Page 42 of Dylan
“Cool.”
As soon as I have the car in the spot, he jumps out, leaving me and Ciara in the car alone. Ciara turns to me and glares. I unfasten my seat belt and turn to face her.
She sighs. “Dylan, listen. I’m grateful for how you’re helping me, but you can’t keep spoiling and promising that kid everything he asks for. I don’t want him getting used to things that I can’t continue to give him.”
I reach to cup her face. “If you and your family would have returned to Ireland, this would be his life. I would have been around to look out for him and spoil him just like I would have done you.
“I promised you I’d marry you someday when we grew up. I’ve been waiting for you since you left and didn’t send me one of your postcards to tell me how you were doing in the States. Then my da had to come here for work and I vowed I’d go back and find you.
“Now you’re here. I’m not going to allow anything to happen to you and I plan to make sure anything you and that kid want is all yours. I’m not hurting for anything. Neither will you,” I say.
“Dylan, I …”
I lean in to kiss her as her words trail off. I’m a breath away when my phone rings. I bite out a curse because it’s the family business ringtone. I can’t ignore it.
I pull away and let out a long breath. It probably isn’t the right time for me to kiss her. I want our first kiss to be special.
“I need to take this. Go on inside, I have a friend who’s coming in to meet you. Taegan will get you settled until she arrives,” I say.
Disappointment covers her face. I know the feeling. It’s the same one I have. She climbs out of the car, and I answer the call.
“Hello, Cole. What’s up?”
“I need ya to handle something for me. Head to Hell’s Kitchen. Go see our friend over there and find out why they’re late with our money,” he growls.
“How late?”
“Late enough for him to be consideredthelate. Ya understand me. If ya don’t like his answer, ya already know how I feel. Make an example.”
“Got it.”
He hangs up before I can say another word. I look at the gym, longing to head inside after Ciara. I purse my lips and shoot off a text to Taegan. Then I text Aidan and Booker to let them know to be ready when I get to them.
“Ach, and this is the life of a true O’Brien. We still have a city to run.”
CHAPTER 17
Big Mistakes
Dylan
Nothing but tensionfills my body as I stand here. My chest is heaving and anger courses through me. There are a million places I’d rather be than here.
We pulled up just in time as Hanson was skipping his happy ass into this apartment building like this is just an ordinary Saturday. He didn’t even see us coming. Although I got the sense after we got him in here that he knew we were coming.
Why would a man be so resigned to his fate? Something more is going on here. That’s the only reason I haven’t killed him already.
My gut is telling me to get the truth before I make a decision. O’Briens always follow their guts. It has saved us a ton of times.
“I hate when people make shit harder than it needs to be. I asked you a question, now answer it.” I seethe as I look down at Hanson’s battered ass.
I’m going to need to shower and change after this because he couldn’t just cough up the answers I came here for. I’m not in the mood to kill anyone today. I’m trying to give him a chance at redemption.
Blood drips from his nose and out of the corner of his mouth, but he’s still trying to be defiant. That shit is about to get him killed. I get the feeling he knows this but he’s choosing to be a sacrifice for someone.
“I don’t have an answer for you.”
“That’s bullshit,” I snap. “Book, get him to his feet.”
