Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 86629 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86629 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 433(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Mostly what we do is legitimate. WashCo is an actual salvage and towing operation. The books are mostly real. But there’s the other half of the business, the half that’s a front for drug sales and the catalytic converter trade. Illicit car parts, stripped and boosted, flow across the country from our warehouses, mixed in with the legit pieces. Before I grew our operations, this house was a crumbling wreck. I’ve been holding it up for ages.
But now I have a wife and a child coming, and it’s time to bring it back to its former glory.
The doors behind me slam open. Deck enters, walking fast. “Boss, they’re here.”
The grim tone in his voice sets my jaw on edge. “Where?”
“Three cars. Tons of men. All the brothers. But it’s the girl—“
“Sinead?”
“She says she wants to talk. She comes in peace. Connor—“ Deck’s usual expression twists painfully. “God, fucking hell, you’ll have to see it.”
I step out the door and stand on the front landing overlooking the driveway. My soldiers stand in a wide ring around three SUVs, their weapons leveled. I recognize three men standing near the lead vehicle: Fergus, the oldest brother, built like a tank with a neck like a double-wide, chewing on a cigar angrily, and Lorcan, the middle of them, athletic and handsome and smiling, which is worse, and the youngest Cillian, stone-cold, long hair pulled back, dead eyes watching carefully.
But nobody’s paying attention to them.
Instead, it’s her, standing at the foot of the stairs, looking up at me with a beautiful frown.
Wearing a white wedding dress.
Sinead looks incredible. Her hair’s back in a twisty braid. Her makeup is flawless. She looks like an ancient druidic queen, the sort of woman who rode wolves into battle streaked in the gore of her enemies. The dress clings to her curves, lovely and flowing, conservative while also emphasizing her stunning body. She’s immaculate, the kind of bride any man would happily die for.
Now I see what Deck meant.
“Hello, Connor,” she says, her voice surprisingly calm, given the circumstances. Her brothers look like they’re coming apart, especially Fergus. They’re all still in their wedding suits.
“Hello, Sinead. You look fantastic.”
“Thank you. I had hoped you’d like the dress, but now I’m not sure I care.”
“I don’t blame you.”
Her lips twitch, the only proof that she’s feeling anything at all. Her hands are twisted in front of her, held loosely.
“I came to warn you. Father didn’t want me to, but I insisted. I like you, Connor. You present like an uncaring playboy, but there is more to you than that, and I was looking forward to drawing it out of you. That won’t happen now.”
“No, it won’t.”
“There will be war. That’s what I’m here to say. I tried to talk them out of it, but my brothers won’t let it stand and my father won’t go easy. I know you probably won’t believe it, but I am sorry.”
I incline my head. I feel nothing but respect for this woman. “I’m sorry too.”
There’s a noise behind me. A guard grunting in warning. Footsteps on the floor, and I turn around in time to see Angie step out of the door, blinking against the sunlight, holding a hand up to cover her eyes.
The ring glittering on her finger.
“The fucking whore,” Fergus shouts, stepping forward, one hand going to his belt, and a dozen guns are raised, and there’s a moment when this could all go very wrong as doors fling open and Gallagher soldiers start to spill out—
But Sinead holds up a hand. “Stand down, Fergus, you gave me your word, unless that’s worthless now?”
He snarls, going still. “That bastard is parading his whore around in front of you, Sinead. Let me kill him. I swear, let me rip off his fucking head.”
“Later.” Sinead flicks her wrist at him. “Talk first. Kill tomorrow.”
“Fucking hell.” Fergus stares at me, a smile playing across his lips. “You’ll be lucky to survive the week, you traitor fuck. You’re lucky I love my sister.”
He steps back to his place, puffing on his cigar, the uneasy tension cooling.
“Connor? What’s happening?” Angie’s very still, stiff and terrified. I’m going to murder the guard we posted at her door, but come to think of it, that might’ve slipped through the cracks. I draw her to me, wrap an arm around her shoulders, and hold her against my side protectively.
“Angelina, this is Sinead.”
Sinead’s cool, calm gaze takes my wife in, her lips thinned. “You left me for her?”
“That’s right. Wasn’t in the plan, but it happened.”
“A shame, really.” Sinead’s smile is strained as she inclines her chin toward Angie. “I hope you do better than I did.”
“This wasn’t what I wanted,” Angie whispers miserably, her eyes on the ground.
I nudge her chin up furiously. I grit my teeth. “You’re my wife now,” I say, forcing her to meet Sinead’s stare. “You’ll fucking act like it.”