Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 107306 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 537(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107306 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 537(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
“Um…wow. I see why Rory likes you. Cillian will too, it’ll just take him a while.”
I cross my arms. “Rory likes me, huh? I’ll have to make sure to tell him I know that.”
Ollie laughs. “Oh boy. We’re going to be in trouble with the two of you, aren’t we?”
“I hope so,” I tell him, wearing a smile I actually feel.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Rory
It’s the beginning of January, and I haven’t gotten the chance to hook up with Shai again. Things have been busy since Cillian and Ollie got back. Rian called us back to Boston twice to help with shit that’s popped off there, and we just got to Boston again for the third time.
We meet up at Rian’s place. It’s just him, Conan, and Finan there now. Rian is a creature of habit, like his son. Where Sloan, Tiernan’s father, had trusted in people’s fear of him, thinking that would keep them from betraying him, Rian is more cautious. He’s a better people person than Sloan ever was, but it takes a lot for him to ever truly trust someone. The only people who have earned his trust are all here in this room right now—he’s likely still on the fence about Dean, but he believes in Tiernan, and Tiernan will take anyone down for doubting Dean, even his own uncle.
These are the similarities between Cil and his father that I’m not sure Cil sees. The way Cillian didn’t trust Dean at first and doesn’t trust Shai now is something Rian would do. And though Sloan was a piece of shit, Rian was completely devoted to him, the same way Cillian is devoted to Tiernan—Sloan could count on Rian just as Tiernan can count on Cil. Luckily for Cillian, Tiernan is a better man than his father could have ever been.
“They’re skimming off the top,” Conan says, interrupting my musings. “The question is, how long has this been happening?”
Rian is leaning against the cold fireplace, Conan and Finan took the armchairs, and the four of us—Cil, Tiernan, Dean, and I—stand next to them, completing the semicircle.
Finan says, “And some of the batch of coke we got last night was fucked. Definitely diluted. I opened two packages and it was fine, but the ones underneath…” He lets his words trail off.
“Let’s go fucking kill them,” I say, bouncing on my toes. “Who do they think they’re fucking with?”
Cillian pulls a fidget spinner from his pocket and hands it to me, then wraps an arm around my shoulders.
“I’m with Rory,” Dean says.
“Because that’s a surprise,” Tiernan adds. “We don’t just go in there guns fucking blazing without a plan. That’s how people get killed.”
“So let’s come up with a plan,” Cillian says.
Conan looks at Rian. “They’re right. This can’t stand. It will make us look weak and stupid. Do you think they would have done this if Sloan was still alive?”
We all know they wouldn’t. Rian is a dangerous man. He has probably killed more people than anyone in this room. He sure as shit kept this family together in more ways than people probably realize, both before and after Sloan’s death. No one could control Sloan, but Rian came close. Since Sloan’s death, however, some have tried to test us, wanting to see if the O’Sheas held the same power as we did with Sloan at the head. We have passed every one of those tests, just like we’ll pass this one.
Rian runs a hand through his dark hair. “We’ll hit them tonight.”
“Do you have a plan, then, Uncle?” Tiernan asks. “Because I won’t risk them on a whim.”
“I’m not an idiot, Tiernan. I know what I’m doing.” He pushes away from the fireplace. “Flynn has been watching them all day.” He’s another person Rian trusts. He’s known Flynn since they were kids. “They’re at the warehouse by the docks still. Everyone in this room knows their way around it. Flynn will let us know how many and where they are. We go in, take them out, send a message to anyone who wants to fuck with us, and be done with it.”
“Let’s fucking go.” I push out from under Cil’s arm and shove the spinner in my pocket.
We’ve done shit like this a hundred times. Hell, we did it not that long ago when we went after the guys who hurt Ollie, only these dealers will be more of a challenge. Still, there’s nothing unfamiliar about making quick attack plans, touching base with Flynn, going over the building blueprints, and arming ourselves to the teeth.
My pulse doesn’t stop racing the whole time, this giddy, excited feeling taking root in me. I’m not blind to the kind of person this makes me. I know I’m fucked up. I’ve always known I’m broken, and there’s no changing that now.
“You good?” I ask Cillian as he loads one of his guns. He has Ollie to think about, a new factor for him. At least with Tiernan, Dean is always by his side.