Killaney Fire (The Killaney Irish Mafia #2)

Chapter 1

KEIRA

I'm sitting at the long mahogany table in the private study of the Killaney estate, flanked by my twin brother, Declan, to my right and Callum, the eldest, Don-in-waiting, to my left. A laptop sits in front of us, open to a secure video feed. On screen are Enzo Bonventi and Ares Kastaris.

The Bonventi and Kastaris families run Chicago. Enzo I've met a few times in my life; Ares and his siblings are like extended family, especially his sister, Calli. She's my rock.

"You're telling me you're being hunted by a fucking bird cult," Ares says with a slight smile. "It sounds too mythological if you ask me. Being Greeks, we're the ones that normally deal with shit like this."

"Yeah, well," Callum says and sighs, "the Irish has them too, and it seems someone's decided to make it a reality."

He pulls a feather out of his pocket and holds it up for them to see. "Another one this morning. This one nailed to the door of our warehouse."

Enzo leans back in his chair, arms crossed, face tight.

My stomach clenches at the sight of the feather. The black feathers only started recently, but it feels like it's been years.

Declan’s fighters, our drivers, ships, and warehouses. They’re everywhere. Even on that son of a bitch who tried to kill my twin.

And they haven't stopped. They're escalating, which is why Callum decided to loop in Ares and Enzo. I'm thankful for it. Every time I see a feather on the ground, it's like a fucking omen or prophecy and freaks me out.

"Are they called The Morrígans? Like a goddess of war?" Enzo asks.

"Yes," Callum says. "Apparently made of people whose lives we've ruined or family of men we've killed."

"What a fucking vendetta, to round up people like that. And you have no idea why?" Enzo asks.

"No, not yet. Like I mentioned, we think they're tied to a larger organization, Shadowharbor. We're going to be looking into it. Keira especially," Callum stops and nods to me. "It's all hands on deck here as we try to resolve this."

"On that note," Ares says and leans forward in his chair toward the camera, "Calli would kill me if I didn't bring this up. With everything escalating, maybe Keira needs some extra protection."

That gets me to sit up straight.

"Excuse me?"

"I agree," Callum says, looking at the screen, his voice calm. "It's something Declan and I were discussing."

My eyes narrow. "Umm, hello. I'm sitting right here, Callum."

He ignores me and keeps his gaze on the screen. "We thought someone with no ties to Boston, no loyalties that can be bought or leveraged. Someone who can't be compromised. We worry this order may have a mole somewhere in our organization. Hence this call."

I lean forward. "Ares, thank you, but I'm okay. I have Callum and Declan here."

"This isn't about if you can or can't handle yourself," Callum’s voice doesn't rise, but it fills the room anyway.

"This is about people who've been planning this for years, who've already proven they can get close enough to leave warnings on our property.

Drive a knife through Declan. If you want to help, then you need someone watching your back. "

"Again, I've got you two."

"We're spread too thin." Callum says, and there's something in his eyes. Fear, maybe, or guilt. "We can't be everywhere at once. And I'm not losing you because you're too stubborn to accept help."

The heat rises in my chest, crawling up my throat. I brush my red hair out of my face. I hate that they are talking about me like I'm a liability. Like I'm some porcelain doll that needs to be wrapped in bubble wrap and locked away.

Before I can respond, Enzo clears his throat. "I have someone in mind," he says.

Oh, here we go.

"As you mentioned, he's not tied to Boston. No baggage, no entanglements. Former special forces. Romanian."

"That supposed to impress me?" I ask, arching a brow.

Ares smiles. "It should."

Callum exhales and turns to look at me. "Keira, we're not discussing this because it's up for debate. We're discussing this because your life is in danger, and I don't trust anyone in this city right now."

"He's right," Ares says. "The last two hits were within fifteen blocks of your foundation office. The only reason you're not dead is because whoever's behind this isn't ready for you to be. Yet."

"Gee, thanks," I say.

"His name is Octavian Voinea," Enzo says.

"He's a cousin to the Ionescu family, the ones who run Romania.

They trust him with their lives. We've used him before for sensitive operations.

Ex-special forces, Romanian military. Professional.

The best there is." Enzo pauses and takes a sip of whatever he's drinking.

"Doesn't flinch. Doesn't give a fuck who your family is.

He protects what he's assigned. Period."

"He sounds good," Declan says. My own twin betraying me.

I shoot him a glance.

"With everything out on the table," Enzo continues, "the Ionescus want to expand their operations into the U.S. This could be a good test of the waters, see if the alliance is worth pursuing for all our families."

Callum nods. "I agree with Declan. It sounds like that's exactly the type of person we need."

"Wait," I say, shifting in my seat, anger rising. "If you're going to talk about me, I'm going to speak. I don't need anyone hiring me a foreign bodyguard. A babysitter."

"He's protection," Callum corrects. "Not a babysitter."

"Semantics," I say a little louder than I mean to. "You're telling me I can't handle myself. That I need some stranger to follow me around like I'm incompetent."

Declan leans toward me. "Keira—, please."

"Don't." I round on him. "Don't you dare take his side."

"I'm not taking sides." Declan's voice is careful. "But he's right. We're all targets, and you're the most exposed. You're going into Shadowharbor, for fuck’s sake."

"So I'll change things up."

"That's not enough," Callum says and looks at Enzo. “Send me his details so I can make the arrangements to have him come out as soon as he can," he says and looks at me. "You will cooperate."

The word cooperate ignites something in my chest, hot and furious.

I stand, my chair scraping across the floor. "You know, I was born into this family same as you. The only difference is I had to fight twice as hard to be heard, and now I don't even get that."

"Keira, you know that’s not true," Callum says, but I'm already moving.

"You're being controlling and making decisions about my life like I'm not standing right here, so fuck it, why stay?"

"This isn't about control. It's about keeping you alive. That’s the only thing me or Declan care about right now." Callum says.

"Is it?" I stop at the door and turn back. "Or is it about making sure the princess stays in her tower where she belongs, only coming out when you deem necessary?"

"Keira, no one's questioning your capability. But even the best fighters need backup," Declan says, his voice cutting through the tension.

I look at my brothers, then the screen, and finally back at Callum. "You all think you know what's best for me. What I need. But none of you ever ask what I want."

"Because what you want doesn't matter when you're dead." Callum's voice is cold, flat, final.

My throat tightens. I yank the door open and step into the hallway, letting it slam behind me.

The corridor is dim, lit only by the sconces that line the walls.

My footsteps echo on the marble floor as I move, my hands shaking with the effort of not screaming.

They don't get it. They never get it. I mean, I'm going to do my part in this, but of course, they want me wrapped in bubble wrap the whole time, hindering my abilities.

I'm not fragile. I'm not some delicate thing that needs to be sheltered from the storm. I was raised in the same house, fed the same lessons, taught the same rules. But because I'm a woman, because I'm their sister, I get the controlled glass cage instead of the crown.

Either way, let them send their Romanian. Let him try to leash me. I'll burn the leash before he ever touches the collar.