and screams that I couldn’t hear. All I could make out was a high pitched whine like that of a gnat. Ignoring the chaos, I continued crawling to the car. Rian was my brother. I had to save him.

The closer I got to the car, the more intense the heat became. One side of my face felt like wax melting down a candle. Narrowing my eyes, I tried focusing on the car. The door had been blown off in the blast. Engulfed in flames, Rian’s body lay half in and half out of the car. The smell of burnt flesh entered my nose, causing my stomach to lurch.

I reached a hand out to him, but then my entire body was snatched up and away by strong arms. “No! Rian!” I groaned.

When I peered up to the face of who had me, Callum stared down at me with tears streaming down his cheeks. For a moment, my gaze only focused on the moisture streaking down his agonized face. When was the last time I’d seen him cry?

His mouth moved as his chest heaved with sobs, but I could still only hear a ringing in my ears. Someone barreled into Callum, sending us reeling. When I tore my gaze from him, my chest clenched as my Uncle Seamus sank to his knees in front of the car. Even though I couldn’t hear his tormented screams, they wracked my body like lashes from a whip.

Rian was dead.

And it was all my fault.