“About time,” Fionn muttered, his obvious irritation making me smile. We usually had the captain on payroll, but he’d been flaking too much on us lately, and Fionn and I had chosen to make moves to get rid of him. Removing one asset meant acquiring another inside. This new cop was proving himself to be reliable, and I liked that.
Having the gun disappear meant we were closer to having Sloan home.
“This should put a dent in the DA’s case,” Daire said.
“Now all we need to do is bring it before a judge and get it thrown out. We have the judge’s name. It wouldn’t hurt to add a bit of incentive to make the case go away,” Fionn said.
I went back to ignoring them. The sooner Sloan was back in my arms, the better. As much as I enjoyed having some control, I preferred to be Sloan’s backup. I did what I could to help Fionn run the Company, but I mostly let him take charge because he was the business’s future. He needed to learn what it was like to control it on his own. I was only here to guide and give my opinion.
The car pulled up to the house, and I forced my sore limbs to move as I exited. I nodded at old Mr. Hopper in appreciation as he opened the door, but he stopped me by placing a hand on my arm.
“Sir.” He leaned in closer, his voice low and full of warning. “Some of our men are here when they shouldn’t be. They’re in the boss’s office. I advise you to leave until we remove them.”
“No,” I snapped. Fatigue weighed on my shoulders, but I managed to raise my chin. “I want to know who they are and what they want.”
“Sir—” Daire began, but I tuned him out as I marched through the foyer toward Sloan’s office. Boots pounded behind me, but I powered forward, back straight even though everything ached.
“Conall, stop,” Fionn demanded, but I was too determined to take care of this problem.
I stalked down the hallway to Sloan’s office, slamming open the door. Inside, three men were facing off with Tiernan, Senan, and Kyran. While none of them had their weapons drawn, thick tension oozed through the room.
Tiernan stood front and center, his arms crossed as he stared down Kieran Pender, one of the men I wasn’t surprised to see. He’d hated me from the moment I’d stepped foot in the house, but he was smart about how he showed it. He was a homophobic bastard and his expressions toward me said everything his mouth didn’t. His gaze followed me carefully, watching. Waiting for the right time.
Apparently, that time was now.
“I wish I could say I was shocked to see you, Pender, but I’m not.” I stepped into the room and paused beside Tiernan, my gaze sliding to the other two. One of them was Smithe, a soldier who worked under Jamie Shannon. While I wasn’t sure what theother guy’s name was, I suspected he guarded the house since I’d seen him around. “Want to explain what’s going on?”
Pender clenched his jaw. “I’m here on behalf of a group of men who work for the Company who feel you and....” His gaze slid to Fionn behind me, eyes darkening. “Fionn Killough are not fit to run the business.”
I smirked. “Oh dear. That isterrible. Let me guess. You thinkyoushould run it instead?”
Pender scrunched his nose. “Anyone is better.”
Itskedand glanced at Tiernan. “And you?”
Tiernan startled. “We came here to see ye.”
Pender glared. “This isn’t their territory. They shouldn’t be here. Did you invite them here as your watchdogs?”
Anger thrummed inside my chest alongside the constant ache, igniting me with a burning heat. I gritted my teeth. “If I did, that would be none of your business. Fionn and I are in charge. Not you. If I told you to get on your knees and kiss my arse, your only job is to pucker those lips and say yes sir, anything else I can help you with, sir?”
Pender straightened and stepped in closer. The cousins, Ronan, and Daire began to move, but I held my hands up to them. No. This was between me and Pender.
He grasped my upper arm, holding it tight. It would’ve hurt if I wasn’t already in so much pain. “You’d never make me do any of that. You’re nothing but the boss’s slut.”
I smirked. “I don’t have to make you.” I seized Pender’s wrist and used one of the self-defense moves Fallon had taught me, bringing Pender crashing down hard on the floor, his face smooshed against the wood. “Traitors aren’t welcome in Sloan’s Company.”
He let out a pained yell as I pressed my knee into the middle of his back.
I glanced up at the men he’d come with. “Gentlemen, you’ve signed your death certificate. Someone take them down to the playroom.”
Smithe and his friend panicked and tried to flee, but Ronan seized Smithe while Daire managed to get the other man.
“Let me.” Senan came to my side and grasped Pender’s shoulder, giving me a wink. The bruise on his jaw was all but gone and I missed it. Maybe I should give him another one. He’d given me plenty of reasons. “It’d be me honor, sir.”
I rolled my eyes at his flirty tone and rose, letting him yank Pender up to his feet. “Lock them up. These boys need some time to think about their actions. Maybe a week. I want to draw this out.” I stepped forward, bringing my face close to Pender’s. “By the time the week is over, you’ll be begging for mercy. I thought you were smarter than that, but clearly not.No onebetrays the Company. What do you think, Fionn?”
I looked toward Fionn and raised my eyebrows.
