Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 98697 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98697 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Had I known Logan would be gone this long, I would have gone a different route. Now I’m feeling trapped by what I started. I hate feeling trapped.
However, I’m not about to show any weakness tonight. Instead, I turn to head to an empty lounge sofa across from where DJ and Kate are. I take off my suit jacket and toss it over the back of the sofa. My guns are now exposed, but I couldn’t care less.
Fuck the laws here and fuck anyone who has a problem. I dare someone to say something. The law enforcement here has long been under my family’s thumb.
Noah and I sit, and Seán moves to stand beside the sofa. I throw my arms over the back of the sofa, not having a care in the world. Devin nods at one of his guys and they stand to come over.
First rule. Always make them come to you. If you can change the setting and move them away from their original place of comfort, you’ve already won. It’s like a mouse moving in for the cheese.
They’re as good as trapped. Whatever McCarthy wants, he’s not going to get it. However, showing up here to force me to meet with him is going to cost him.
“O’Brien, I was hoping we could talk,” Devin says as he and his guy stop in front of my table.
“Your lips are moving, but you haven’t said shit worth hearing yet.”
“I think that’s one of the problems.”
“Who has a problem?”
“Ya do. Ya come here and try to take things over with your American ways and that’s not how we do shit around here.”
“Um, I see.”
“Do ya now?”
“Aye, you let someone put a battery in your back and now you have the balls of a man who wants to challenge me.
“The problem with that is I don’t give a fuck where I am. My balls hang the same wherever I stand. I’ll smack the shit out of ya here, in Dublin, New York, or fucking Portugal.
“I don’t discriminate. You disrespect me, I’m laying a boot to your ass. So are we really going to have this conversation?”
“Aye, ya need to under—”
The song changes and my eyes lock onto DJ’s. I don’t hear another word this motherfucker says. As “I Gotta Be” by Jagged Edge plays, I stand.
“Is he … yer just going to walk away?” Devin says in exasperation as I saunter away.
I remove my cuff links and pocket them as I go. Not taking my eyes off DJ, I roll up my sleeves to the elbows as I move to the dance floor, where I crook a finger for my girl to come to me.
Deja
I smile as Cole crooks his finger for me to come to him. I love this song. I noticed they’ve been playing a lot of what sounds like my playlists.
I stand and move to the dance floor as Jagged Edge croons about needing to be the one. When I get to Cole, he pulls me into his arms and begins to sway with me in his embrace. He looks me in the eyes as if he’s trying to tell me something. I’m lost in his green gaze as he keeps a tight hold around my waist.
As I smile back at him, I reach for his face to run my fingers over his beard. He nips my finger and smiles around it.
“Thank ya,” I say softly. “Ya didn’t have to do all of this.”
“When are ya going to get that I’d do anything for ya?”
I get so choked up I can only nod. I turn away from his intense gaze because I feel myself becoming too emotional. He kisses the top of my head.
I’m caught up in the moment. However, something catches my attention. The guy who had been standing over at the table talking to Cole is now on the other side of the room speaking heatedly with three other guys.
Then it’s like time comes to a halt. I blink and watch what I’m seeing click into focus. I reach for one of Cole’s guns, push by him, and fire before one of the guys with the angry lad gets off a shot. He drops to the floor, and I take out two more who have pulled guns. Suddenly, I’m grabbed by the back of the neck and shoved behind Cole’s big body.
“Lock the fucking doors. No one leaves until I know they’re all dead,” Cole roars after he puts a bullet in the head of the angry talking guy.
That seems to be the wrong thing to say, as more guys pop out shooting. I fire at one who aims at Cole. I only hit him in the leg as Cole begins to use his body to back me out of danger.
Cole finishes the job, putting two in the guys chest and one in his head. I nearly trip over my dress. As I stumble backward, Noah appears to help me catch my footing. Cole takes out three more guys before he turns to set his eyes on me.