“Tomorrow. Two o’clock sharp.” Ronan’s jaw ticks as he looks toward the window, a distant look on his face. “He’s targeting Sullivan Investments.”
“I’m sorry,what?”
“He’s past targeting the warehouses or the clubs. He’s going after our legit business.”
“So, his plan to get us to back off is to kill innocent civilians?”
Ronan nods once.
I can practically see the fury radiating off of him as his eyes flick back to me.
“He wants to take out secretaries, accountants, and security guards. People who don’t have shit to do with the family business except cashing a paycheck with our name on it.”
I lean back in the chair, my hands curling into fists.
A bloodbath. That’s what this will be if we let Sean get inside the building.
Dozens of people will die, and for what? Once the media gets hold of this,Sullivan Investmentswill lose everything. Our clean reputation and the businesses our father built brick by brick will be tainted beyond repair.
This will ruin us.
Ronan collapses into one of the chairs across from me and rakes a hand through his hair. “We can’t let that happen. Not just for the business but for our employees. They trust us to keep them safe while they work. They don’t even know they’re stepping into a warzone, and I want to keep it that way.”
My pulse hammers in my ears.
Sean isn’t just coming for us anymore. He’s coming for everything we stand for, everyone attached to our name.
“So, we stop it. We stop it before he sets foot in that building.”
Ronan’s eyes lock with mine. “Exactly.”
He doesn’t need to say the rest. We both know what’s at stake. If we fail, we’ll have more than blood on our hands. We’ll have the ruin of everything the Sullivans have built, and the guilt of all the innocent people who paid the price.
I think of Riley and the way she smiled when I promised her dinner. It makes my chest ache knowing that something so small can bring her so much happiness.
She deserves so much more than a dinner, and yet, she still accepts my measly efforts with a smile that takes my breath away.
What happens when I can no longer keep the violence of this world away from her?
This world may come with money and power. But on days like this, where I stare down the possibility of losing everything, I feel anything but powerful.
I square my shoulders. “All right, we need a plan.”
Ronan offers me a grim nod. “First thing we need to do is tighten the security at Sullivan Investments. I’ll get Brennan to double the guards and sweep the building for weaknesses. I want every entrance and emergency exit covered, and not a single blind spot in the cameras. I don’t care if it costs a fortune. We’re not giving Sean a single opening.”
“It’s a start, but it won’t be enough to only play defense. We need eyes on the ground. If Sean’s sending men in, we have to know where they’re staging. Otherwise, we’re just a bunch of sitting ducks.”
“I’ll put a tail on Sean’s known associates. If there’s any unusual movement tomorrow morning, we move in.”
I nod. But it still feels like it won’t be enough.
Sean is smart. He won’t make the mistake of being predictable.
I lean forward, pressing my palms against the desk. “We can’t just react, Ronan. We need to send a message. If Sean wants to start a war with us, then we need to show him the cost. Make him think twice about targeting our people again.”
Ronan’s lips press into a thin line. “You’re talking about blood.”
“I’m talking about survival. If we let him think civilians are fair game, what’s next? The families of our men? Riley and Ciara?”
