Chapter 8 #3
I didn’t open my eyes to see their reaction.
We were closing in on the house, and all I wanted to do was find my room and sleep.
Or try. Everything had become so hard. How could my life become so entangled with Sloan that doing the basic things to survive was difficult without him?
I was heartsick for him and his presence.
Maybe that was what all this illness was.
Once he came home, everything would go back to normal.
“I just received a message that our inside man has taken care of the evidence,” Daire said. That little announcement was enough to get my attention again.
“About time,” Fionn muttered, his obvious irritation making me smile.
We usually had the captain on payroll, but he’d been flaking too much on us lately, and Fionn and I had chosen to make moves to get rid of him.
Removing one asset meant acquiring another inside.
This new cop was proving himself to be reliable, and I liked that.
Having the gun disappear meant we were closer to having Sloan home.
“This should put a dent in the DA’s case,” Daire said.
“Now all we need to do is bring it before a judge and get it thrown out. We have the judge’s name. It wouldn’t hurt to add a bit of incentive to make the case go away,” Fionn said.
I went back to ignoring them. The sooner Sloan was back in my arms, the better.
As much as I enjoyed having some control, I preferred to be Sloan’s backup.
I did what I could to help Fionn run the Company, but I mostly let him take charge because he was the business’s future.
He needed to learn what it was like to control it on his own.
I was only here to guide and give my opinion.
The car pulled up to the house, and I forced my sore limbs to move as I exited. I nodded at old Mr. Hopper in appreciation as he opened the door, but he stopped me by placing a hand on my arm.
“Sir.” He leaned in closer, his voice low and full of warning. “Some of our men are here when they shouldn’t be. They’re in the boss’s office. I advise you to leave until we remove them.”
“No,” I snapped. Fatigue weighed on my shoulders, but I managed to raise my chin. “I want to know who they are and what they want.”
“Sir—” Daire began, but I tuned him out as I marched through the foyer toward Sloan’s office. Boots pounded behind me, but I powered forward, back straight even though everything ached.
“Conall, stop,” Fionn demanded, but I was too determined to take care of this problem.
I stalked down the hallway to Sloan’s office, slamming open the door. Inside, three men were facing off with Tiernan, Senan, and Kyran. While none of them had their weapons drawn, thick tension oozed through the room.
Tiernan stood front and center, his arms crossed as he stared down Kieran Pender, one of the men I wasn’t surprised to see.
He’d hated me from the moment I’d stepped foot in the house, but he was smart about how he showed it.
He was a homophobic bastard and his expressions toward me said everything his mouth didn’t.
His gaze followed me carefully, watching. Waiting for the right time.
Apparently, that time was now.
“I wish I could say I was shocked to see you, Pender, but I’m not.
” I stepped into the room and paused beside Tiernan, my gaze sliding to the other two.
One of them was Smithe, a soldier who worked under Jamie Shannon.
While I wasn’t sure what the other guy’s name was, I suspected he guarded the house since I’d seen him around. “Want to explain what’s going on?”
Pender clenched his jaw. “I’m here on behalf of a group of men who work for the Company who feel you and . . . .” His gaze slid to Fionn behind me, eyes darkening. “Fionn Killough are not fit to run the business.”
I smirked. “Oh dear. That is terrible. Let me guess. You think you should run it instead?”
Pender scrunched his nose. “Anyone is better.”
I tsked and glanced at Tiernan. “And you?”
Tiernan startled. “We came here to see ye.”
Pender glared. “This isn’t their territory. They shouldn’t be here. Did you invite them here as your watchdogs?”
Anger thrummed inside my chest alongside the constant ache, igniting me with a burning heat.
I gritted my teeth. “If I did, that would be none of your business. Fionn and I are in charge. Not you. If I told you to get on your knees and kiss my arse, your only job is to pucker those lips and say yes sir, anything else I can help you with, sir?”
Pender straightened and stepped in closer. The cousins, Ronan, and Daire began to move, but I held my hands up to them. No. This was between me and Pender.
He grasped my upper arm, holding it tight. It would’ve hurt if I wasn’t already in so much pain. “You’d never make me do any of that. You’re nothing but the boss’s slut.”
I smirked. “I don’t have to make you.” I seized Pender’s wrist and used one of the self-defense moves Fallon had taught me, bringing Pender crashing down hard on the floor, his face smooshed against the wood. “Traitors aren’t welcome in Sloan’s Company.”
He let out a pained yell as I pressed my knee into the middle of his back.
I glanced up at the men he’d come with. “Gentlemen, you’ve signed your death certificate. Someone take them down to the playroom.”
Smithe and his friend panicked and tried to flee, but Ronan seized Smithe while Daire managed to get the other man.
“Let me.” Senan came to my side and grasped Pender’s shoulder, giving me a wink. The bruise on his jaw was all but gone and I missed it. Maybe I should give him another one. He’d given me plenty of reasons. “It’d be me honor, sir.”
I rolled my eyes at his flirty tone and rose, letting him yank Pender up to his feet.
“Lock them up. These boys need some time to think about their actions. Maybe a week. I want to draw this out.” I stepped forward, bringing my face close to Pender’s.
“By the time the week is over, you’ll be begging for mercy.
I thought you were smarter than that, but clearly not.
No one betrays the Company. What do you think, Fionn? ”
I looked toward Fionn and raised my eyebrows.
Fionn smirked in a way that reminded me of Sloan.
He stepped forward, hands stuffed lazily in the pockets of his pants.
He stopped at my side. “Sounds perfect to me. While we’re at it, though, maybe Cillian and Aspen and our loyal soldiers can have some fun.
Take some skin off. A few fingers. A tongue or a dick. ”
Pender’s eyes widened and he struggled against Senan’s hold.
I chuckled. “I love the sound of that. Let’s do it.” I nodded at Senan, and his grin widened as he shoved Pender toward the door. I was sure Ronan or Daire would show him the way toward the basement. I turned my attention on Tiernan. “Want to tell me how this happened?”
Tiernan’s eyes darkened, and I couldn’t read his expression. “As I said, we came here to see ye. Mr. Hopper let us in because he was dealing with these three and needed help. We came at the right time because they were only starting to make trouble. Mr. Hopper didn’t know who else he could trust.”
“Why were they here? Why did they suddenly grow a set of balls?” I asked.
Tiernan chuckled. “Because we were asking questions they didn’t like until we landed on them.
We had a wee chat earlier this afternoon with Pender.
He’s a banjaxed little eejit. We warned him to be loyal, but he told us to go to hell.
We came to tell ye about him. That’s why we were here.
Mr. Hopper said ye were at a fight with most of yer good blokes, so we waited with our friends until ye got home. ”
“How long was that?” Fionn demanded, eyes narrowed suspiciously.
Tiernan snorted. “Not long. Half an hour. Ask yer butler. They were effin’ and blindin’ real loud, but we kept them here. Thought ye’d want a talk.”
“Why?” I asked bluntly. I shifted closer to him, and even though he was taller, I didn’t let him intimidate me. It was my turn to ask the questions.
“He doesn’t seem the type to be in charge, does he?” Tiernan shrugged. “If ye were creatin’ a group of men who were goin’ to betray the boss and his family, do ye think ye’d just come here with only three of ye? It’s a bit stupid, innit?”
“He’s not the ringleader.” Fionn hummed.
“Nah, he definitely ain’t.” Tiernan pursed his lips.
“We’ve been talking to some of the lads and they ain’t warming up to us.
There’s a couple who are scared of us, so we’ll use that and lean a bit of weight on them.
Get them to squeal. If that’s what ye be wantin’, bosses.
” He crinkled his nose at me. “Ye all right there? Ye’re wobblin’. ”
The world tilted and I nearly tipped over, but Tiernan grabbed me. I shook him off but offered him a nod in thanks.
“Conall,” Fionn started, but I glared at him.
“If anyone asks me if I’m okay one more time, I’ll put them down in the basement with Pender and the other bastards.
” Despite my anger, the fatigue hit me hard and I sighed, brushing a hand over my face.
“Do what you have to, Tiernan. You have my permission. That’s the only reason you’re allowed.
We can deal with Pender and the others later. I’m tired. Fionn, walk with me?”
Fionn didn’t argue. He slipped his arm through my elbow, as though he thought I’d fall, and I didn’t fight him. My knees and legs suddenly felt weak and I needed my bed. Daire arrived as we were leaving.
“Can you please ask Mr. Hopper to have the staff make up rooms for the cousins? I want them close. To watch them,” I said.
Daire inclined his head as Fionn and I exited. We walked a lot more slowly than we usually would, but it was all my body would tolerate and Fionn didn’t rush me.
“Conall . . . if something happens to you, Sloan will never forgive me.” Fionn’s voice broke and he smiled sadly. “He hasn’t said it yet, but he loves you so much.”