He cuts straight to the chase, sounding equally as agitated with me as I’ve been with him. “I received a very distressing message from my secretary, Ronan. She said you threatened her.”
“I asked her to do her job. If she found that threatening, maybe you need better staff.”
“I don’t appreciate your tone. I was out golfing with some associates. Is that a problem now?”
“It is when our agreement isn’t fulfilled. You don’t appreciate my tone? Well, I don’t appreciate getting half a fucking shipment of outdated garbage when we were promised military-grade weapons. What the fuck are you playing at, Malcolm? This some kind of scam?”
“I sent the correct shipment,” he snarls. “I have no idea how it went so wrong. Perhaps you should look at your own people before you start throwing accusations.”
“Bullshit. You’re lying through your teeth.”
“I will not be spoken to this way. It’s untoward andbeneath?—”
“I don’t give a fuck what you think is untoward,” I interrupt crudely. “I’m starting to think my father’s right—you Langstons have been fucking with us from the start. You married your sweet little daughter off to me as nothing but a distraction.
“But you should know that if you’re planning to double cross the Callahans, you better be ready for the consequences. I’m not so sure your Albanian friends will have your back when we come for you and yours. I’d hate to have to hurt the princess.”
“How dare you threaten my daughter! She is your wife! If you lay a single hand on her?—”
“One week. You’ve got one week to fix this fucked up shipment. And Malcolm? We’ve got the assassin that works for LDS. He can’t talk right now, but he’s told us all about the fifteen grand he was paid.”
“What the hell are you talking about!? Callahan, this is low, even for you!”
“If I find out you’re Joe Schmo—the guy who tried to have me assassinated—your days are numbered.”
I hang up before he can respond, sliding my phone back into my coat pocket, and look Bobby in the eye. He’s crying openly now, snot and blood mixing on his upper lip.
So fucking pathetic. Too fucking pathetic to live.
I toss the switchblade to Killian.
“You know what to do. He’s provided his use.”
Then I turn and walk away, Bobby’s screams echoing off the warehouse walls behind me.
A couple hours later, I stand in front of my men with Bobby Miller’s blood still drying on the warehouse floor behind us.
“It’s time we make another offensive move. We’re going after Dren and his family,” I explain calmly. “Regardless of who they might be working with—the Albanians are involved one way or another. Since my blood wasn’t off-limits, neither is theirs. We’re targeting them at their home.Allof them.”
The men exchange glances. Eddie shuffles on his feet, his brow creased.
“Shouldn’t we find out the identity of Joe Schmo first?” he asks. “Figure out who’s actually pulling the strings before we?—”
“We’ve wasted enough time,” Killian snaps. “All signs point to Albanian involvement either way. What’re we waiting for? Fucking confirmation they’re also working with the Langstons? That can come after.”
I nod. “Killian’s right. We move now.”
Eddie falls silent, his jaw tighter than usual.
Sean raises his hand like we’re in a fucking classroom. “I’ll get our tech guy to hack into the Kosovo’s security system. Lower their defenses before we breach the compound. Should be easy enough.”
“Do it. Get him on it ASAP. This retaliation happens immediately. We’ve already waited long enough.”
Dren Kosovo is about to learn what happens when you come for the Callahan Clan.
My phone buzzes as a text comes through this time.
I pull it out with a snarl, assuming it’s Malcolm firing off some outraged text or one of my buttonmen updating me on our operation.
