Page 186 of Savage Hearts

Among the screams, we could hear our father’s voice, the usual arrogance was absent. All that was left was anger mixed with fear as he cursed the men who had invaded his home.

Then silence reigned in the house for a quick second, and I wasn’t sure which I hated more, the booming silence, or the noise of violence. Voices rang out once more, but they were from men I didn’t recognize.

This could only mean one thing.

The MC won.

The voices got closer and louder.

Silas shuddered against me.

“Where are those bastard sons of yours, Tiernan?” Hayes asked.

Father’s voice shook when he answered, “Probably ran away like the cowards they are.”

I looked over at Maverick, but his face was a blank mask.

Hayes cackled. “Of course they did. We know your shit sperm can’t create anything useful.”

“You sent men into my territory in the middle of the night and attacked like a fucking coward. You are no better than my sons,” Father said.

A noise rang out that sounded the way it did when Father got drunk and slapped my face for the fun of it. Only this time, the old man was on the other side of the treatment.

He grunted in pain, and Hayes laughed louder.

“You see here, boys? This is the head of the Tiernan crime syndicate. Crying like a fucking baby.”

I couldn’t see if that was true, but Father did not deny it.

Maverick shook his head in disgust. Even when Father beat the shit out of us, even when he’d broken bones, Maverick and I never cried. And Silas hadn’t done it in months, and now a fucking slap and our father was crying.

“Do you know what is in store for you, old man?”

“Please,” Father begged. “Let me go. I’ll give you anything you want. I’ll give you the location of my brother.”

“I don’t need to know where the head of the Las Vegas syndicate is hiding. It ain’t my city… yet. But Chicago? This is my territory, and I’m fucking taking it back,” Hayes said to loud hoots and cheers.

“I—fuck.”

Father’s voice was cut off, and then a thud sounded.

“Take the piece of shit back to the clubhouse,” Hayes said.

“What about his boys?” someone asked.

“Let the little fuckers go. If they’re anything like Tiernan, they’ll know to stay the fuck out of my territory.”

“But—”

“Enough, Sebastian. I don’t want to waste any more resources looking for ’em. What I want is to take back my city and make sure the Irish know never to take a piss in Chicago without my permission again.”

“Well, this is no fun. You didn’t even spare anyone for me to play with,” another voice said. A voice I recognized, and judging from the sound, I’d say she was standing right by the wall.

My blood ran cold and Maverick looked over at me, his brows pulling together.

He recognized her voice, too.

Daniel laughed and came closer to her. “Later, when I have my fun with Tiernan, you can join in on the fun. How about that?”