by Sarah Bailey
“Okay, enough jokes, we need to go, little girl. You and Rory stay safe, you hear me?”
“Yes, sir. Ror is fine. He’s got me watching the casino monitors remotely. We have eyes on the situation, okay? Mac is getting impatient, but I know you’ll be there soon.”
Damn right we would. There was no fucking way I’d let him give me shit when I got there either. My employees were not pawns for him to play with. If he wanted a conversation, he’d have to lower his fucking weapons and be reasonable.
“We will. See you when it’s over.”
I hung up. Somehow knowing she had her eyes on the situation made me feel more at ease. Not that Ash could do anything from our house, but she and Rory could be there in fucking spirit. It kept me going. I would do anything to protect our future together. And it happened to include keeping our casino intact.
“A word of advice, next time, just be straight up with her. She isn’t fragile. She can handle knowing one of us is hurt, okay? Look at what happened with Rory,” I said to the two fools in the back when Eric settled himself against the seat again.
“She dotes on the poor fucker,” Xav replied. “I swear if one of us tried to coddle him, he’d kill us.”
“He loves her.”
“And? Rory loves us but we don’t get special treatment.”
I glanced back at them, finding Eric grinning.
“We don’t have magic pussies, Xavi.”
Xav’s eyes widened.
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“I think it’s quite obvious.”
I rolled my eyes, knowing exactly what Eric was getting at.
“He means our girlfriend has the pussy to end all pussies and therefore Rory is enamoured with her because of that.”
Xav scoffed.
“Well, her pussy is pretty fucking special.”
“Can’t deny that,” I grinned.
“Me either,” Eric put in.
Not sure Ash would appreciate us talking about her pussy like that, but hell, it was the fucking truth.
“Anyway, my point is, when we get this one home, Ash will be all over him, making sure he’s tucked up in bed and shit just like she does with Rory.”
“Huh, you’re right. You’re in for a treat, E, I caught Ash reading Rory smut earlier. Maybe she’ll give you a rendition too.”
I snorted.
“Are you serious?”
“Yup, I think they both share a love of dirty books.”
It hardly surprised me. Ash and Rory did like to read together a lot. It was their thing. It was only a matter of time before he told her about his secret love of romance novels.
“I’d rather she curled up next to me,” Eric muttered. “Don’t need to be read to.”
Xav nudged Eric.
“You just want her to straddle you and do all the work.”
“What? No! She’s still recovering.”
“I’m sure Ash would be very obliging if you told her it’d help you get better.”
I bit my lip. Ash would tell them to shut up and stop being idiots if one of them suggested such a thing. She didn’t take shit off us, especially not Xav, but he deserved to be taken down a peg or two.
“Jesus, Xavi, do you ever think about anything other than sex?”
“Of course, I fucking do.”
“Could’ve fooled me. Have I not given you enough whilst Ash has been unable to?”
I stifled my amusement at the two of them having a spat. They did this a lot. Ash usually broke it up, but she wasn’t here.
“You’re more than enough for me, E.”
“Yeah, whatever. You’re just desperate to get between our girlfriend’s legs again.”
Glancing in the rearview mirror, I caught Xav shrugging and raising his eyebrow.
“You going to tell me you don’t miss it too?”
“That’s not the point!”
Xav rubbed Eric’s shoulder.
“Are you getting jealous? Did the knock to the head scramble your brain suddenly?”
“No. I’m not fucking jealous. For fuck’s sake, just shut up.”
“You know I’d rather not have to hear your marital spat right now,” I put in, waving my hand at them.
“Fuck off, Quinn,” Xav ground out. “E, I’m sorry. I love you and you know very well I love our sex life.”
Eric didn’t respond. Instead, he looked out the window.
“Eric, please don’t do this with me right now. I just got you back from Julian.”
“I just want to go home,” Eric mumbled.
“I know. We will… right after we deal with the Irish cunt.”
I felt shit for having to bring him with, but it couldn’t be helped. We had to sort this fucker out once and for all. It crossed my mind we might be walking into a fucking ambush by Russo, but considering Geoff had eyes on the situation as did Ash and Rory, I highly doubted he was there. Wouldn’t put it past him though. The man was nothing if not resourceful. Perhaps he’d put McCarthy up to it. Or perhaps the fucker decided he’d had enough of my interference in his business.
When I glanced at the boys again, Xav was hugging Eric and the two of them had their heads bowed together. Thank fuck for that. I was beginning to think I might have to call Ash up again to sort them out. Then I’d have had to tell her what they were fighting over and that would never have ended well.
The rest of the journey to the casino was relatively silent, all of us contemplating what we might deal with when we got there. Another car was parked around the back and I recognised André leaning against it with a couple of other burly men.
The three of us got out. André’s eyes fell on Eric first and he frowned. We had to get him cleaned up in the office where he’d be safe with Geoff.
“What’s the latest?” I asked walking towards the backdoor and punching in the code.
“According to your man, they’ve taken all your members hostage and are demanding an audience with you. They won’t leave until you come down,” André replied following on my heels.
The rest of the men including Xav and Eric walked into the casino behind me. We couldn’t all fit in the lift, so I took Xav, Eric and André with me to the top floor. I unlocked the office door when we got upstairs and found Geoff staring up at the screens. He immediately looked relieved when he spied me. He said nothing as I walked over to his side and studied the monitors.
“He’s not fucking around then.”
“No, he’s really not,” Geoff agreed.
I sighed. There were men everywhere and our members did not look happy. I was going to have to compensate them for their trouble, which was fine, we could afford it. Still didn’t sit well with me. Our casino was meant to be neutral ground where this kind of shit didn’t happen.
“We need to get McCarthy in the VIP area so I can talk to him.” I turned to André. “If this goes south, I’m going to need your men.”
He gave me a sharp nod.
“Can you bandage up E for me?” I said, turning to Geoff again.
He eyed Eric.
“Yes… do I even want to know what happened?”
“No, probably not.”
Xav took Eric over to the desk and got him sat down, rubbing his shoulder before he came over to me. We both looked up at the monitors again.
“He’s taken over the security room, so he must know you’re here now,” Geoff said, pointing to one of the screens. “The only demand he’s made so far is to see you and no one will be harmed if you cooperate.”
I shook my head, not believing it for one second. McCarthy was ruthless and uncompromising. His relationship with the crime families had always been tenuous. Russo and Mac didn’t like each other, but they profited well together.
“Phone?”
Geoff handed me it. I dialled McCarthy’s number.
“This better fuckin’ be Knox,” came his gruff voice.
“It is.�
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“Took your fuckin’ time.”
“I had things to do, which Geoff explained to you earlier. Now, I suggest you tell your men to stand down.”
He laughed, making me clench my fist.
“Oh no, you don’t get to call the shots here. You think you’re so fuckin’ tough, eh? Didn’t take much for me to lock your place down now, did it?”
When this was over, none of his fucking gang would be allowed to set foot in here again.
“We’ll meet you in the VIP area. Don’t expect me to come alone. I’m not a fucking idiot.”
I hung up, not caring what else he had to say. The idiot would soon learn he didn’t have the upper hand.
“Let’s go.”
Xav and André followed me from the room. Geoff could take care of Eric whilst we dealt with McCarthy and his gangsters. We met André’s men downstairs and went through to the VIP area. Mac was waiting for us with some of his men including Colm Moran. This would be interesting. Xav and I still had our guns from when we’d dealt with Julian and I was sure André and his men would have them too. They flanked me as we stopped a few feet away from Mac with Xav standing by my side.
Mac glared at me. He was a stout man with a thin grey moustache and a balding head. And I didn’t care if he hated me. The man was about to get a fucking lesson he wouldn’t quickly forget.
“This is one way to get my attention,” I said before McCarthy could speak.
Chapter 11
McCarthy took a step towards me. Not all of his men were here. I could fucking guarantee that, but at least we weren’t outnumbered. I hoped I wouldn’t have to use violence to diffuse this situation, but you never knew when it came to a man like Mac.
“You’ve been fuckin’ with my business for too long,” Mac practically growled. “Now I know who the fuck you are, you’re done in this fuckin’ city.”
I stifled the urge to roll my eyes and kept my expression neutral instead.
“You mean you wish to be the one who brags about finally taking down Il Diavolo?”
“This is business, not fuckin’ bragging rights.”
It was always about bragging rights with a man like McCarthy. Didn’t know why he bothered putting on an act. We both knew how this game worked.
“And what? Your poor little business is suffering because of me, is it? Are your profits down? Are you floundering in the dark?”
His expression hardened at my mocking tone before he stabbed a finger in my direction.
“Shut your fuckin’ mouth.”
“You’re telling me what to do in my casino?”
“Yeah, you’re fuckin’ right I am.”
I shook my head as I paced away, tucking both hands behind my back. Xav had my fucking back so I knew no one would try anything right that second. I noted some hands twitching at the sides of Mac’s men. The only person who remained still with a smug smile on his face was Colm. He still fucking owed me and he knew it. The question was… did McCarthy?
“You know, Mac, it’s never a good idea to come after someone who knows your secrets.”
“You don’t know shit, Knox.”
I cocked my head to the side.
“Don’t I? You think I could disrupt your supply chains, repeatedly, without knowing a thing or two about your operations? That’s rather naïve of you.”
Fucking with McCarthy meant I fucked with Russo. Wasn’t hard to find someone willing to help me when they discovered who McCarthy was selling to. Mac McCarthy and Frank Russo had a well-known hatred of each other. Came as quite a shock to one of his men when he learnt the feud was all fake. From then on, all Mac’s deals with Frank crumbled. Drugs and weapons went missing. Money wasn’t transferred. Russo could afford to take the hit, but McCarthy couldn’t. Probably why he had it out for me now he knew who I really was. And likely why Frank had sent Mac here to find me. Perhaps he thought the man could gain the upper hand and get rid of me. Pity he was so very fucking wrong. Russo had no idea what I knew. How many secrets I’d uncovered in my quest to rid the world of the sick motherfucker. How much his daughter had told me about him and his friends. His rivals. Everyone in this sick fucked up criminal underworld.
“You’re fuckin’ bluffing. You know nothing about me.”
“I’d be very careful of what you say to me, Mac. You wouldn’t want all your dirty little secrets coming to light.”
“Why should I care about threats from a man with a target on his back?”
I stopped next to Xav and gave him a look. He nodded once. We had this.
“If the target is so large, why am I not dead yet?”
I eyed Mac, who looked a little stumped at my question.
“It’s only a matter of time.”
“There’s that naivety again. Don’t forget, we’re on my home turf here. You came to me, not the other way around. He’s using you to get to me because he has no other way of doing so. He thinks this will scare me… None of you fucking scare me.”
Mac’s eyes darkened and his expression turned downright murderous.
The only thing which scared me was losing my family and Ash. That was it. Everything else? Who gave a fuck? We could rebuild. But I couldn’t replace Xav, Eric, Rory and Ash. They were fucking priceless.
“Not here on anyone else’s fuckin’ orders by my own.”
“That’s what you want your men to think. Pity it’s a lie.”
“Fuck you, Knox. No fuckin’ lies here.”
I shook my head again. The man was as thick as two short planks. How he ran his gang without slipping up every five minutes was a miracle. Mac McCarthy was nothing but a thug who was too fucking big for his boots.
“You don’t want them to know the truth, do you? You’re afraid of what they’ll say.”
“Shut your fuckin’ mouth.”
I straightened my spine and stared him down.
“Afraid they won’t follow you when they realise who you’ve been selling to. Who’s funded your entire operation.”
“Fuckin’ shut up!”
“What’s he talking about, Mac?” asked one of his henchmen.
“Nothing. Stay the fuck out of it.”
I almost laughed. The entire thing was borderline comical. Time to even the field a little.
“What I’m talking about is his dealings with Frank Russo.”
The room went deadly silent. Mac looked like he was about to blow a fuse, his skin all blotchy and red. All of his men stared at him in shock. Mac recovered pretty quickly, relaxing his stance and waving a hand at me.
“Can you believe this fucker? As if I’d ever work with that bastard.”
“You’ve been having us sell to Russo?” Colm Moran ground out through his clenched jaw.
“No, no, lad, of course not.”
“After all the shit you sprout about hating him, you’re fuckin’ selling to him?”
Mac looked panicked.
“I’ve never sold to Russo. He can go fuck himself.”
Colm shook his head and looked at the other men in the room. Their expressions hardened.
“Hey, lads, I would never. Are you going to believe this idiot over me?”
I put my hands out.
“Unlike you, Mac, I have no reason to lie to them. Simply because I don’t really give a shit what happens to you, only that you get the fuck out of my casino and never darken my door again. I’m giving you one opportunity to leave now or I’ll have no other choice but to end you.”
Mac puffed up his chest.
“And fuckin’ what?”
Xav pulled the gun from his pocket, followed by André and his men. Last but not least, I untucked mine from behind me and ran my free hand across the barrel.
“The next bullet which leaves the chamber of this gun will have your name on it.”
None of his men moved to take out their weapons. Mac looked around them.
“Can you believe this fucker? We’re not lea
ving until you re-fuckin’-pay me everything I’ve lost, right lads?”
The expressions on the faces of his men hardened as they stared at him. I caught Colm’s eye and gave him a nod. Mac continued to look around at his men, growing ever more agitated.
“Lads… come on. This fucker is lying to you… Lads…” His face fell and his mouth narrowed to a thin line. Then he whipped out his own gun and aimed it at me. “You fuckin’ bastard.”
He froze the next moment as the cold steel at the end of a barrel was shoved in the back of his head, the owner of which smiled at me from over Mac’s shoulder.
“Put your fuckin’ weapon down, Mac.”
“What are you doing?”
“The only bastard in here is you. Say hello to your Ma for me, she was a nice lady. Shame about her fuckin’ son.”
The shot rang through the room as Colm pulled the trigger and bullet left the chamber, sinking into the back of Mac’s head. He was dead before he pitched forward. Colm caught him, holding the man against his chest. One of the other men came forward, pulling a bag from his pocket and wrapping it around Mac’s head, tying it off at the bottom. Then he took Mac’s body from Colm with another man helping him.
“That cunt talked far too much,” Colm said with a shrug as he slipped his gun back in the holster strapped beneath his jacket. “Don’t worry, Knox, we’ll take care of this fucker for you. Been itching for a reason to end him for a while now.”
I grinned, sliding my gun back behind me as Xav did the same.
“Took you long enough.”
Colm shrugged.
“Wanted to see if he’d fuckin’ admit it or not, the cunt.”
Colm might have not known I was Il Diavolo until I’d admitted it to the families, but he knew all about Mac’s dealings with Russo. He was my man on the inside. Even though I hated the idiot and thought he was better off dead, he’d come in handy. Besides, I had far more shit on both him and Mac after Ash had dropped it into my lap. Getting him to do what I wanted was easy. My little girl had proved to be our secret weapon in this war. She would help us defeat them all.
“The back door is that way.”
I pointed towards the door where we’d come from. The least I could do was to let them get the body out of here without drawing attention to it. I didn’t need that kind of heat coming down on our casino.