“And to the O’Rourkes, no less!” The words rip out of me now, loud enough that the guard by the door looks over.
Pretty much everyone in Chicago knows the name O’Rourke. They’re in the Irish mob. They ARE the Irish mob.
"It's not like that?—"
"No!" I'm on my feet, the chair screeching backward. "I won’t agree to this. You do not get to do this!"
The guard takes a step toward us.
Dad holds up his hands in a placating gesture, then focuses back on me. “I know I failed all of you. But this is the one thing I can do right. Let me do this one good thing."
Dad’s standing too now, desperation bleeding through every word.
"The wedding is Saturday," he says quietly.
My whole body is shaking. I'm going to be sick. “The wedding is NEVER.”
Without another word, I turn and walk toward the exit.
“St. Brigid’s,” he calls after me. “Saturday at noon.”
I don't stop.
The guard buzzes me through, and when I'm outside in the cold air, I gasp for breath like I've been underwater.
Chapter 2
Lorcan
Three heads turn as I enter my eldest brother’s home office.
Cillian's seated behind his desk. Declan is against the wall, arms folded. Ronan sits in a chair with his ankle on his knee.
All wear serious expressions.
“We’ve been waiting,” Cillian says as I drop into the remaining chair.
I don’t know why they couldn’t start without me. It’s not like they need me—ever.
I flash him my best grin. "Got caught up with baby Sean downstairs. Your son’s got a grip like a vice. Future enforcer material, Cill."
Cillian’s expression softens a bit. “He’s only three weeks old."
"Never too early to start training." I throw punches at the air comically, but their faces remain somber.
“Okay,” I drop into the empty seat. “Who died?"
"No one. Yet." Cillian taps the desk with his middle finger. A nervous tic. "We have a situation.”
I spread my hands. "Don't we always?"
"This one's federal."
That gets my attention. I lean forward, elbows on my knees. "How bad?"
"Bad enough that if we don't get ahead of it, some of us spend the back half of our lives in a federal cell."
Cillian's finger taps the desk a few more times before he continues. “There's a former FBI agent. Kevin Shaughnessy. Currently residing in Marion Federal. He was on the Chicago organized crime task force for twelve years before he went down for corruption."
