I stay standing, my body too wired to sit. “Where did he hit?”
Ronan exhales, leaning back. “Near the docks in the warehouse district. We’ve been running shipments through there for months without trouble, which means Sean picked that spot on purpose. He’s reminding us he can reach anywhere he wants.”
I clench my fists. “How many did we lose?”
“Only one.”
I huff a laugh. “That fucker.”
“Stuck a note to his chest, warning that more casualties were imminent.”
“Of course, he did.”
“He’s not making any demands other than wanting us to pay.”
“We should have tightened security weeks ago.”
Ronan shoots me a look. “We can’t be everywhere at once.”
“That excuse won’t matter when the body count rises.”
The silence stretches between us.
I know Ronan hates hearing it, but he’s too smart to deny the truth.
Sean isn’t just sending us a message. He wants us on edge.
I drag a hand through my hair. “What about the clubs?”
Ronan’s expression hardens. “So far, untouched. But I doubled the security, so every door and alley has eyes.”
That’s something, at least. The clubs aren’t just businesses, they’re a status for us, and if Sean burns those, he won’t just hurt us financially. He’ll humiliate us.
I nod. “And the warehouses?”
“We’ve pulled two crews to rotate patrols. It’s a strain, and we can’t cover all of them without leaving gaps elsewhere. But we can’t afford to lose more product either.”
I know he’s right, but frustration coils tighter in my chest.
“So, we sit back and wait for Sean to decide where to strike next?”
Ronan narrows his eyes. “What do you suggest we do instead? Start a war we can’t contain?”
“Yes. Because Sean isn’t leaving room for negotiations.”
Ronan studies me for a moment, his jaw tense. “You’re letting your temper talk.”
“Maybe. But it might be the only thing to keep us all alive. Do you think Sean will ease up because we show restraint? No. He’ll see it as weakness, and he’ll hit us harder.”
For a long moment, neither of us speaks.
Then Ronan leans forward, his elbows braced on his knees and his voice low.
“When are you going to stop and think about what a war would do to us? To the people around us?”
“That’s all I’m thinking about. I’m thinking of the bodies we’ll end up burying if we sit back and do nothing.”
“This is exactly what Sean wants. He wants us spooked so that we’re not thinking rationally, and we’ll be more likely to make mistakes.”
