Connor
“Do you know what this means?” Finn’s a special shade of red I haven’t seen before as he confronts me over my “antics” at the Ricci estate.
I’ve never even heard the man raise his voice. He doesn’t need to when he looks like a supervillain with that scary scar and those hulking shoulders. Dressed in his signature black, all he needs is a flowing cloak, and he’s ready for action.
I can’t tell if I’m supposed to answer the question or just sit and endure the scolding like a good little boy.
Or I could just be confused because this office feels so much like my father’s. All that’s missing is the cigar smoke and my dear old dad breathing down my neck.
Finn’s only a few years older than me, but for this verbal lashing, I can pretend he’s Declan.
Maybe it’s a sixth sense, but my gut warns me to keep my fucking mouth shut.
Finn circles the mammoth mahogany desk and invades my space. “Well? Do you realize what you’ve done?”
Just rub my nose in it, why don’t you?
In my periphery, I spy Brody shaking his head.
Is that embarrassment? Worry? Code for “don’t speak”?
I scratch my jawline. Long fucking night and even longer day. After skipping a few shaves, my scruff’s starting to irritate me. “I think you’re missing the bigger picture here, Finn.”
“Fuuuuck.” Brody drags out the word.
Guess I picked wrong. Whoops.
Finn throws up his hands. “By all means, Connor, enlighten me.”
At least he didn’t use my face as his personal speed bag yet.
“I screwed up big time with the diamond. I get that. But I didn’t kill Eduardo Ricci. Someone inside his organization did. And they want to pin it on me, and by default, us.”
“So, we’re in agreement. You went off book on some fucking diamond heist, and now the murder of a boss is being pinned on the Gallagher family.” Finn huffs and walks over to Brody. “Is this what goes on in LA? Your brother just makes it up as he goes along?”
“No, not normally.” Brody rakes his hands through his hair. “This has Declan written all over it.” Brody stays calm, so I guess I’m not totally dead.
“But we have no beef with Declan.” Finn scowls. Pretty sure that’s a permanent expression at this point. “We had just negotiated an alliance with the Riccis to strengthen the families on both coasts.”
Brody skirts around Finn. “You’re right. My brother has no business doing jobs for Declan that have nothing to do with the alliance.” He approaches me. “Con, you know you screwed this up.”
Jesus, do they have to keep repeating this? I’m not a child.
“I admit that, okay? But no one’s listening to me.
” I rise and thrust my hand through the air.
“Fuck Declan and fuck the diamond, which I don’t even have, by the way.
” I glance from man to man, willing them to clue in to what really matters.
“Nino Ricci’s set fire to our potential partnership.
He did this. And he’s also planning an attack with Belinski’s guys. We need to get ready.”
Finn stalks toward me until we stand chest to chest. “He’s coordinating an attack because you tried to steal a family heirloom.”
I so want to shove this bastard away, but he’s Brody’s boss now. Shit, he’s my boss on the East Coast, if I’m being technical. If I piss him off enough, I might start another war. I may never recover my reputation here in New York.
I force my voice to stay at a semi-normal level. “All due respect, buddy—”
“I’m not your buddy, you bastard—”
“Listen!” The snap is involuntary, but at least Finn shuts the hell up. “This started back before the diamond. They ambushed me at the laundromat with Sal Padovesi—”
“No shit? And here I thought you never returned to finish the deal because you booked a last-minute Bahama cruise.”
Okay, Mr. Sarcasm. With effort, I swallow a snark reply. “Nino lied about that to his enforcers and the Bratva. Then things were good after we killed that snitch, Domenico Verone—”
“Which was also off book.”
I try not to roll my eyes. “Sure, fine, but it got us back in with the Riccis after their initial reluctance. And it saved Eduardo’s life.
As of the gala, he was going to boot the Russians.
You were there. You saw him. We were getting access to the Blue Hook Port again.
Mission fucking accomplished.” I punch my chest with my own fist like a damn caveman. “I did that.”
“And then you undid it.” Finn strides over to the window and watches the snowfall as he pulls a butterfly knife from his pocket and twirls the blade.
I eye Brody, a little concerned by the other man’s actions.
Brody shakes his head and mimes a calming motion with his hand. Guess Finn isn’t plotting my immediate murder.
Must be a nervous tic. Most people bite their nails.
Okay, this is good. We all need to take a beat.
I sit back down, resting my arms on my knees. “I’m telling you, someone within the Ricci family killed Eduardo. We are pawns in a much bigger game. One that no family in America is going to win if the Russians team up with the Riccis.”
Several long moments of silence follow.
Then Finn spins, his face granite. “You’re out.” His words are final, with no room for negotiation.
Brody hangs his head.
That’s when I know for certain Finn doesn’t mean, I’m out of the doghouse.
I try to lock eyes with my brother to get a clearer read on things. That’s a no-go, so I look at Finn one last time, just to be sure.
He stands stock-still, his eyes clouded with fury. His fiery auburn hair and scarlet skin aside, the man is a rock. Immovable stone.
If that’s how it’s got to be, fine, but the nerve of this guy to just brush me off…
With anger sizzling under my palms, I stand and stomp toward the door.
“Watch your back, Finn.” As I pass Brody, I mutter just to him. “You know this is bullshit. I’m not Nevan.”
Decades ago, Declan’s and Shane’s grandfathers—brothers Aidan and Nevan—fell out with each other.
Nevan, the hothead, was our father’s grandfather.
No surprise. The story goes that he shot the heir to one of the local Italian crime families during a negotiation.
To avoid a full-blown war, Aidan agreed to pay the Italians an enormous sum of money, cut all ties to Nevan, and exile him from the city.
That’s how Nevan ended up in Los Angeles. And despite not being banished with him, our grandfather followed. He was young and loyal. Declan was born a few years later.
Blood isn’t everything that makes up a person.
I screwed up, but this isn’t all on me. Nino’s pulling some strings and blaming me for it all, just to start a full-blown war. I can’t help that. Once Eduardo died, it was going to happen either way. I’m an easy scapegoat.
I’m pissed that not even Brody had my back in there. Sure, Finn’s his boss—and basically his brother-in-law at this point—but whatever happened to fraternal loyalty?
Guess I really am on my own.
So be it.
As soon as my feet hit the brick steps outside the Gallagher estate, I call Declan to update him on the shit that just went sideways with Finn.
Declan is brusque but not surprised. At least I have an ally with him. Except he’s still all about the diamond. Says I need to focus on the only task that matters—that ridiculous chunk of compressed coal—and then he wants me back home in Los Angeles, where I belong.
I hesitate. Having Declan in my corner no longer feels right. This diamond nonsense… I want to tell him to shove it up his ass. When did we start stealing from each other for sport? I used to believe the Kings on both coasts were above that type of bullshit.
Last night, I chose Declan over Cat, and where did that get me?
Banished and stranded in the cold outside the Irish Kings headquarters. Hiding in Cat’s safehouse, hunted by her brother and a mob of Russians. My own brother can’t even look at me.
Obeying Declan again—blood and loyalty aside—seems like a catastrophic tactical mistake. Doing as he says has been my default mode for three decades, and a little voice in my head urges me to Grow the fuck up.
Grow up?
Does that mean I’m supposed to pick Cat?
Let my father go?
It’s nearly impossible to believe Caterina Ricci will still want me once she wades through the swamp of grief that’s pooling around her. She’ll start thinking rationally again soon enough. How will she feel about me then? How could she ever…love me?
Love?
Whoa, hold up. When did that word come into play?
I rub my chest, unable to deny that it fits.
Regardless, I’ve complicated her life in a horrible way.
Why would she ever choose me?
Can I choose her without knowing the answer to that question? Turn my back on my father on a notion or an impulse?
No part of me is wired that way.
My phone vibrates with a text from Brody.
I’m here for you, bro, if you need me.
My neck prickles as I glance back at the Gallagher estate. He hovers in one of the upper-story windows, and we acknowledge each other with slight nods.
So, I have no Finn and no Rory and no enforcers, but my brother’s still my brother.
I’ve also got Maeve. She’s not much help in LA, but if nothing else, she’ll give me advice. And money, if necessary.
I can work with this. I’ll have to, because I’m not letting those pasty-faced, vodka-guzzling assholes take down the Gallaghers from either coast.
I’m not Nevan, and I won’t crawl back to California with my tail between my legs.
I’m going to prove to Finn that kicking me out was a mistake. I’ll save the day and ride home a hero.
Because I refuse to lose.
I head to the Range Rover, adrenaline fueling my legs. Just as I repocket my phone, it rings.
Cat.
“Hey.”
“Hey.” Her voice soothes me despite the shitty day. “Can we meet at the New Year’s Eve place? I need to get the hell out of my head.”
We talked a few hours ago, when she first fled her house and warned me about the Belinski assault, but I guess she hasn’t been home.
I can only imagine what she’s going through, and I want nothing more than to see her.