Total pages in book: 113
Estimated words: 107012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 535(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107012 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 535(@200wpm)___ 428(@250wpm)___ 357(@300wpm)
“Hey, love. What’s up?” I say to Shauna.
“Yer my Uncle Dylan, right?”
“Aye, I am.”
A gorgeous smile breaks across her face. She then comes to climb into my lap and wraps her small arms around my neck. I envelop her in my embrace and give her a good squeeze.
“They said my da is here to meet me. I’m a wee bit nervous. Will ya be there to meet him with me?”
“Aye, love. I’ll be right here with ya,” I say and wink as I run a hand over her thick locks.
“Dylan, ya should be in the meeting. Logan said to come for ya,” Jamie says as he appears.
“Ugh, am I the only one not invited?” Ryan groans. “Hey, pretty. You want to come with me to see if we can find your auntie Con or auntie Kate?”
Shauna nods and rushes over to take his hand. I stand and head to follow Jamie. When I enter the room, I look around at all the men inside.
Damn, I don’t think there’s a nationality that isn’t represented in this room. My gaze scans the room as I take everyone in while I remember all the things LaSalle told me about the Alliance. I know for a fact that there are Italians, Scots, Irish, Greeks, Africans, Japanese, Australians, Native Americans, Cubans, Albanians, Persians, Spanish, Dominicans, Russians, Germans, Norse and …
I stop dead in my tracks as I lock eyes with one man in particular. I would know his face anywhere. Laki. Donald Walsh’s friend from the photo.
Felix never did find him for me. Uncle Ronan has been in Ireland so much, I didn’t bother to ask him. I have so many questions now that he’s here in this room.
There are two men on either side of him who look like they might be related to him. If not related, they’re from a Polynesian background as well. I notice they all have similar tats on their forearms.
He gives me a nod. I snap out of it and go to take the seat Brooklyn is pointing me to. One other thing that stands out to me is the empty chairs. I can’t help wondering who should be in them and why they’re not.
There’s nothing but power in this room. It’s in the air. There’s unmistakable energy flowing around everyone. I think it’s starting to set in how much things are about to change.
“Now that we’re all here, let’s get down to business,” Logan says after I’m seated.
***
My mind is blown by the time the meeting is over. LaSalle brought his own lawyers to make this real and binding. That Cam woman looked like she was in as much awe as I felt.
Bobby, on the other hand, looked like it was just another day in the office. My brother and LaSalle have acquired parts of every family’s business in one way or another. Most of the contracts have placed them on the controlling end of the deal. If the Alliance fails, they will make sure the businesses and the families follow.
With their own wealth securing their livelihood, it won’t bother them much to lose any of these interests. The way they have set things up, it would be stupid to go against the Alliance, and few will survive if they try.
Logan and LaSalle have covered everyone’s asses, especially their own. As everything in that room unfolded, I couldn’t help but think of Grandda Ian. My ma’s da was a master chess player. I used to watch him move us kids around to get what he wanted and make us think it was our idea.
Logan spent the most time with grandda and right now, it shows. This shit is fucking genius. The craziest part is, I don’t think the others knew the power they were relinquishing when entering the business contracts with Logan and LaSalle.
“Aye, there he is,” Logan says to Laki as I walk out of the house and find them and LaSalle in the courtyard.
“You were looking for me?” I ask.
“We were talking about you and the company you keep,” Laki replies.
I lift a brow. Logan smiles and pats me on the cheek. My gaze bounces between him, LaSalle, and Laki.
“We need to talk. Yer probably the first one I plan to forgive. I may have been hiding something from ya too. We’ll call it even, we will.”
Ciara
With Dylan away and Ciarán on an overnight trip with his school, Vega and Daliah asked me to come out with them to one of Vega’s establishments. I had no idea they planned to take me to a strip joint.
It’s not even a male strip joint and we’re all straight as far as I know. Vega said the chef here is the best in the city. Better to look at some titties and ass than eat ass food—her words, not mine.