Page 54 of Broken Blood Ties

“To see where my men will be fighting. And request that Oscar not be paired with any of them.”

I bristle. “I don’t select the line up. Joe does.”

No one wants to fight Oscar, trust me. I have, and I lose each time.

“Let me rephrase that. Oscarisn’tto be paired with my men. We have money riding on tomorrow.”

I shake my head. “Riku, I’m afraid ye’re mistaken. I don’t answer to ya.”

He inhales a long breath and makes to stand, leather pants rubbing as he slides off the seat. “I hear you have a daughter, Mr. O’Donnell.”

I stiffen. “Don’t.”

I’ll fillet those tattoos right off his face and shove them down his throat if he thinks for a second he can touch my daughter.

“It’d be a shame if something happened to her and that nanny of yours.”

Cormac reaches into his waistband, and Riku’s guards jump in response.

“Are ye threatening me blood?”Kill him. Kill him now. My body hums, and I clench my jaw, willing myself still.

He scoffs. “I would never. Think of it as an incentive to heed my request.”

I shake my head in disbelief. Yuki would never threaten me or my family. He’d never start a war over this. He was smart enough to know it wasn’t worth it. Or, at least, I always thought he didn’t have the numbers to pull it off. But the Yakuza has tripled in size, as confirmed by my sources in New York and by my men on the ground here in Boston.

My heart sinks. I don’t have the manpower to fight the Yakuza. Nor would I ever risk my daughter, so the best bet is to agree. “Aye. We’ll put the word in with Joe.”

Callum and Finn both move to the side as I walk past the booths toward the back. They study my movements, almost as if they’re waiting for me to do something, to prove that I didn’t just back down.

“Are ye ready for that tour now?”

Riku smiles, like he’s won. Like he’s bent me into compliance. I’ll let him think that. I’ll give him this win. But I’ll be damned if he thinks he’s going to command the Irish Mob.

Over me dead body.

* * *

Aoife is waiting for me outside my office door when I return home. I’ve missed dinner, but she’s there with her favorite book, smiling up at me.

It’s that smile that lifts the numbness settled over me.

“Hi, Daddy!”

“Hey, little love.” I open the door to my office, and Aoife darts in, running around to my desk chair. She spins it a few times, while I pull open my coat and toss it on the evergreen couch.

“Aoife? Aoife are you in here?” Allie flies around the corner of the hallway, stopping at my office door. “Oh! Mr. O’Donnell, I wasn’t expecting you home this early. I was just about to get Aoife ready for bed.”

“But I’m not tired,” Aoife whines.

Allie glances at me, and I meet her hesitant smile.

“Aye, but are ye hungry?” I pull out the clear plastic container with the cannoli fromDolce Amore, and smile thinking of Summer. At the frazzled look on her face when I paid for the food, and the fact she shared a tidbit of information about how the cannoli is one of her favorites.

Knowledge about Summer is addicting, and I want more.

“I can have that?!” Aoife squeals as she runs over to me, reaching for the dessert.

“Aye.” I hand her the cannoli and watch as she scurries to the couch to enjoy it. Eyes wide, she lifts the cream filled pastry to her mouth with a smile on her face. It’s so enthusiastic, I can’t help but pull out my phone and snap a photo.

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