Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 126485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 632(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126485 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 632(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Satisfied, I hung up. Sergej and I would meet for dinner in a few days to discuss ways to flood the market with cheap counterfeits from Southeast Asia while providing our clients with only the very best. It would be our first big collaboration, one that promised to fill our wallets with money, but it also meant we had to get along for a while.
Seamus was already waiting in front of the warehouse, watching a few of our younger gang members unload a shipping container.
“How are things?” he asked.
I sent him a warning look. I hoped that the addition of Finn to my small family didn’t make him feel like he needed to stick his nose even deeper into my personal business. Since his wife was pregnant, he felt even more qualified to advise others on how to achieve utmost bliss. Bullshit. He was one of my absolute best hitmen. Cold, efficient, merciless when tasked with a kill, but sometimes he could be a real sap.
“I got blue balls the size of Dublin because the kid couldn’t sleep alone.”
Seamus let out a fatherly laugh. “That’s how it is.”
“We’ll see once Maeve has dropped your little one.”
I quickly filled him in on my conversation with Sergej before he had more clever comments for me.
“What did you tell Aislinn?” he asked the second I was done talking.
“I told her that her sister is cruising the Caribbean. It’s as close to the truth as you can get, so stop bugging me.”
Seamus shrugged and together we headed inside the warehouse. I had to give Balor and Father a phone call later today to inform them about the state of things with Sergej. We were sending them a shipment of guns to keep for themselves; they’d also serve as a waypoint for the counterfeit weapons. It would be a logistic feat, but I was eager to expand our business.
In the next four weeks, Finn and I slowly got closer. He talked to me more, and I had less trouble understanding him. Aislinn still hovered, never letting us out of her sight as if she worried that I’d eat the kid. But it was kind of endearing, albeit annoying as fuck. Our sex life was still in a bit of a slump. Before Finn lived with us, we’d get it on in the morning and evening. Now I was lucky if we managed a long fuck at night.
I stifled my frustration, knowing things would improve again once Aislinn had found a new routine with Finn living under our roof. I hadn’t told her yet, but I started looking for a bigger place for us. My apartment had never been meant for three people, and if Aislinn ever felt ready to have a kid of our own, things would be even more cramped.
I was checking over our bookkeeping in my office, when Aislinn called around lunch time. “Lorcan, I’m stuck in traffic. There’s been an accident.”
“Are you hurt?”
“No, I’m fine, but I was on the way to pick up Finn from Maeve’s. She was watching him for a couple of hours.”
“Seamus mentioned it. Do you need me to pick him up?”
She hesitated. “Yeah. Maeve has a doctor’s appointment. She has to leave in a bit.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll get him and keep him entertained until you’re back. I’ll have to take him to the docks though.”
She took another long pause. “Okay, but, Lorcan…” She sighed. “Finn is sensitive.”
“I know, I know. I’ll be on my best behavior and so will be my men. Stop fretting.”
I hung up and got up from my desk chair. I grabbed my keys and headed for my car. Seamus wasn’t around; he was scouting a possible mark—a politician wanted a bothersome ex-affair to disappear. I told Timothy where I was going then I was off.
Maeve didn’t look surprised when she opened the door. Aislinn had probably given her a heads-up. “Hey, Lorcan, it’s so nice of you to pick Finn up.”
Finn hovered behind her, gnawing on his lower lip.
“Hey buddy, how about we hit a McDonalds drive-thru and fuel you with a Happy Meal. I think they have Marvel figures in them right now.”
His eyes lit up and he stepped forward, nodding eagerly.
Maeve touched my arm. “You’re good with him,” she whispered.
I cleared my throat. “Thanks for watching him. What was Aislinn up to?”
Maeve flushed. “Oh, I didn’t ask. Maybe she just wanted some time for herself.”
“Maybe.” Or maybe she was still snooping around after her sister. Stubborn as fuck.
“You ready?” I asked Finn, and he nodded, determination settling on his face, reminding me of the look Aislinn so often displayed. Together, we headed toward my car parked at the curb, and I made sure to slow my steps for Finn.
Opening the doors for him, I asked, “Do you need help getting into the child seat?”