Chapter 5 #2
“Pay him. If it’s less than a million, just do it. Anything over, we’ll discuss, but I don’t know that we have a choice.” I winced as my head gave another painful throb. “The most important thing is to get Sloan out of jail.”
“Yes, sir.” He bowed his head.
“It’s time we get rid of this captain, too. He’s become a liability and his balls have shriveled,” Fionn said as he looked at me. “What has Ronan told you about the situation with the men?”
I massaged my temple, ignoring the concerned look Fionn sent me. “It’s getting tense. The rats are getting louder. More confident. Even more so than the men who are loyal. I think we need to show our power, show them that their insolence won’t be accepted.”
“I agree. It’s time to put your foot down on any murmurings of betrayal.” Daire laid the folder of documents on the coffee table and dropped the foot he had over his knee to the floor. “You’ve let them test your boundaries, now it’s time to teach them consequences.”
“How?” Fionn glanced between me and Daire. “We can’t randomly kill someone.”
“No, but we can cut off a finger.” I placed the newspaper back on the table between us.
I was going to cut out the article later and show Sloan when he got home.
Maybe frame it, too. “You’ve shown force by killing the guys who shit-talked you.
That should’ve shut down the rumblings, but it didn’t.
We need something more public. Someone’s fueling them. ”
“It can’t be the cousins. They haven’t been here long enough. Unless . . . they have been?” Fionn’s eyebrows furrowed.
“I already checked and they flew in yesterday.” Daire fell back in his chair and sighed. “That doesn’t mean they couldn’t have influenced our soldiers from Ireland, though. They know a few of the guys over here.”
“Do you think Ronan could question them subtly?” Fionn asked.
I shook my head. “No. The soldiers are already suspicious of him. They’re being careful what they say around him.
If we want to get any deeper into this, we’d need to find a new spy, someone the traitors wouldn’t expect.
” I held up a hand. “And before you suggest it, Fallon, Cillian, Rowen, and Aspen aren’t an option. Everyone knows they’re loyal to Sloan.”
Fionn chuckled. “I know. They’re the last people who’d betray us.”
I stroked my chin in thought. “What about Senan or Kyran? They’re here now, so we might as well use them. Have them spy for us?”
“We don’t know if Tiernan is the one behind this. It could be Kyran or Senan, too,” Daire said. “We can’t trust any of them.”
“Fuck.” I fell back against the seat. “There are other guys, right?”
“Yeah, but we don’t know who’s against us and who isn’t. While some are vocal, others are lying low, watching from the shadows.” Fionn exhaled roughly. “I didn’t want to cause this many issues.”
I sent him a frown. “This has nothing to do with you, Fionn, and everything to do with those traitorous vermin. The moment Sloan was out of the picture, they started whispering in the hallways. They’re testing our strength.”
“Exactly, that’s why we need to make an example out of someone.” Daire stood and stretched. “Anyone want a drink?”
“It’s eight in the morning, Daddy,” Fionn drawled. “Don’t start that habit.”
Daire chuckled. “I’m not getting alcohol, boy. I’m going to call the maids to bring us some coffee.” He walked around behind Fionn, and as if it was instinctual, Fionn leaned back in the chair so Daire could swoop down and kiss him upside down.
I watched, hollow loneliness spreading through my chest. I missed Sloan’s lips on mine, his warmth pressed against me.
My teeth clenched and I tore my gaze away from Fionn and Daire.
Sloan would be out of jail soon. I trusted his lawyers and the people on our payroll to make all the charges go away.
A painful throb hit me in the middle of my head and I let out a groan.
Daire straightened. “Sir, are you all right?”
“He’s not. I offered to call Rory,” Fionn said, glaring.
I rubbed the back of my neck, wincing at the soreness there. “It’s fine. I think I’m getting the flu or a cold. Nothing to worry about. We have too much work to do, and I’m going to see Sloan this week for a conjugal visit.”
“How did he make that happen?” Amusement thickened Daire’s voice.
I smirked. “Apparently, he made a deal with the warden. He never ceases to surprise me.”
“Well, everyone has a price, even the people who say they aren’t for sale.
” Daire moved across the room to Sloan’s desk and picked up the phone.
He pressed a button before he spoke. “It’s Daire.
Please bring us three mugs of coffee to the boss’s office.
Thank you.” When he hung up the phone, he went back to his chair and took his seat.
A knock echoed in the office, and Daire leaned forward to close the folder of documents. I leaned back in my chair, getting comfortable.
“Come in,” Fionn ordered. I liked to give him control.
In the end, it was Fionn who was going to be the boss, and while I was helping him right now, I had no desire to be anything but someone who gave advice.
The Company belonged to Fionn. I liked helping Sloan, enjoyed the planning and running of the business, but I never wanted to be the one person in charge.
The door opened, and I held in a sigh as the cousins walked in, a guard right behind them.
They looked the same as yesterday, dressed to the nines in neatly pressed designer suits.
Tiernan and Senan put more work into their appearance, while Kyran’s tie was slightly loose.
I didn’t miss the bruise blooming on Senan’s jaw, an absolutely beautiful reminder of my power over him.
If Senan felt anything from the injury, he didn’t show it. He was as composed as ever.
“Sirs.” Tiernan smirked and my stomach crawled with distrust. If they thought they could come to New York and steal Sloan’s business, they were wrong. Fionn and I would fight them to our deaths before we handed over the Company.
Fionn pressed a finger to his mouth in thought. “So . . . Edward sent you here on an errand, hmm? You didn’t tell us.”
“Would you have believed us?” Tiernan raised his eyebrows, grinning.
“No,” I said without missing a beat. “I don’t trust you at all.”
Tiernan turned his sharp gaze on me. “I’m aware, but you don’t know me.”
“Because you, or your name or connection to Sloan, weren’t important. You could disappear tomorrow and the Company would run just fine.” I shot to my feet, anger vibrating in my chest. I didn’t let my feelings show on my face, though. “The only thing that saves you is having the Killough name.”
“His father’s an O’Malley. Tiernan’s not a true Killough by name, either.” Fionn stood and crowded against my side, offering his support.
Tiernan stared for a long moment before he chuckled. “My mother’s a Killough. She’s Sloan’s aunt. That deserves respect.”
“Does it?” Daire crossed his arms. “Your mother’s not an integral part of our business, Tiernan. She lives off the Killough money through the inheritance from her father.”
“She is still part the family,” Tiernan growled out.
Senan stood behind his brother, eyeing us all carefully, while Kyran leaned his shoulder against the wall near the door, his disinterest even more obvious. He didn’t want to be here.
“Enough of this.” Fionn stepped around Sloan’s desk and fell into his chair. He leaned back, ease in his shoulders. He was a Sloan clone, calm and collected. “What do you have to offer us? We’re handling the situation, and Sloan will be out of Rikers soon.”
“You think we haven’t been chatting to your soldiers already?
We met a couple for a pint last night at the pub.
There’s tension in the ranks. They don’t trust ye or Conall to handle business.
They were happy to run their mouths about it.
” Tiernan gave Fionn a once-over, his mouth twisted.
“We can help calm the storm before it becomes a hurricane.”
Fionn stood, quiet. He made his way around the desk again, and I watched him, curious what he’d do next. The sound of a slap echoed through the office, sharp and loud in the otherwise quiet room. Fionn stared up at Tiernan, eyes burning as he lowered his hand.
Tiernan touched his cheek, a moment of shock flitting across his expression, before he straightened his face to emotionless.
Fionn laughed. “You didn’t have permission to talk to our men.
You’ve already gone behind our backs, which I can and will punish you for.
” He rolled his shoulders and held out his palm toward Daire, and like a well-trained second-in-charge, Daire passed him a pocket knife I knew for a fact was always kept sharpened.
Fionn flipped open the blade, and the steel glinted threateningly.
“Maybe I should start with your finger. Slice it clean off.”
Tiernan’s entire body tensed. He didn’t flinch, but he didn’t need to.
“Killoughs are stronger together, Boss,” came the sharp Irish voice behind Senan.
We all turned to look at Kyran, who was staring at his fingernails in boredom.
He raised his eyes to Fionn. “We’re not here to steal the Company, sir. We’re here to secure it. Let us prove it to ye.”
“What do you propose?” I asked, curious about Kyran now that he’d finally spoken.
“Let us help ye find the grass. We won’t faff around.
This company is as important to us as it is to ye.
We’re family. Ye might not like it, but we are.
It’s our pride and joy, too.” His expression darkened.
“If the Company collapses, we’re all in trouble.
We’re Killoughs. We stick together.” He straightened from the wall and sashayed toward us like a model on a runway.
Now that he was closer, I noticed a couple of beauty marks on his chin and how brown his eyes were.
“We’ll bring ye the proof. Ye and Fionn execute them to teach a wee lesson. ”