Chapter 35
Real Pressure
Detective Strong
“Detective, good to see you.”
I nod, not in the mood for this shit, as I stand in the middle of the commissioner’s ball, looking around at all these suits who puff their chests out like they’re the ones out in the streets keeping our city safe.
Fundraising and smiling as if any of the ticket money goes where it belongs. They all make me sick.
Half of them don’t know a thing about what we face out there, but their pockets are lined with our blood, sweat, and tears. Meanwhile, even with overtime, most cops are struggling to make ends meet without having to work under the table.
I’ve watched good guys become the real monsters out there because this shit puts them in a squeeze. Exhaustion, bills piling up, their own neighborhood turning bad or outpricing them. Too worried about home to be able to make sound decisions on the job.
But at the end of the day, I’m a detective and I’m here to smile and dance for these assholes to raise money for our department and whatever other departments they’ve lied to this year. The right connections will at least get you in the right position to get ahead an inch.
“We need to talk,” Baker whispers as he walks by me and takes a drink from the passing tray the waiter is carrying.
I grab a glass too and follow him a few steps away out of the earshot of anyone else. Vargus is already waiting for us with a tense expression on his face.
I do my best to hold on to the tight smile I’m forcing. Shit has been getting weird, and I don’t know how much longer these boys will last under the pressure.
We thought we would have a bag coming in from Hanson and his boys a long time ago. However, there is always something that comes up to block our pursuit. At times, it feels like our superiors might be onto us.
Although I doubt it. My boys play things smart, unlike some of the other crews in the PD. We all came up together and know the rules. We’ve studied how things work on both sides, and we keep our noses clean for the most part.
I know Baker has a problem with the booger sugar, but he’s functioning. It’s never gotten in the way of work or business. Not until that night that kid got the best of him and stabbed him.
However, in the end, we thought that was going to work to our advantage. It almost did. We were just about to break the kid before someone up top sprung him.
“What the fuck is going on? None of this is a coincidence. We need to find out where this shit is coming from and stop it,” Baker bites out.
“Calm down. We don’t know that this is coming from anywhere,” I snap.
“The fuck we don’t. My wife’s restaurant got shut down and she lost her liquor license just out of the blue. You know how hard it is to get one of those in the city.
“I don’t know if we’ll ever get it back. That’s the bread and butter of that place. My kid’s day care was shut down for a week and when it reopened, Lou was no longer on the roster. Come on, man,” Vargus hisses.
“Right, and my fiancée lost her job in the clerk’s office without any provocation. Her mother has been getting tickets left and right and I was told the system is down whenever I try to clear them for her, but I watched Jones clear some shit for his niece with no problem.
“You said yourself that fancy school that offered your boy a scholarship suddenly reneged for no fucking reason. Yeah, none of it seemed to connect, but when you look at it all collectively, we have a fucking problem, Strong.” Baker seethes.
“For now, let’s keep our heads on a swivel. We’ll be careful about business for a bit. See if the pressure backs off.”
“Motherfucker. Is that …”
I turn to follow Baker’s gaze. My mouth falls open as I find what he’s glaring at. It all clicks into place.
I think we just found our answer. As the commissioner raises his glass in a toast with these motherfuckers, I know we have. This shit is about to get real.
Son of a bitch.
Dylan
“You boys clean up nice,” I say to Hanson and his brother Oliver as I fix Oliver’s tie.
“Dude, what are we doing here?” Oliver asks nervously. “This is the police commissioner’s ball. We need to get the fuck out of here.”
“Relax. We’re the commissioner’s personal guests. No one can touch you,” I reply.
Like I said. It’s time I reveal the power I hold in my new position while showing just what the Alliance means. We run this city.
I don’t have to make my point the way we used to do things. Our relationships at the top come with no other option than a yes, and how soon. Those dirty cops have been trying to make life hell for Hanson and Oliver.
Oliver turned out to be a good kid. However, those motherfuckers are trying to push him and Hanson into a corner that’s going to make them come out swinging while not caring who gets hit. I can’t have that.
Brooklyn and Logan want this shut down as much as I do. That’s why I’ve been fucking with the comfort of Strong, Vargus and Baker’s family’s livelihood. I want them to feel what it’s like to have someone pressing them.
“Wow, on second thought. I don’t think I’m ready to leave. Who’s that? I didn’t think they would have baddies like that here,” Oliver says while nearly drooling on himself.
I turn to see what he’s talking about, and my breath stops as Ciara comes into view.
She and Taegan spent the day at the spa and with a glam squad.
I had to be here to meet up with Hanson and Oliver, so the girls came in the limo.
Booker dropped me off in my Rolls I keep in a garage for nights like this.
My mouth falls open as my gaze runs over Ciara. She’s in a purple satin-looking gown that cuffs around her neck, where stones sparkle in an oval pattern. Then there’s a keyhole just below her throat, down to right below her breasts.
The dress molds to her body in a mermaid-like shape that shows off her curvy frame and pools into folds of fabric. Almost like she has on an upside-down tulip. Her hair is down and curled into large waves that frame her face, much like the first time she walked into my gym.
However, it’s the confidence she walks in with that blows me away.
Her little ass walks in like she’s the queen of the city.
I’m ready to bow at her feet and worship her.
Instead, I drop my hands in front of my crotch and cross them in hopes no one can see the massive erection I’m now sporting because of this woman.
“Hey, you. You look amazing in your tux. Good enough to eat,” she sings as she stops in front of me.
I reach to palm her ass and pull her closer to me as I dip in to devour her purple-tinted lips. Reluctantly, I break the kiss and pull away as Taegan clears her throat.
“You take my breath away. How am I supposed to focus on anything else tonight?”
“Damn, that’s you?” Oliver says, breaking into the moment.
“Yeah, she’s mine,” I say with a smile. “Ciara, this is Oliver and Hanson. They work for me and my family.”
“Hi, nice to meet you,” she says with a smile, but she hasn’t taken her eyes off me.
“Well, what am I to ya? Did ya miss that I came in with her?” Taegan teases.
I look to her and smile. She looks nice as well in the green gown she’s wearing. It works with her red hair, green eyes and pale skin. Taegan has always been pretty.
“Guys, this is Taegan. I know you’ve heard of her. Now you know her by face.”
“Aye, now yer talking. Good to meet ya boys. Here comes the commissioner.”
I turn to see she’s right. The commissioner is heading straight for me. Pulling Ciara into my side, I then turn to face the commissioner fully.
“Dylan, I want to thank you and your associates for the generous donation.”
He lifts a hand to wave over one of the waiters with a full tray of champagne. I take two glasses, handing them to Ciara and Taegan before I take another for myself, nodding for Hanson and Oliver to take one as well. The commissioner takes one, then lifts it to give a toast.
“I’m looking forward to our endeavors in the future. To new paths and strong allies,” he croons as he holds his glass up.
“Speaking of the future. I want you to meet those friends of mine I was talking to you about,” I say.
“Yes, yes. I’ve already launched an investigation into that matter.”
“That’s good. I’m sure this will be well received.”
“Good, good, I’m here to do my part.”
“We can see that. This is Hanson and Oliver Adams. They’re productive contributors to the community.
“Oliver has just signed up for his first semester of college, but your officers have been harassing him like he’s a criminal, asking him to compromise his well-being for them to gain what …” I lift a brow as I stare the commissioner in the eyes.
“I assure you, this is not how I operate. I intend to deal with Detectives Strong, Baker, and Vargus. Hanson here will start his new position in my office next week, as Mr. Locatelli has requested. I will personally vouch for Oliver at the university and put in a word with the fraternity, as Mr. O’Brien suggested. All will be taken care of.”
“Good to hear. Now, if you will excuse me, I do want to dance with the gorgeous woman on my arm this evening,” I say, dismissing him.
I’ve done all I came here to do. Those detectives have been trying to place Hanson and Oliver in a room with one of us O’Briens. Now they have and there’s nothing they can do about it.
At least, nothing they had been planning for. Game over. All their latest problems have been courtesy of the Alliance. We’re not even at full capacity and our reach rings bells.
“Do you mind if I cut in?” I turn to see Detective Baker eye fucking my girl.
Meanwhile, Detective Strong is glaring at me. I look him over and smile. I release Ciara and hold my hand out to for Detective Strong.
“Dylan O’Brien,” I say as I give him a cocky grin.
He takes my hand and tries to squeeze it. I’m not even fazed. I stare into his eyes defiantly.
“I know who you are.”
“Good,” I say and tighten my hold on his hand.
This motherfucker can’t keep the wince off his face as I nearly crush his hand. He had planned to intimidate me, but that failed before he started. I grin wider and step into him as I drop my voice.
“Now that’s real pressure,” I snarl. “But you already know what pressure feels like, don’t you? Back off the kid and his brother and I’ll think about easing up on your families.
“That’s a nice school your kid wants to go to. The restaurant business gets harder each day. A liquor license isn’t something a place can survive without. Wrong target, wrong city, wrong motherfucking time,” I hiss and shove his hand away.
I look to his friend, who looks like he’s about to try to dance with Ciara even though she’s looking at him like she’s about to knock his ass the fuck out. I should let her.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. Touch her and I’ll release your soul from your body for you and help you ascend to that God you pray to every weekend in Queens.”
“What the fuck did you say to me?”
“I don’t stutter, and I haven’t spoken to you with an accent. You fucking heard me. What? You thought we wouldn’t find out everything there is about you,” I bite out.
“This isn’t over,” Strong fumes from beside me.
“Ach, yer wrong. This has been over. Yer just too much of an eejit to realize yer barking up the wrong tree.
“The moment ya try to come after us again, ye all will find out how out of yer league ya are. Cut the bullshit and move on. I’m tired of hearing yer names.”
With that, I wrap my arm around Ciara and walk off. Couldn’t even enjoy a dance with my girl. At least I made my point.