Page 17 of Dylan
“I don’t invest in losses. Hire someone close to you whom you can trust, allow them to help you keep things running. If you fail,your next visit won’t be with me or my partner. It will be with death. Do I make myself clear?”
I nod my head vigorously. “Yes, yes, thank you. I know just the person. I won’t fail.”
CHAPTER 8
Am I Dreaming?
Dylan
Five months later …
“I love this place.I’m thinking about making some changes to a few of our bars and lounges. I can see a few things here that are inspiring so many ideas,” Connie muses as she looks around the bar.
“Really?” I take a glance around and nod.
I can see her point. There’s a nice vibe here. Nicer since the DJs have changed. I didn’t like the last set that was played.
We like to keep our clubs more lively. If the floor is dead, our DJs know to change the vibe. The last guy didn’t seem to know how to make that happen. The movement has been stale since we arrived an hour ago.
If not for the service and ambience, I would have been ready to go twenty minutes in. Connie is in charge of entertainmentand hiring at our locations back in New York. It’s her job to be in tune with shit like this.
“Yeah, I want to make the changes now before Logan gets back. Jamie is too focused on his new extra duties to worry about my spending,” she says with a rueful smile.
I laugh and shake my head. Jamie usually handles all the finances. He’s supersmart with numbers. However, he’s been doing more enforcing and negotiating since Logan’s disappearance.
“What? Ya know he’s a tightwad with the money. Ya couldn’t squeeze a shilling out of his ass if ya feed him a dozen.”
“Listen, I was thinking the same thing about making upgrades at the gym. I don’t blame you.”
“Ya know I’m going to need to lean on ya to spend more time at the lounges. Is that going to mess with yer training?”
I take a sip of my beer. “No. I’ve got your back. You take care of what Brooklyn needs from you.”
“Yer the best little brother there is. Ya know I love ya, right?”
“I love you too.”
I smile at my sister and return to observing the bar. Being that I help out with our family’s bars and lounges, I can’t help but keep a watchful eye and note a ton of things about the place.
I bob my head to the music and get lost in my thoughts. I can’t help thinking about how things turned out for Felix tonight. Connie and I came to the West Coast thinking we would see our cousin and his girl get engaged.
I’ve seen this proposal coming since Felix first brought Kaye to us for safekeeping. She and Dae-Dae have become family. The little guy is like a nephew to us all. Connie and Kate are very protective of Kaye.
I’m sure Kate would have been here if Brooklyn didn’t have her watching over our little princess. We’ve all fallen in love withShauna. I was the first to hold her, so Brooklyn was the one to name her.
That little girl will always have a special place in my heart. She’s a fighter, just like her mother. I didn’t get to know Raven, but I’m proud of her and how she fought to give Shauna life.
My brother will be devastated when he finds out about Raven’s death, but he has something special to return to. For now, Brooklyn has been hiding her away between Ireland and Scotland. My grandfather might be out of the picture, but there are still plenty of people who would like to see my brother broken and unable to complete the Alliance.
That’s not going to happen on our watch. We failed him once; never again. My da made sure my sisters were built as tough as us guys. You don’t want to fuck with an O’Brien, period.
Kate and Connie have been on baby duty because my grandda has never paid them as much attention as he has me and my brothers. If he does have a successor we don’t know about then most likely they’re ignoring my sisters as well.
Not that they don’t use discretion when it comes to taking care of Shauna. I meant what I said to Felix tonight. I’m grateful that he tried to find Ciara.
Things may not have gone the way Brooklyn had hoped, but the thought and effort mean a lot to me. I don’t know how I feel now that I know Donald Walsh is dead.
I’ve been preparing all my life to fight him for a chance to win his daughter’s hand. Now everything has changed. I wish I knew where Ciara was and how she’s doing.
