Chapter 34
CHAPTER 34
R onan
The drive to O’Malley’s was a blur, the adrenaline coursing through me like wildfire. By the time I walked through the doors of the bar, most of my men were already there, their expressions grim as they filed into the back room.
I took my place at the head of the table, my hands braced against the polished wood as I looked around the room. Seamus stood at my right, Declan at my left, his laptop open and glowing faintly in the dim light.
“Listen up,” I said, my voice cutting through the quiet. All eyes turned to me. “We’ve got confirmation. The Ivanovich family is behind this. They’re the ones who killed Lorenzo, and they’re the ones who took Leena.”
A ripple of shock ran through the room, but no one spoke.
“They’re not just targeting us,” I continued. “They’re targeting the entire city. They want to pit us against the Benedettis, tear us apart from the inside out, and pick up the pieces once we’ve destroyed each other.”
“Those bastards,” Seamus muttered, his arms crossed as his expression darkened. “They’ve been quiet for years. Why now?”
“Power,” Declan said, his fingers flying over the keys as he pulled up a map on his screen. “They see an opportunity. With Lorenzo gone and the O’Malleys and Benedettis on the brink of war, they think they can swoop in and take control.”
“They’re not wrong,” one of the men at the table muttered.
“They are if we stop them,” I said abruptly, my gaze cutting across the room. “They’ve got her holed up in a cabin in the woods upstate. Heavily guarded. If we go in, it has to be precise. Clean. No room for mistakes.”
Seamus nodded, his jaw tight. “What’s the plan?”
“First, we gather intel,” I said. “Declan, I want eyes on that cabin. I need to know how many men we’re dealing with, their positions, rotations—everything.”
“I’m on it,” Declan said, already typing.
“Seamus,” I continued, turning to him. “Start organizing the team. I want our best guys—quiet, efficient, no loose cannons. This isn’t a brawl. This is a surgical strike.”
“You got it, boss,” Seamus said.
One of the younger men at the far end of the table cleared his throat. “What about the Benedettis? If they think we’re moving against the Ivanovich family, they might try to take advantage of the chaos.”
“Let them,” I said coldly. “If Marco wants to test us, he can get in line. Right now, our focus is Leena. Everything else can wait.”
The room fell quiet again. My mind raced through the details, every possible angle, every potential outcome.
And then the door creaked open.
Every head turned as Kiera stepped into the room, her expression defiant despite the tension in her posture. She glanced around the table, her gaze landing on me.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I demanded.
She didn’t flinch. “I’m not sitting at home while you’re out here planning to rescue Leena. She’s my best friend, Ronan. I’m not going to pretend this isn’t my problem too.”
Every pair of eyes in the room flicked between us. I clenched my jaw, my hands tightening into fists on the table.
“This isn’t your fight,” I said evenly. “Go home, Kiera.”
“I’m not leaving,” she said firmly, her voice steady. “I can help. Let me help.”
I sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of my nose. “You have no idea what you’re walking into.”
“I don’t care,” she said, stepping closer. “Leena would do the same for me. You know she would.”
The room stayed silent, every eye on me as I weighed my options. Kiera held her ground, her chin lifted in that defiant way that always made me want to kiss her or put her over my knee—sometimes both. I met her gaze, letting the silence stretch, and watched as the faintest flush crept up her cheeks. She knew what I was thinking; I could see it in the way her lips parted slightly, her breath catching as I held her in place with nothing but a look.
Finally, I exhaled slowly, shaking my head.
“Fine,” I said reluctantly. “But you do exactly as I say. No arguments, no questions asked.”
“Deal,” she said, her shoulders relaxing slightly.