Page 118 of The Apprentice
Instead of cutting Hopkins’s throat and ending it all, like I’d expected, Fionn drove the knife into Hopkins’s stomach, eliciting a pained scream from his victim. Hopkins struggled, crying harder, and Fionn’s smirk was downright sexy as fuck.
He stepped back, leaving the blade lodged in Hopkins. Blood smeared his palms and fingers. Without a care in the world, he held out his hand to one of our men at his right. Duffy quickly grabbed a wet cloth and passed it to him so Fionn could wipe his hands.
Duffy hesitated, something akin to admiration flashing in his blue eyes. He was a compact man, one of the shortest guys we had in the Company, but he had wide shoulders, a blond military fade, and a background in the army. He’d probably seen all kinds of shit overseas, so the fact that Fionn had his respect spoke volumes for how much Fionn had grown.
“Thank you, Duffy.” Fionn gave him back the cloth and crossed his arms. He glanced at me, and I winked.
The smile I got in return did all kinds of things to my insides, and desire joined the pride. This was my boy.Mine.He’d come so far in the small amount of time he’d stepped up. He’d shown the confidence that I’d seen in Sloan at Fionn’s age. The things I wanted to do to him after this would make a porn star blush.
My cock throbbed and pressed against my underwear. It took a lot of effort not to reach down and give myself a squeeze. Now wasn’t the time or the place, but it was tempting.
Miller had begun to wake up and realize what was happening around him. He wriggled, a gargled yell catching in his throat. Unlike Hopkins, who convinced his little minions to be assholes, Miller was a follower. He was weak—the proverbial sheep that Sloan liked to speak about. Yet Fionn wanted to make an example of what happened to men whofollowed bad role modelsas well as led a rebellion of words or actions.
Fionn shushed him. “I’ll deal with you next.”
Miller opened his mouth, but I grabbed a cloth from the workbench and stalked over to him, shoving it between his lips. He stared at me with wide eyes.
“The boss said shut your mouth.” I smirked and stepped back to my original position.
“Thank you, Daire.” Fionn’s voice was smooth and calm.
I bowed my head toward him. “You’re welcome, sir.”
The men needed to know who was in charge. Out here, it was Fionn and Conall. In the bedroom was a different story, but that came later. I’d show Fionn just how hot he looked when we were behind closed doors. I’d be his Daddy.
Fionn grasped the handle of the knife lodged in Hopkins’s stomach and jerked it out, blood arcing and splattering across Fionn’s white dress shirt and over his exposed skin. He’d rolled his sleeves up earlier, leaving his forearms bare. His veins strained as he closed his fingers around the knife in a tight grip, and my mouth watered. What kind of pervert was I that the sight of my boy dripping with blood was hot?
“Daire.” Fionn glanced toward me again, and I straightened, shoving aside my filthy,vulgar but deliciousthoughts.
“Yes, sir?”
“Do we have other men who can do Hopkins’s job?” He raised his eyebrows, eyes glinting with smugness.
I nodded. “Yes, sir. Plenty.”
“Hm. And are they loyal and have they run their mouths about me?”
Hopkins’s sob echoed around the basement, and he sounded like a wounded cow. Snot oozed out of his nostrils and ran up his cheeks and toward his forehead as he cried louder. “Please, sir. Please.”
I eyed Hopkins, pleasure for his downfall simmering low in my gut. When Fionn had told me what they’d said about him, I was downright furious. If I’d been given permission, I would’ve rained hell down on him and Miller, but it was Fionn who’d wanted to dole out the punishment, and what a great job he’d been doing. He wasn’t just going to kill them; he was dragging it out and torturing them.
“Any other man who can do his job is loyal to you, sir.” I grinned menacingly at Hopkins.
“Good, then his death won’t affect us.” Fionn spun toward him, and before Hopkins could utter a word, Fionn sliced his throat. Hopkins gagged and gurgled on blood. His mouth opened and closed, and his nostrils flared like he was trying to suck in precious air.
Fionn stared—he was a man possessed by the sight in front of him. Enamoured might have been a better word. This was the first life he’d taken so cruelly, and he looked as beautiful as a vengeful angel.
Miller yelled and struggled harder. I stepped toward him and smacked him over the head with my open palm.
“Shut up.”
Fionn shook his head at me and held out the knife in his bloody hand. “Finish him off for me, Daire. I made my point. Let’s show Miller what aloyalsoldier looks like.”
I inclined my head and took the knife from him. “Of course, sir. Anything for my boss.” I sent Fionn a smirk as I headed toward Miller. He trembled.Good. I wanted him to be afraid.
Fionn shifted over to the side of the room where I’d been and took a seat. He threw a leg over his knee and leaned back. He was a sight to behold—a king on his throne, and in this basement, I was his to command.
“Make it hurt.” Fionn raised his chin, and in that moment, I saw all the training that Sloan had given him. This man was Sloan’s son.
