Page 40 of Savage Hearts

Killian leaned back in his chair casually and took in our guests. He had been quiet all evening, and I wasn’t sure if it was because of this meeting that he didn’t want in the first place, or the little club princess we kept at home.

“I don’t think I need to remind you that you’re in Tiernan territory now. Whether you get out of here alive is dependent on your words… and our moods,” Killian said casually.

Vincent leaned back also. “Is that a threat, son? Because this territory hasn’t been yours for all that long. We have been working with Daniel for over a decade now. Why should we give you the same business, just because you slaughtered his entire club?”

Silas shook his head. “That’s where you’re wrong, old man. This territory belonged to the Tiernans far longer than your little business with Hayes. We simply took back what belonged to us. And you misunderstand the point of this meeting. We’re not here asking you to go into business with us. You’re here to convince us to go into business with you. Because if we decide you’re not worth it, we’ll find another way into California.”

And there was no mistaking the threat to his voice.

Vincent stood up and slammed his hands against the table. “You bastards. You think killing me will take care of that problem? You’ll have an all-out war on your hands.”

I nodded. It was true. All the other organizations were just waiting to see if the Tiernan crime syndicate had the balls to truly control Chicago. They all wanted in on the narcotics ring, and they had no qualms about fighting us for it.

But they didn’t know the extent of our powers.

They didn’t want to make the first move.

They were waiting for us to do it, and chopping the head off Vincent Cadorna would do it.

“You think we would have killed Daniel Hayes if we didn’t have the means to protect what’s ours?” I asked. I pulled out my gun and both men tensed.

Gregory had been nothing more than a ghost throughout this entire exchange.

He didn’t show any reaction to me.

But his gaze shifted slightly when he noticed my attention on him, and I caught a hint of glimmer in his dead eyes.

The fucker was enjoying the show.

“Consider this a fair warning,” I said, pointing the gun at the two men. “I won’t kill you today. But we will gain access to the Stocken Isle. One way or another. And you pissed me off. Let’s hope you can come up with a way to get on my good side.”

I pulled the trigger, my aim true.

Giovanni went down as blood spurted from his thigh.

“Better get him checked out. Don’t want him to bleed out and die in Chicago,” Silas said, smiling. “We don’t take too kindly to trash littering our city.”

Vincent glared at each of us, anger marring the line of his small eyes. I wondered if anyone had ever told him how fucking ugly he was. If God existed, he certainly didn’t put in all that much care into creating the vile man in front of me.

“You’re going to fucking pay for this, Tiernan.”

One of Cardona’s men came forward and helped Giovanni. Vincent kept his eyes on us, afraid to show us his back.

I waited until they left and turned to Gregory, cocking my head to the side.

“You get the same deal as Daniel,” he said, speaking for the first time since we’d entered. “I got properties all over the country that will make transporting them in and out of Chicagoeasier for you. There are men working for me. I want a twenty-percent cut.”

I grinned. “Fifteen.”

I knew for a fact he only got a ten-percent cut with Daniel.

We could have done this without Gregory, but his knowledge of all the main points made him much more useful to us than not.

He nodded, his lips lifting into a small smile. “Fifteen.”

With that, he stood and walked out the door.

He didn’t even turn back once, so sure we wouldn’t shoot him.

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