The coldness in my eyes—how dead they were when I looked at anythin’ but Maeve O'Callaghan.
There was another woman who was married to another of Cash’s brother-in-law’s, Harrison, and she was Italian. She didn’t seem to have a care either way as she took her place next to him. Cash had told me Harrison was a lawyer, and if anythin’ was to go down legally, he’d be representin’ me, since I’d be bloodyin’ my hands for his part in this.
Two kids were runnin’ around. Cash’s wife was holdin’ another one.
Trust.
Cash was showin’ me he trusted me with family, even if we were strangers in business.
As strangers, I sized up every man in my yard, then checked out the guns in the trunk. Exactly what we’d agreed on. After I gave a nod of approval, I nodded to the house. Cash, Harrison, and Lachlan followed behind me. Another of the brothers stayed with the women. Keenan had told me his name was Owen. The other, Declan, took the car and left.
We’d have a meetin’, and if everythin’ went straight, the weapons were mine, and the money would be transferred to the Russians. What Cash wanted from me in this war went beyond payment, though. He wanted Oran Craig destroyed, and if I was doin’ the destroyin’, the better for him.
Keenan shook each man’s hand as they entered the house. Fiona stood in the shadows, all her knives probably glintin’ against the weak light touchin’ the corridors. She wouldn’t show her face unless she had to. Then she’d come in screaming like a banshee and brandishin’ her weapon, her teeth already showin’ in a snarl.
We all took seats around the table. Keenan did most of the talkin’ as Cash and I steadily gazed at each other. The deal was simple. I’d take care of the Craigs, then Cash would have an ally in Boston whenever he needed it, and I’d have one in New York if I ever found myself in need. Since he’d connected me with the Russians, we were on level ground.
He did me a solid.
I was goin’ to do one for him.
Lachlan cleared his throat and sat closer to the table. “Oran was going to force Maeve Bell into marriage with Dermot.”
Keenan gave me a side-eyed glance. He didn’t want me to lose my temper. The meetin’ was goin’ smoothly so far.
“Thatwasthe way of it,” Keenan said. “Ms. Bell is Mrs. O'Callaghan now.”
“Yeah?” Lachlan grinned at me. “I’m glad to hear it, if she’s happy. I would have been the one to make sure she made it to the church on time.” He paused, givin’ emphasis to what his figure of speech meant—he would have forced my wife down the aisle if she would have tried to run away from the Craigs. “I’ve always liked Pauric. Interesting man. I hated to see him and his daughter caught up in their wicked games.”
A surge of blood rushed to my heart, makin’ it pump even faster when I thought of my wife dressed up in a beautiful white gown for Dermot Craig. I was truly goin’ to earn the name Beast of Boston—I was goin’ to tear his throat out with my teeth. For Oran—I had somethin’ special planned.
Again, a peculiar feelin’ came over my gut, like I had been with my wife when she’d been forced to have dinner with the Craigs. She’d told me my name had stopped Dermot’s advances. A sense of pride filled my chest that a part of me had been with her, as a low growl emanated in my throat at the thought of my lil’ doe breakin’ bread with monsters.
“All settled, then?” Keenan said as the meetin’ wound down and we had nothin’ left to discuss.
“All settled.” Cash nodded.
I stood and he stood. We shook. The men all filed out. Keenan was first out of the door. He and Fiona were goin’ to see about the weapons as soon as the men left. We’d be dealin’ with the Russians after this, but Cash had placed a certain amount of trust in their business.
Cash was the last out. He stopped at the door.
“My wife would like to meet you and your wife—formally,” he said.
I looked to the side of him, and she was studyin’ me, but her eyes kept flickerin’ upstairs. She was probably curious about Maeve. My wife probably had her forehead pressed to one of the windows.
I nodded.
He turned to go, then stopped and turned back to me.
“I haven’t forgotten the last time we met,” he said. “We were supposed to meet again. We’d made plans to chase trolls.” He grinned. “For what it’s worth, Killian and I were brought to America after that. To New York.”
“We thought we were giants back then.”
“Not much has changed.”
“Except maybe we’re the trolls now.”
Argus and Grania each took a side of me. I patted their heads.
