“He said that two years ago. The leadership role needs to be relooked at,” Tiernan said. “And we’ll be sticking around until Sloan gets out of jail to make that judgment. But that’s not what we’re here for. We’re offering ye help.”
Daire stepped forward, his bulk threatening and his expression dark. It was easy for him to remind them of his past, and he didn’t need to do much to be seen as dangerous. A wild animal on a lead, waiting for the go-ahead to take these men out.
A tick began in Fionn’s jaw. “You don’t get to come here without permission and offer your help. If we wanted you, we would’ve requested your....” He let his gaze roam over Tiernan slowly, disgust twisting his mouth. “Delightful presence.”
Tiernan straightened and the tension in the room sizzled, rage so thick and clogging that I could cut it with a blade.
My loss of superiority was daunting. I hated feeling like they’d belittled me, and I needed to find the upper hand again. I wasn’t going to fail Sloan, and I certainly wasn’t going to let some nobodies come and make trouble. I firmed my spine and ate the distance between me and Tiernan. He was much taller than me—a giant—and I had to look up to level my hardened stare on him.
“You won’t be staying in this house. I don’t know you, and I don’t trust you.”
“Sloan never mentioned us?” His smirk widened. Arsehole. I wasn’t giving him the satisfaction.
“You can get a hotel or a rental or even buy a fucking house, but you aren’t welcome here. Only men I trust can sleep in my home.”
“Yerhome?” Tiernan chuckled. “Is that what Sloan’s been tellin’ ye, has he?”
I offered him a smirk of my own. “Don’t mistake my lack of knowledge about who you are as being weak. Clearly, Sloan didn’t think you were important enough for me to know about.”
Tiernan’s cocky expression fell. Good.
“I’m the boss’s pet and have been for eight years. He gave me control of the Company alongside Fionn. I have more power than you in this situation, and trust me when I tell you that youdon’t want to get on my bad side. I will not hesitate to ruin you if needed.”
Senan laughed, and I reacted with instinct, stalking up to him and slamming my knuckles against his jaw. He went flying backward under the force of my punch and stumbled against the front door with a loud, pained grunt.
“Is this funny for you, Semen?” I snapped.
Fionn shadowed me, offering me support.
Senan flinched, touching his jaw gently. His gaze slid to me and he swallowed thickly, Adam’s apple bobbing. Tiernan and Kyran didn’t move. Didn’t help their brother. “No, sir.”
“I didn’t think so.” I took another step toward him and while he didn’t recoil away from me, the smugness was gone. “Like I said, you are not welcome here. Leave before I take your disobedience as an act of treachery.”
Fionn grunted in agreement. “Maybe we should, Conall. Tie them upside down by their ankles in the basement, let our men have some fun with them.”
I smirked. “Or better yet, we can have our fun and show them why the boss put us in charge. I’ve learned quite a few things from Sloan, like where to slice the body in ways to make them bleed, but not die right away. We could watch the life drain from their eyes. Slowly. It’d be an art piece on our basement floor.”
Tiernan’s eyes flashed, caught between annoyed and wary, before a grin returned to his face. “Understood, sir. We’ll get a hotel. But for now, can we talk about Sloan?”
“No,” I said sharply. I stalked to stand in front of him, chin raised and teeth bared. “Wecan’t. You can leave andI’lllet you know when I have time in my schedule for you.” Irritation weaved its way around my spine and I stood taller. Anger pooled low in my stomach and my fingers twitched. “I can’t tell if you’re really that foolish or just plain stupid. Don’t act like you would ever show up unannouncedand without permission if Sloanwere here. You see, cowards like you seem to forget, just because Sloan is behind bars, doesn’t mean his reach is any less lethal. He would forgive me for slitting your throats if I thought it was necessary.”
Fionn nodded. “You heard him. Conall and I will discuss your arrival and whether we want to send you home again or put you to work, but we’ll decide when we’re ready. You answer to us. Don’t forget that.”
Senan swept in front of me and winked, as though I hadn’t nearly planted him on his arse moments ago. His jaw was already bruising, a red mark spreading across pale skin. “I can be very useful to ye, sir. I’m wickedly talented with me tongue.” He paused when Fionn tensed beside me. “I meant, I’m charismatic, of course, among other things.”
“Enough!” Daire charged toward Senan. “Don’t think I won’t share with Sloan that you’re flirting with his pet. That won’t go down well with him. Go find a hotel before I advise Fionn and Conall to send you directly back to Ireland.”
“That won’t happen,” I said. “If we choose not to use them, they’ll be visitors to our basement.”
Senan clapped Daire on the shoulder in a way that made me think hewasstupid. Daire seized his arm and yanked it behind his back, and while Senan hissed, he also laughed, too. Crazy fucker.
Daire shoved Senan out the front door.
Tiernan followed, but not without a pointed look over his shoulder. Their younger brother, Kyran, rolled his eyes and trailed behind at a bored pace.
The shock and humiliation warped into a burning anger that consumed me. I ground my teeth. “Can someone tell me why no one bothered to inform me about these cousins?”
Silence filled the foyer.
