“They’re trying to send me broke,” I muttered while I tucked the ticket in my pocket. “I hate New York City, ye know that? Why did I decide to come to this shitehole?”
“If you hadn’t, you wouldn’t have met me and Vail.” He shrugged and grinned, hooking his arm into my elbow as we began to walk out to the elevator.
“Aye, that’s true. Small mercies.” I snorted when he poked me in the side.
We got to the bottom level and made our way out onto the street. It was getting toward last call, so while there were still people around, it was nothing like it would’ve been a couple of hours ago. The Gold Coin was only a short walk, and as soon as we found it, my gaze fell on Sloan.
The boss stood outside at the mouth of a small alley in a thick wool jacket that went to his knees, and underneath I could see peeks of a suit, as usual. A phone was pressed to his ear and he spoke softly with a smile tugging on his lips, so I assumed he was chatting with Conall because his pet was the only one he talked to like that.
Fallon released my arm and put a little distance between us as we shifted into work mode. Sloan paced farther into the alley, and we followed him but stopped far enough away that we weren’t invading his privacy as he finished the conversation and ended the call.
The alley was dim and smelled like garbage, but it kept us out of view of the crowd parading the streets looking for the last good alcoholic beverage of the night. The small area was hugged by two brown brick buildings, one being the bar Sloan had told us to get to, and looked to be where people came for a piss or a smoke.
Turning, he nodded at us. “Gentlemen.”
“Boss.” I returned the nod, and we walked closer to him.
Sloan stared at us for a long moment, his hands stuffed in the pockets of his coat. I held my breath until he finally spoke. “I don’t often admit that I’ve made a mistake, but I will tonight.”
“Sir?” I asked, surprised.
“I shouldn’t have sent Cillian and Aspen away again. I know I only sent them off tonight....” He checked his phone. “I should say last night, because it’s now nearly four in the morning, but I need my best men here. I’ve told Jamie that, too. So, as soon as they can, they’ll be coming back to New York.”
I couldn’t help but smile. “Vail will be happy to hear that, sir.”
He chuckled. “I suppose he will be. My pet believes I need the men I trust closest to me, and I agree with him.”
“Well, Cillian has his strengths, even if he is an arsehole.” I quirked a grin at him, and this time he outright laughed.
“That is true.” He sighed and leaned back against the brick wall of the bar. Staring up above us, he tilted his head, as though searching for stars, but they were impossible to see in the city. The light pollution was too bright.
I took a moment to think about Father Shay. He’d gone missing from the church while Aspen and Cillian were home, and I’d called Sloan immediately. He’d said he would look into the disappearance, but he hadn’t told me anything since. I suspected it had something to do with that man I’d met at the church when I’d gone to see Shay, and while I’d told Sloan about him, the boss hadn’t seemed worried.
“Sir, have ye heard anything about Father Shay?”
“Hm?” Sloan grunted. “Father Shay decided to take a sabbatical.”
His answer didn’t make sense. The other priests didn’t know where Shay had gone, and if he’d decided to take a long vacation, as Sloan had suggested, surely they would’ve been informed. Damn it all to hell. As much as I wanted to ask more questions, I kept my mouth shut.
“Fionn found the rat and we dealt with him. So, we’re here celebrating. We started before Reyes showed his ugly mug in the city, and we’re not going to let that prick ruin a good night. We’re having a few drinks before we get back to work.” His eyes sparkled as he looked at us again, and there was a pride in his gaze I’d never seen for his nephew. The happiness was new, and I was glad for Fionn. He deserved it. “With word that Reyes is in town, I wanted all hands on deck, and you’ve both been excellent in a crisis. I thought you could join us for some whiskey.”
“Who was it?” Fallon asked, and while I thought it was probably the wrong time for the question, Sloan laughed.
“Come inside. We’ll tell you all about it.” Sloan nodded toward the bar and made his way through a side door. We followed him into a crowded room that smelled of beer, piss, and cigars. No one was supposed to smoke inside anymore, but clearly they weren’t keeping to that here. There wasn’t anything classy about the place, not like I’d expected, but as soon as I realized what the establishment was, I understood why. An Irish pub was meant to feel homey, like blokes getting together for a drink and a good ol’ time, and that’s what this place was.
I whistled in delight when I spied the alcohol board over the bar and all my favorite drinks were on offer. I didn’t like whiskey, but they had the best ofallthe Irish alcohols.
“Hey, Boss, ye after me own heart?” I teased, making sure he could hear me over the cheering and singing from somewhere in the corner of the bar.
Sloan laughed. “I might be a first generation American, Rowen, but I’m just as patriotic for Ireland, and if we’re gonna celebrate, it’s gonna be in an Irish establishment.”
“Hell yeah, Boss!” Fallon whooped and went straight to the table Fionn and Daire were sitting at, and he was greeted by a big hug from Fionn, which was strange.
Sloan shook his head. “My nephew is past the point of drunk.”
“Ah.” That made sense, especially with how Fionn was yanking Fallon down on the chair beside him and talking with wide arm movements. “Is yer pet not here?”
Sloan grunted and shook his head. “I left him at home with Vail and Lor. He’s not happy about it, but I don’t want him out in the city yet. Not until I know what Reyes’s plan is.” He tilted his head, and we walked over to the table. I took the seat beside Fallon while Sloan chose the one beside me and Daire. The table was round, which meant it was easy to chat to each other without having to lean over; although, the noise didn’t help.
