I grab the edge of the desk and take a breath, forcing myself to calm down, but it’s hard when the empire my father worked so hard to build is crumbling by the second.
The mole inside our ranks is no longer just passing information back and forth; they’re actively orchestrating disruptions.
It started small with miscommunications between suppliers, but then shipments began showing up at the wrong ports or not at all. A supplier I’ve worked with for eight years called this morning to say they’re reevaluating our contract and will be in touch, which is bullshit.
Somebody got to them, and whoever they are, they’re trying to ruin me from the inside out. They’re coming for my money, my power, and my empire. They want to cut off the limbs before they go for the head.
The payments were a way to get my attention, and now that they have it, I have a feeling they intend to keep it.
I rub the back of my neck and get to my feet to stretch my legs. It’s time I speak with my brothers before this spirals beyond our control, but before I can leave to drive over to Kieran’s place, I need to make sure Ciara is safe.
I send a quick message to Stephen asking him to meet me in my office, and less than a minute later, the door opens, and he steps inside, his posture straight and his expression unreadable as always.
At six foot four and over two hundred twenty pounds, he’s an immovable force. But that’s not why I chose him for the job. It’s because he’s loyal to a fault, and I know he will do whatever is necessary to make sure Ciara is safe.
“I need you to keep an eye on Ciara while I’m out. She doesn’t take a step outside this house without you right behind her. Bathroom, garden, kitchen—I don’t care. You are glued to her side, understood?”
Stephen’s jaw tightens, but he nods. “Understood.”
“I’m serious, Stephen. I don’t want her unattended for even a minute. I don’t care if it seems excessive; it’s necessary. Ciara is stubborn, and she has a tendency to ignore orders, so do what you have to do to keep her safe.”
“You have my word.”
I give him a nod, feeling a little better knowing that Stephen will follow through.
Ciara may not like it, but that’s not enough for me to back down. There’s no telling what this mole will try next, and withCallum lurking in the background, Ciara is in more danger than she realizes.
As I stepout of the elevator and enter Kieran’s penthouse, I’m hit with the smell of whiskey and leather. It seems my brothers have been waiting for me for a while as I find them lounging on the black Chesterfields in Kieran’s study, arguing about some trivial stuff that I don’t have time to catch up on.
I don’t waste time on pleasantries as I cross over to the bar where Kieran is standing and pour myself a drink. “We’ve got a problem. Bigger than we thought.”
Brennan swings his legs off the arm of the Chesterfield and straightens. Cormac, who was leaning against the mantelpiece, comes to stand beside me at the bar.
I throw back my drink in one gulp. “Whoever the mole is, they’ve moved beyond passing intel. They’re actively sabotaging us.”
Kieran leans forward to rest his bare forearms on the marble counter, his sharp eyes narrowing. “How so?”
I set my glass down and motion for him to refill it. “Delays, diversions, clients getting cold feet out of nowhere… Even some of our legit front businesses are reporting issues like code violations and surprise inspections. Someone somewhere is pulling strings.”
Brennan shakes his head. “Jesus. You think it’s coming from one of the old factions?”
“I don’t know. It could be. Kieran and I have already narrowed it down, but we’ve got nothing concrete yet.”
“The O’Keefe brothers,” Kieran clarifies at Cormac’s puzzled expression.
“They’re still around?”
Brennan gets to his feet to join us at the bar. “I thought Da took care of them?”
Kieran scoffs before turning around to grab a fresh bottle of whiskey off the shelf behind him and topping up our glasses. “Apparently, he didn’t do a very good job.”
“But Liam Kelly has been linked to them,” I clarify.
Brennan frowns. “The guy who took Mila?”
I nod.
“Shit. So, the O’Keefes paid him to go after Mila because…”
