Fionn shook his head. “According to one of the guards we have in there, Taffart, they were in lockdown a couple of days ago. Sloan,um, well, he killed a couple of inmates who tried to hurt him. Left them as a message for another guard who blackmailed them to kill Sloan.”
“What?” I jumped to my feet, nearly tipped over, and would’ve landed on my ass if Fionn didn’t grab my wrist. “When?”
“Sloan handled it.” Fionn flinched. “Fuck. I shouldn’t have said anything. You’re hot. Do you have a fever?”
I ignored his question and ripped my wrist out of his hold.
“You shouldn’t have told me that my partner was attacked?” I cackled at the absurdity. “This is fucking ridiculous, Fionn. Stop hiding things from me. He’s in danger in there.”
“I know. I only found out because Taffart informed me over the secure line, and only because I pushed him into telling me why we hadn’t heard from Sloan.” Fionn rose and grasped my shoulders, mouth set in determination. “Sloan can handle himself. He has men in there, including Taffart, and he’s smart. He’s dealt with worse.”
“I know. It’s just....” I scrubbed my hands over my face roughly. “I need him home where I can see him. Touch him. Tell him I love his stupid fucking face and that I want to spend the rest of my life with him. His cock, too. I like that.”
Fionn’s eyes shone in amusement. “I know. Daire said the lawyer went to see Sloan after the lockdown was lifted. Something’s happening, but we don’t know what yet. We have to wait and see.”
“I hate waiting,” I grumbled.
“Me too.” He released my shoulders. “But hey, at least you have me.”
“My son?” I teased.
He heaved a dramatic sigh but continued to grin. “Yes,Pa, your son.”
I laughed. A bubble of happiness grew behind my ribs, expanding until I thought I’d start floating. What had started out as a joke had become so much more. Hearing Fionn call me pa meant something to me.
A pounding on the door made us both freeze, and I stalked over to it, yanking it open. On the other side was Kyran, and the sight of him made me pause in surprise. Blood oozed down his chin from a cut bottom lip and his right eye was already swollen.
Now that the door was open, the sounds of a disturbance came from downstairs. Yelling filled the hallways of the second floor.
“The second-in-charge of our little band of traitors is here, and he’s causing problems. There’s weapons. The wee cowardly fuckers attacked us from behind,” Kyran said, glancing over his shoulder “Ye have enough men down there defending ye both, but?—”
I shoved past him, and Fionn was right behind me, his stride strong and powerful. We were in charge while Sloan was in jail, and no one was going to come into our house and causeproblems. We’d dealt with the other traitors, but apparently that wasn’t warning enough for these men.
Kyran chased us. “I don’t think it’s a wise idea?—”
“We don’t care,” Fionn snapped. “Right now, this isourcompany and we’ll face the men who are trying to take it from us.”
“And they’ll reap the consequences,” I agreed. “Just because Sloan isn’t here doesn’t mean we’re weak.”
We raced down the stairs that led to the first floor and my heart catapulted against my rib cage. My limbs throbbed and more sweat built on my forehead and temple, cutting across my cheeks and down my jaw.
“They’re in the formal dining room. They attacked us when we weren’t expecting it. Bloody arseholes. That’s the only reason they did this to me.” Kyran waved at his face as we reached the bottom, and we veered to our left to head straight through the doors, slamming our way through to join the chaos.
The room was full of men and the divide was clear. On one side were our loyal soldiers, their guns raised and ready to shoot, and on the other were the traitors, who had Senan as a hostage, handgun pointed at his head. I didn’t know how it got to this point, but fury raged through me. Why didn’t we hear the commotion in the first place? Then again, this house was huge.
Daire, Tiernan, Rowen, Aspen, Fallon, and Cillian led the charge for us.
The man controlling the traitors wasn’t anyone I knew personally. I’d seen him around the yard, but he wasn’t an important player as far as I was concerned.
“What the fuck is going on here?” I yelled, earning everyone’s attention. I pointed at the main traitor. “And who the hell are you?”
The man blanched. He was plain and boring, with short brown hair and a dull face. His gun was pointed at Senan’stemple, and he stood behind Senan, his expression twisting in determination. “We’re here to take the Company.”
“Really?” I drawled. I rolled my shoulders, and while I wasn’t the most religious person, I prayed for strength anyway. “On whose orders?”
“The one who deserves to be leader.”
Daire snorted and moved toward me and Fionn, his steps steady and intent. He was shifting in front of us to protect us. “Be realistic, Young. You know the boss put Conall and Fionn in charge.”
