AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Aye, well, why mess with perfection?”
The little shit is about to say something about that, but I cut him off. “So, to what do I owe the pleasure, lads? If your da had something to tell me, he could’ve called and not disturbed the folks that worked all week and stopped in for a pint.”
Over their shoulders, Ginny is ushering people out the front doors as quickly and quietly as she can manage. Good girl.
The McGuire boys might not be here to kill the innocent, but if things don’t go their way, they won’t think twice about doing it if the fuse is lit.
I don’t want that.
The locals might be afraid of me and my family, but they know we do our best to keep innocents out of harm’s way.
With slow steps, I step forward and put a little distance between me and Laine. The McGuires aren’t known for keen marksmanship, and I would hate for the woman to get gunned down by hoodlums on her first night in my city.
“We’re here to offer you a chance,” Declan says. “If you let us expand in the north, you can continue business as usual, but if you don’t, we’ll be taking control of the entire city by force.”
I chuckle. “That’s a lofty plan. It seems your da has finally earned the moniker of Mad Mattie.”
I meet each of their gazes in turn, Darcy, Declan, Ryan, and Niall McGuire are practically carbon copies of their old man. They have the same gorilla frames and military buzz cuts, and the same vacant expression when faced with handling any situation with anything other than brute violence.
They also have hot tempers and love bloodshed.
They can’t expect I’d accept their terms or that I’m going to let them come into Jimmy’s bar to threaten and intimidate the people of my community.
They aren’t bright, but they’re not stupid, either.
I risk a split-second glance in the mirror over the pool table to check on my American beauty. She’s standing tall and holding her own.
For a woman who doesn’t understand the hierarchy of the power players in Dublin, it’s astounding that she isn’t cowering in the shadows like almost everyone else in this type of situation.
That piques my interest even more.
Who is Laine O’Neill?
I set that onto the back burner of my mind and give the McGuire brothers my full attention. “I understand your da raised you to believe that a heavy hand is the hallmark of power, but there lies the path to unnecessary bloodshed.”
Darcy, the eldest of the brothers, scowls. “And there you go, flapping your gums as always, Quinn.”
I chuckle. “Or perhaps I’m gracious enough to dole out wisdom to my past classmates to help keep you boys from spending the night getting stitched up by your vet friend, Doc Rees.”
Niall curses down on the dance floor and I grin inwardly. They didn’t realize I know that Niall and the pretty vet have been fucking on the regular and she’s patched him up more than once.
It’s always good to keep enemies on their toes.
Ryan rolls his eyes. “How so?”
“Well, the way I see it, even if you gun me down in cold blood, Jimmy and Ginny will get a couple of rounds off. Niall and Declan have their sights on me, but they’ve got their sights on them.”
All four of the McGuire brothers swing cautious glances back to the dance floor. Both Jimmy and Ginny have taken defendable positions and have a clear line of sight to take down their targets.
“And if you remember from when we were kids, Ginny won the ladies marksman competition six years running.”
Ginny grins and gives the lads a sassy wink.
“And I’m guessing that since my mate Aiden was in the back hall when you busted in, he’s already called for backup. Am I right, sham?”
“Aye, boss.” Aiden is standing just behind my right shoulder and is poised to shoot. “We’ve got six out front and three came in the back door with me. Ready on your order, brother.”
I meet the dumb confusion on their faces and decide to spell it out for them. “So, six out front, three in the back hall, and then Jimmy, Ginny, Aiden, and me. That makes thirteen against four.”
