Chapter 2 Cormac
Cormac:
My head had mainly cleared after last night’s drinking.
Though Sean and I moved to the bar on Eighth, we still ended up going back to our apartment without having touched a woman.
Sean had been bitching about how long it had been since he’d been with a woman.
I was right there with him. Our celibacy was self-inflicted, unintentional, and not agreed upon between us.
For me, it felt lately that sex had lost some of its appeal.
Sure, I got off, and there was the pleasure of getting a nut, but that was it.
When the high faded, it changed swiftly to a hollowness in my chest. I had no clue what caused the sensation.
I debated telling Patrick or Daid about it, to see what they thought the cause was.
The reason I didn’t tell Sean was that he seemed to be his usual horny self.
Why he didn’t fuck someone was a mystery.
Typically, I’d talk to my brothers about anything, but for some reason, this felt personal.
Hopefully, it will be resolved soon. It sucked.
Two stores visited and no luck. This third store we just entered might be the one.
Sean didn’t waste time going to a display.
I moseyed after him. The shop had a few customers milling about.
I ignored them. It was better not to do anything to gain their attention.
The customers, along with the staff, were vague moving blobs on the periphery of my vision.
I knew where they were in relation to us, which was enough for me.
I wished everyone would stay away unless they were helping us choose a gift.
We had been perusing it barely a minute before a guy in his forties hurried up to us. He wore a typical suit and tie. In contrast, Sean and I were dressed casually, in dress pants, loafers, and long-sleeved button-down shirts that were open at the collar and rolled up a few times on our arms.
We had a reputation to uphold, but that didn’t mean we were always seen in suits when we left the apartment. Focusing on the man, I detected the avarice and recognition in his gaze. He knew who we were. He was seeing dollar signs. I bet they worked on commission.
“Hello, gentlemen, my name is Carlos. I’m the manager. How may I help you?” he asked with a note of eagerness in his tone.
Sean merely glanced up at him, so I took the lead.
“Hello, Carlos, I’m Cormac, and this is my brother, Sean.
We hope you can help us. We’re looking for Christmas presents for two of the most beautiful and amazing women in the world.
We’re not sure what those are, but we’ll know them when we see them,” I replied.
“Ah, two lucky ladies, no doubt. It is a pleasure and honor to assist you, Mr. O’Sheeran.” Carlos gave a slight bow.
“You recognize us,” Sean said flatly.
“Of course, I do. I take pride in knowing the elite families in our area. I think everyone in Florida and beyond knows who the O’Sheeran family is. Thank you for stopping into my shop.”
His toothy smile, greedy countenance, and the tone of his voice made me want to drag Sean out of here, but I hung tight. Carlos wasn’t the first ass kisser with an agenda we’d met. He wouldn’t be the last. I inclined my head to him. Sean grunted.
“Was there a particular gem type you were interested in seeing? We also have an extensive scent selection. I can mix any combination of scents to make a unique one for your ladies. My entire staff is at your disposal.”
“We don’t have a clue, so we’d like to browse. If something catches our attention, we’ll let you or one of your people know,” Sean informed him.
“Take your time. And if I’m not right here, any of my people will come get me if you’ll let them know you prefer me to attend to you,” Carlos said.
It irritated me that by saying that, he proved to me he intended to get the commission, and any of his staff who interfered with that would be in trouble.
I wondered how much money he cheated them out of.
As a manager, he would receive a salary, whereas the others would either earn a small wage in addition to commissions or rely entirely on their commissions to live.
When the manager got no response, he reluctantly walked off, though he didn’t go far. Quinn leaned over to whisper in my ear. “What an annoying asswipe. Let me know if you want me to shoot him.”
I snorted and grinned at his offer. Quinn smirked. Sean heard him and smiled.
“I’ll let you know, but if it comes to that, I can do it myself,” I reminded Quinn.
“Yeah, but it’s more fun for me if I do it,” he replied.
Amusement replaced irritation as I studied the selection in the case in front of me. There was no guarantee we’d find anything here, so the question of commission could be a moot one.