Chapter 21
Free use truly means just that. She would be sexually available to me for anything I want, any time I want. She couldn’t decline. Even when I’ve done scenes or when I used to be with Heidi, it was implicit some things were off limits. There were things I discussed with my partners that were off limits. If she really means free use, there would be no limits. She’d have a safe word I would respect just like during a scene or any kinky sex we would have. But there’d be a lot more she’d have to accept that she might not normally.
“Thea, you don’t have to do that because of what I said.”
“I know I don’t have to. That’s why I want to. Finn, I know you will always give me a choice about everything. Even to an extent about my safety protocols. I know if I change my mind, you’ll respect that. I know you’d never ask for something like this. I want to explore more of what we can do together. I’ll confess that it’s not entirely altruistic. It excites me to feel that desired. That you want me so much that you’ll take me whenever the mood strikes.”
“The mood always strikes.” It’s true.
“Can we start right now?”
I’m slow to nod because I still have reservations about this. I don’t want to take advantage of what she’s offering. And I don’t want her to wind up feeling like a sex slave or sex doll I use like an inanimate object I play with until I’m done. But the idea intrigues me, and it sure as fuck is getting me hard again the longer I think about it. My dick might truly explode.
“I haven’t been near you nearly as much as I’ve wanted the last couple of weeks, but I’ve thought about you nonstop. I’ve pictured us together nonstop. Not just having sex. I’ve pictured us falling asleep together and waking up together. I’ve pictured us on vacation together. I’ve pictured us at the grocery store together. I’ve pictured the exciting and the mundane. Sometimes when I picture us having sex, it’s vanilla. It’s slow and tender. It’s more than lust. It’s always been more than lust. But there are times when I picture us doing scenes together.”
“At your club?”
“At a club. Not one I’ve gone to in the past. I don’t want to see women from my past, and I don’t want you forced into a position where you’re reminded of it. You are my now and my future. The past taught me what I know, and now that’s only for you.”
“Do you know you say some of the most romantic things I’ve ever heard?”
“I say what I feel.”
“I know. That’s why I— want to be with you so much.” What was she going to say when she paused?
“I’ve done some shopping, cailín. Some online and some in stores.”
“I’m curious.”
I step away and walk to my closet. I consolidated a lot into a couple bags and a box. I didn’t want to freak her out if she saw what everything originally came in. I carry it all to the bed.
“I don’t expect you to accept everything because I bought it. If there’s anything that’s unappealing, I put it away, and we don’t think about it again unless you bring it up. I will do things to you in a physical sense, but I want this— the intimacy —to be done with you not done to you.”
“I get the difference, and that’s what I want too.”
From the box, I pull out handcuffs and padded cuffs, a collar, a leather cat o’ nine tails with smooth lashes and one with leather barbs on the lashes, a paddle with holes and one without, a flogger, shibari rope, nipple clamps with and without a clit clamp, a Wartenberg wheel, a box with an assortment of butt plugs, a vaginal plug, a vaginal spreader, a vibrator, a vibrating dildo, a vibrating egg, various gags, two spreader bars, and Ben Wa balls.
I watch Thea as I pull each item out and lay them on the bed. I see interest in all of them, but I fear I’ve bought far, far too much. She must sense my nervousness because she puts her hand on my forearm.
“How fast can we try everything?”
“There’s nothing here that’s off-putting or you fear trying?”
“Nope. I want it all.”
I pick up the collar. “I will never make you crawl or follow me with this. I will use the leash to move your head, but that’s it.”
“And if I want you to use it as a leash? I’m offering you free use because I want you to have complete control. I want you to stop me from what I’m doing to do what you want. Go where you want.”
“You know my desire is for you, not a desire to control you, right?”
“I do. That’s the only way I would offer this or agree to it. You want me. You could do this at a club with someone else or have a sub if it was just about control over someone. I don’t think I’m generally insecure. I think I’ve grown past most of it. But I think it’s human nature to want to feel desired by your partner. I admit— my pride— ego —whatever —wants you to desire me over everything or anything else right now. That this only ends if you’re called away.”
“Don’t tempt fate.” I’m quick with that response.
I want nothing to tear me away from Thea right now. I never want to be apart from her, but especially not while we’re sharing something like this that bonds us more than I’ve ever had with any woman and differently from how I’m bonded to my family.
“Are you okay with me being that needy, Daddy?”
“You’re not being needy in the least. You’re telling me as an equal partner what you want and need.”
I move to the bag and pull out various pieces of lingerie. I glanced at her bras a few times to see if I could catch the size on them. I did. That’s the only way I knew what to get. There are teddies, sheer camisoles, and bustiers. There’s one thing there’s none of: panties. The teddies have snap crotches.
“No panties, Daddy? Good.”
She grins, and I can’t help but offering her a ridiculously eager one back. It’s fucking Christmas.
“What do you want to try first, little one?”
“You pick.”
“I will this time. But if I ask again, it’s because the way I want it is the way you say.”
“Yes, Daddy.”
I survey the collection in front of us. How the fuck do I choose when I’ve set up a Smorgasbord? I grab the handcuffs, the Ben Wa balls, a medium size butt plug and the bottle of lube I forgot to pull out, and the smooth whip. I snap the collar around her neck and pick up the leash. Leading her is fucking exciting. I feared how it would make her feel if I suggested it, but it’s what she wants. I guide her around to the side of the bed.
“Lean forward, hands beneath you. Feet apart, turned in.” My hand lands across her arse as she does what I say.
I appreciate the sight in front of me. She’s exquisite. A round arse I can’t wait to hold onto as I plow her cunt then come in her arse. Long legs likely toned— at least in part —from all the walking she does. A waist that dips in enough to hold her in place more easily. And I know there are tits beneath her I love to play with.
“I’m going to put this plug in. If it’s too much once it’s in, tell me immediately. You know better than most the risks with anal.”
“I promise, Finn. You’re trusting me just as much as I’m trusting you. I don’t want to lose that. I know you’ll feel guilty and refuse to risk harming me if I don’t tell you if we reach one of my limits. I won’t put you in that position, and I don’t want to stop this. I want us to keep sharing more.”
I lean over her and kiss between her shoulder blades. I’ve always been careful with past partners. But the fear that I could harm someone so precious to me is new and overwhelming. However, this is already an important part of our relationship and how we communicate what we haven’t said. Feelings far deeper that most people would say couldn’t exist between people who haven’t spent nearly enough time together. Feelings that most people would say are just infatuation. It’s not. I’ve been infatuated before. This is nothing like that.
I pour lube over the plug and onto her arse as I spread her cheek. I ease the plug into her and twist it three times. She says nothing, but she pushes her arse toward me. I oblige. I slap each cheek before helping her stand. I give her a moment, and she nods. With the leash, I lead her out to the dining room. I have the handcuffs, whip, and Ben Wa balls in the other hand. When we get to the dining room, I pull out a chair. Mine have a full back, but there is a slat at the bottom. I’ve never done this before because I’ve never brought a woman back to my place. It’s my sanctuary.
“This shouldn’t pull your shoulders too much. But if it does?—”
“I know, Daddy.” She twists and gives me a peck on the lips.
The temptation to hold her in place for a proper kiss is one I give into. I let go of the leash and wrap my hand around her throat above the cuff. I hold her in place as I devour her mouth.
“You are mine to do whatever I want with. I’ll take what’s mine whenever I want.”
“Yes, Daddy.” Her response is more like a sigh.
I steer her onto the chair, drawing her arms behind her back. I wasn’t sure, but the bar is at just the right height. Her hands slip beneath it, so she won’t have them trapped between her and the chair back. I cuff her, then walk around to look at her from the front.
“Spread your legs wide.”
I pull her hips forward and tip them, so her cunt is open to me. I take the Ben Wa balls from their case and warm them between my hands. I slide them into her, rolling them and stroking her g spot with my finger. She wants to squirm, but she controls herself. That is until I rub her clit with my thumb. Her head falls back with a moan.
“Daddy.”
“Needy little pussy.”
I pinch her nipple, then pull my fingers from her cunt. I pick up the whip I’d laid on the table while I cuffed her. I step to her right, and she turns her head to watch me.
“Eyes straight ahead.”
I decide to stand behind her now that she’s seen what it looks like when I’m beside her. I bring the lash down over her shoulder to her left breast. That one is more like a swish. The next is a real lash. I alternate sides and force ten times. I trail the whip down her belly to her pussy. I’m not gentle with this one, and she screams. I wait, but she says nothing. I do it again. This time it’s a whimper. A third elicits a moan, so do the next seven. I put the whip on the table and walk away. I go to my office and sit at my desk, but I do nothing more. I can’t think about anything besides Thea, and I don’t want to. I stare at my watch until five minutes have passed.
I go back to the dining room, studying her expression. I watch her gaze dart to me once before looking straight ahead again. With no warning, I slap her right nipple. She jerks, and the skin darkens immediately. I do it twice more before I pinch hard enough for her hips to jerk off the chair. I stop immediately. I walk to the kitchen and fill a water bottle for her.
“Tell me when you need a break.” I issue it as a command.
I put the bottle next to her and head to the bedroom. Fuck. I need to come. It tempts me to jerk myself off, but I don’t want to do that alone. Thea can’t get off, so I’ll deny myself an orgasm just like I’m denying her. I could see her pussy dripping.
I’ll always sleep closer to the door in any room we share. I will always be the first target, and I’ll always be her shield. I pull the bedside table drawer open where I have a gun. There’s always the risk someone could find the weapons I have scattered around my place and use them against me. But I know there’s far greater risk that I wouldn’t get one out of a safe fast enough. I’ll have to reevaluate that if we have a family. I put the things not in use away in the drawer. Always in easy reach when we want them.
I snag the bustier before heading back to Thea. My eyes skim over her with more expertise than I will ever admit to her. I look for any signs of strain or unwanted pain. When I’ve cuffed men at the station, it’s always been to exert pain. That’s the last thing I want now. Mild discomfort, yes. That reminds her she has no control. But I don’t want to harm her.
I use the key and unlock her cuffs long enough for her to stand. I rub her shoulders and run my hands up and down her arms. I offer the water bottle, and she takes a quick drink. Then I cuff just her wrists together. With a light tug on her leash, I bring her closer to the table.
“Lean over the table and bend your arms.”
She obeys immediately. I bring the lash down in a figure eight over and over. I don’t bother counting this time while I keep it light. I do count when I increase the force. I give her twenty, watching her dance from foot to foot. But she pushes her arse toward me every time I slow. I pause at fifteen, and she shakes her arse. It tempts me to deny her. But I don’t want to deny either of us. I was still dressed when we walked over here. I toe off my shoes and drop my pants and boxer briefs. I’m certain I look ridiculous with a suit coat, button down, tie, and black socks on. Good thing no one— including Thea —can see me.
I put the whip back on the table and tap my cock against her arse, alternating hands while I get my jacket, tie, and shirt off. I will never wear just socks to fuck her. I tossed my suit coat on the chair where she sat, but I leave everything else where they fell. I help her up and release the cuffs again. I rub her shoulders and arms.
“Move them around.” I don’t want her getting stiff.
I’m stiff as a fucking plank, but that’s entirely different. I cuff her again with her hands in front of her. I nudge her legs apart, knowing it’s a challenge to keep the balls inside her while standing. I thrust two, then three fingers into her, stroking her and making the balls move around them. I don’t stop her when she brings her hands up to my shoulder to brace herself. When I rub her clit, she rests her forehead on her hands. Her hips sway until I’m certain she’s a second away from coming. I pull back, bringing the Ben Wa balls with me.
When I filled her water bottle, I also grabbed a piece of paper towel. I wrap the balls in that and put them on top of the lashes. She’s trembling with need as I move around her. I pull her close to me. My hand on her arse, but not squeezing. I keep the pressure light. My kiss is tender. This is to soothe, not to frustrate. She tries to reach for my cock, but I press her hands away as we continue to kiss. Words I want to say but am too chicken shit to say are on the tip of my tongue. I won’t back her into the corner and make her feel obligated to say something she doesn’t feel. And I sure as fuck don’t want to share how I feel and hear nothing in response. Or worse, some platitude.
“Come with me, cailín.” I lead her to the sofa.
I fasten the lingerie around her ribs and admire the view. It pushes her tits up. Such temptation. I’ll titty fuck her in this thing one of these days. I grab the TV and fireplace remotes from the basket they sit in. I turn on the fireplace even though it’s late spring. It’s cheery. We sit as I turn on the TV. I scroll the guide until I find something I think she’d like. I’m not a fan of crime thrillers since some scenes are a little too close to reality for me. But I remember something she said in passing.
“Have you seen this before?”
“No.” She’s watching me in confusion.
“Curl up next to me.”
She does as I turn the movie on. I guide her mouth to my cock. I sit in a way that allows her head to rest against my abs, so she doesn’t have to support the weight on her own. She sucks, but I rest my hand on her throat.
“You’re not getting me off. You’re warming my cock. Lie here with it in your mouth. Suck only if you feel me getting soft.”
Not that I will with it in her warm satiny mouth. I twirl her plug and ease it in and out as the movie starts. I move to stroking her arse.
“Play with yourself. But if you come, I will cuff you to that chair and leave you there for a long, long time, little one. You come only when I give you permission, and I make you come.”
She nods as she moves her hands to her cunt. I watch her fingers play with her clit, rubbing and pinching. I look down at her with my cock in her mouth and eyes closed. This is domestic tranquility in a way I never imagined. I keep stroking her arse as she pulls her fingers away and shudders with need. Self-denial is as powerful as me edging her. She goes through the same thing twice more.
“You can stop rubbing your clit.” I’m certain she hopes I’ll relieve the ache.
My free hand strokes her temple until I feel her body go completely lax. There’s a box of tissues on the coffee table in front of me. I pull the plug out and wrap that in the tissues. My cock is still in her mouth. Asleep, she’s sucking. I’m going to come if we stay like this. I ease her off, but she doesn’t stir. She’s exhausted, and I knew she was. From work and then what I just put her through. I couldn’t give two shites about the movie. I pull the blanket from the basket beneath the table and shuffle us until I’m lying on my back with Thea draped over me. I cover us, and I’m asleep within minutes.
I’m awake within seconds when she jerks and screams. I reach for the basket that had the blanket, knowing there’s a gun inside. I pull my hand back and scowl as Sean and Shane spin on their heels and face the door.
“What the feck are you doing here?”
I help Thea sit up with the blanket around her. I wouldn’t care if my brothers saw me naked if I wasn’t with my girlfriend. We shower at the station, and it’s not like we each have a private bathroom. Once I’m certain Thea’s covered, I rush over to grab my boxer briefs and pants.
Shane speaks as I dress. “We swung by to drop those contracts off. We didn’t know you were home. We would have knocked if we had.”
“We’re sorry, Thea.” At least she gets an apology.
“Same rules as Dillan.” They know from my tone as much as anything else that this is not negotiable.
We’ve always had an open-door policy at each other’s homes. Since none of us bring women home, it’s never mattered. But ever since Dillan and Mair got together, we call from the driveway when we arrive at their place. The guys are going to have to call from the lobby.
“Got it.” I know they both spoke, but to anyone else, it’s one voice.
Thea looks at me over her shoulder. Her eyes are wide. It’s not embarrassment. At least, that’s not it. There’s fear, and I don’t like that. I don’t think it’s fear that my brothers will hurt her. It’s fear of what they’ll think of her and that they might see her less than half dressed.
“Wait in my office.”
It’s at the other end of the loft from our bedroom. They head in one direction while I scoop Thea up in my arms. She leans to whisper.
“The plug, balls, and whip. They’ve probably already seen them.”
Ah. Not embarrassment and fear. Utter mortification. I lean for her to grab the tissue wrapped plug with her cuffed hands before I walk to the table. She grabs the balls, their box, and the whip. Fortunately, the handcuff key is in my pants pocket. I hurry to our bedroom and kick the door closed behind me.
“Leanbh, I had no idea they would come over. Those contracts arrived a day early. They never would have walked in if they knew you were home, too. I’m so sorry. They understand what I mean about the same as Dillan. No one is allowed to come in until they’ve called up to be sure we’re decent. If they don’t reach me, they’ll call you.”
I put her down on her feet and hurry to unfasten the cuffs. She drops everything she was carrying onto the dresser. My brothers can fucking wait until I’m ready to see them. But I want Thea free of anything that reminds her that my brothers saw her in such a compromised position. From the elbow to my chest that woke me, I know she’d raised her arms above the top of the blanket. That means they saw them.
She cups my cheeks. “I’m home too?”
I didn’t realize I said that. She rises onto her toes and gives me one of those kisses that makes me forget the world around us but also convinces me I’d burn it all to the ground for her. I pick her up, this time with her legs around my hips, and walk her to the bed. I lay her down just long enough to get my fucking pants and boxer briefs down. I’m inside her with a single thrust. Then there’s no stopping us now. It only takes a few thrusts to get her off, but I keep going. I want to feel her come again before I do.
“Daddy, come.”
“After you, little one.”
“With me. I’m so close. I?—”
She tenses and arches beneath me, her hands squeezing my arse. I can’t hold back. I empty myself into her. Then I’m smattering kisses along her jaw and up and down her neck and behind her ear.
“Yes, you’re home. I want you to be as comfortable here as you are at your place. I hope one day your place and my place are the same place.”
She strokes hair back from my forehead. “I want that too. And soon. Not because I need your protection. I know you’d post guards around my condo to protect me. I don’t want to go home to an empty apartment. I want to come home to you. I want to be home when you get there.”
“You don’t feel rushed?”
She glances toward the door, knowing my brothers are waiting. I still don’t care.
“Thea, they’re interrupting us, not the other way around. If it were urgent, they would have said so. Do you feel rushed?”
“No. If anything, it’s like things are moving too slowly.” She hesitates for a moment. “Do you believe in soulmates?”
“Yes. One hundred percent. My parents are proof. So are Dillan’s and Cormac and Seamus’s. Three sisters married three brothers. It’s not like it was a triple wedding. But there’s no denying each couple was meant to be together. I see how Dillan and Mair are together. They’re like his parents and mine. I’ve seen eleven other syndicate marriages. Each couple is undoubtably soulmates. You can’t enter a world like this as a wife if you don’t commit to your partner to your very marrow. A couple can’t survive this life if they aren’t. It would tear them apart and leave them both in shambles. I wouldn’t have brought you within a mile of me if I doubted you’re mine.”
“I wouldn’t have come within a mile if I doubted you’re mine, Finn.”
“We’ve known each other a while, but we’ve had little time together if you were to count the hours.”
“I don’t think time makes two people soulmates. They are or they aren’t. It might take time to realize it, or it might take a few minutes. I didn’t fall in love the second I saw you. I did fall in lust, but that’s not the point. I saw a lot of your character those first two times we were together. I’ve seen it over and over, and it’s always been consistent. You’re kind, generous, fierce, protective, dominating not domineering and you make me happy. I don’t think it’s infatuation because you’re hot. I don’t think it’s infatuation because I want a bad boy, or I’m curious about mob life. You know my past. You know I should have run far, far away. I only want to run to you.”
“When you’re ready to talk about living together, I want to have that conversation.”
“I thought we were having it right now.”
She sits up, and I move out of her way. She scoots back on the bed but glances at the door again. I walk over to it and open it a crack.
“Is this going to take long?” I know they can hear me.
“Five minutes.” That was Shane.
“Just need your signature.” That was Sean.
I turn back to Thea. “Be back as fast as I can.”
I want my brothers out of my place, so I can be alone with Thea. We need to finish this conversation, but I don’t want either of us distracted by them being here. I grab my pants, shoving my legs into them before hurrying down the hall until I reach my office. Sean speaks up first.
“We are so sorry. We wouldn’t have come in— wouldn’t have come by —if we knew you were both here.”
“Just call from now on. If you don’t reach me, call Thea. She’s— going to be here a lot.”
Shane snorts. “You’re moving in together, aren’t you?”
“If we can get this shite done, I can find out.”
Shane hands me contracts for an acquisition Cormac negotiated with some Japanese developers. No one would guess Cormac is a corporate lawyer, and Seamus is a criminal defense lawyer. It cost a fucking fortune to get them and Dillan admitted to the bar, but all three are freaking legal eagles. Dillan doesn’t have time to practice anymore. I know Cormac’s gone through this with a fine-tooth comb. If it’s gotten to me, it only needs the numbers run. I skim until I get to the parts I need. My brow furrows.
“No. This isn’t right. These aren’t the terms Cormac and I offered. It looks like they’re offering the amount we demanded, but they’ve insisted on putting it in escrow. There’s no reason for that. It’s not like we’re going bankrupt, and they want to make sure we can afford operating costs. They know we want to turn it into a shell corp for now. I suspect they guessed we’ll break it down and sell off shares to devalue it, then buy them all back at an even lower price. When people see the O’Rourkes buying— us, not a shell corp —they’ll rush to buy back or buy in. The price’ll rise, netting us the real profit. Not the chump change they want in escrow.”
I pull my phone out of my pocket and dial Cormac. “Hey. This contract is bullshite. The escrow part isn’t acceptable. Tell them they accept the original terms, cash in hand, or we make this a hostile takeover. And when I say hostile, I mean I will eviscerate them. They don’t decide the terms. We do. They can take it. There’s no leaving it. If they’re taking it up the arse, so be it.”
“This is why we have money stashed all over the place and are way richer than anyone realizes. I’ll pass the message along.” Cormac hangs up, and I look at my brothers.
“We’ll go.” Shane walks toward me with Sean in his wake. It’s Sean who stops when he gets to the door.
“Pass our apologies along. We didn’t mean to scare her. I called out your name as we came in because we didn’t see you at first. As far as we’re concerned, we saw nothing.”
“So, there’s nothing to remember.” Shane turned around when Sean and I didn’t follow him out of the office.
Always serious— even if they call me Doubting Thomas —Sean claps me on the shoulder and squeezes. “She’s good for you. She’s your Mair. Don’t feck it up. We like her.”
“For feck’s sake, could you speak any louder? I thought Seamus was the fecking foghorn.”
“I want her to know we like her.” Sean grins, and I could throat punch him. It’s the smug one he’d give me when we were kids, and he and Shane got away with shite I couldn’t as the oldest.
“I’m the one who drank the last of your twenty-seven-year-old Redbreast.”
“You fecker. You let me think that was Cormac!”
“I know. He was being annoying about something I can’t remember. You’d annoyed me about being a tight wad when we were at Bushmills during Dill and Mair’s honeymoon. You wouldn’t stop giving me shite that I was only willing to pay for the twelve-year-old and not the twenty-one-year-old. I didn’t like the older one. It wasn’t the money.”
All five of us went as security for Dillan and Mair while they were on their honeymoon. We were discreet and tried to always give them space while being close enough to guard Mair. Dillan should be our top priority as our leader, but the women will always come ahead of any man. We’re trained, they aren’t.
“Sure.” Shane tags in.
“Feck off. I have a beautiful woman waiting for me. You have each other. Get out.”
I flap my hand in the front door’s direction. They give me that matching shit-eating grin. I have two fists for those two throats. They let themselves out, and I head back to the bedroom. Thea’s on her phone when I walk in. I raise my eyebrows with concern.
She smiles and gives me a thumbs up.
“Okay, Mom. I gotta go. Finn’s done talking to his brothers.”
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Skyler had a cardiologist appointment this morning. No news is good news. The doctor said things are the same as last time. For us, that’s a plus.”
“Do you ever go to the appointments with your brother and his husband?”
“Sometimes. But rarely, since I never want their doctors to think I’m second guessing them. I only go when I know it’s going to be terrible news. News I suspected but couldn’t confirm. Their doctors are excellent both with treatment and with parents, but it’s terrifying. Sometimes it’s just nice that they have a sister who’s a doctor to interpret or reiterate what their physician says.”
I climb onto the bed, then lift her onto my lap. She still calls me Daddy, but I like her on my lap purely for the physical closeness, not because I think either of us feels she’s younger than she is.
“One thing I appreciate most about you, Thea, is you understand family comes first. Sometimes that’s hard to do, but it’s what you value and want. You get why I feel the same.”
“I do. And that’s a big part of why I fell for you right away.”
I run my hand from her collar bone, over her breast, and down her bustier-clad waist to her hip. I sweep along her thigh and back up.
“I want to do that when we’re watching TV together. When we’re cooking together. When we’re falling asleep and waking up. I don’t want to catch a few minutes in between shifts because you have to run back to your place to get things. I don’t want to miss any of those minutes because you’re on Staten Island, and I’m here. I want a home with you. If that means Staten Island, I think I can survive.”
She elbows me. “It’s not that bad. It gets a bum rap.”
I cock an eyebrow.
“Keep that up, and I’ll insist we live in Jersey.”
“At least there’s no possibility I’ll turn into a Guido.”
She nips at my earlobe and tugs. “I don’t know. Maybe I’ll make you into Rico Suave.”
“Now there’s a reference I haven’t heard in like twenty years.”
She laughs. “I don’t know if there’s a Russian equivalent.”
“If there is, it’s not worth knowing about.”
Fucking pious, holier than thou bratva. The shite they’ve done to women might not have risked their lives, but it still fucked them over. They say women and children are off limits. They just mean no one will touch them. It doesn’t mean they won’t drag women into our business. Sean’s digging points in a few directions, and Pasha is one of them.
“Seriously, though. If you want me to move to Staten Island because you like your place, then I will.”
“It’s a shoebox compared to here.”
“And this place is ridiculously large for a bachelor. It’s even too big for a couple. I got it because I could. And I am the best cook out of all of us, so the guys would come here. That’s why I have the biggest TV.”
“I don’t want them to stop doing that because of me. That’s the last thing I want.”
“Thank you. They just won’t drop by unannounced to use my TV or raid my fridge for leftovers anymore.”
“You work mostly here in Manhattan, right?”
“I work from home most days. I go to our various businesses to run payroll, and I go to our construction sites to ensure the numbers equal the supplies the foremen claim we have and to check the equipment if they say something needs replacing. I’ll go to contract negotiations too.”
“So Manhattan still makes the most sense.”
“Not necessarily. You work in Queens, and I can work anywhere.”
“You already have this place.”
“You already have your place.”
“I rent. I doubt you do.”
“No, I don’t. But I grew up in Queens. I’m not opposed to moving back.”
“That would be super helpful. At least being in the same borough. We don’t have to be right next to it.”
“There’s Dillan and Mair’s neighborhood.”
Her eyes light up. Sold.
“If you think we’d find something there.”
“Thea, I saw the excitement. Don’t downplay it. We’ll find what’s right for us.”
“What’s your family going to think?”
“They already understand. Yours?”
“I don’t know.”
I open my mouth, but my phone buzzes. I check it and don’t like what I see.
Seamus
Corey never left.