Page 34 of False Heir

Liam laughed, the sound hollow in the quiet night air. “And what? Leave you two to run this circus on your own?” He shook his head, the smile dropping from his face as quickly as it had appeared. “You’re stuck with me. For better or worse.”

“Consider it,” I said, my gaze serious. If anything happened to Liam...I couldn’t bear the thought of it.

But Liam was a Callahan through and through. He had that same stubborn determination etched into his very being, the fiery spirit that refused to back down. “I’m not going anywhere,” he said firmly, his jaw set in defiance.

I sighed, glancing at Kieran. He was silent, but I could tell he shared my concerns about our baby brother. We had fought so hard to keep Liam out of the family business, to give him a chance for a life beyond the violence and deceit that the underworld promised. But it seemed like fate had other plans.

Something for future me to worry about.

There was already plenty to worry about for now.

“Good,” I said. “Because this is bigger than any one of us,” I finished. And as I stood there with my brothers, the weight of leadership settled on my shoulders like a mantle I was born to wear—even if it chafed.

“Maybe we should have the capos spy on each other,” Liam suggested, breaking into my tumultuous thoughts.

Kieran snorted, shaking his head. “That’s a crazy plan.”

Yet, as much as Kieran’s skepticism rang true, something about Liam’s suggestion ignited a spark of possibility in my mind. I hesitated, mulling over the angles. “Actually...there might be something to that.”

“Really?” Liam’s eyebrows shot up, a mix of surprise and pride lighting up his features.

“Go inside. Get Sean for me,” I instructed him, deciding on a course of action. Without a word of complaint, Liam turned and made his way back into the dimly lit pub.

As the door swung shut behind him, I considered the implications of this strategy. It was risky, but it was also unexpected—and in our line of work, the element of surprise was often the most valuable weapon.

“You’re going to listen to the kid?” Kieran asked, his brows shooting up.

“He has his moments.”

Kieran leaned against the brick wall, crossing his arms over his chest. “Fuck, alright.”

Moments later, Liam returned with Sean in tow. He still had a drink in his hand. His expression was wary as he approached, sensing that this impromptu meeting was more than just a casual chat.

“Tristan, what’s this about?” Sean asked, his voice steady despite the obvious curiosity. “I was just catching up with the boys.”

“I know, and this won’t take long,” I said.

“Yes, boss?”

“Sean, your loyalty isn’t in question,” I began, locking eyes with him. “I need someone with your insight to keep an eye on Ronan. He moves, you shadow him. Discreetly.”

“Ronan?” Sean’s face registered shock before he schooled his expression back into one of neutrality.

I didn’t want to tell him that we had already tested them all–except Ronan himself, since he had been away on holiday. So I just needed to cover all my bases.

“Discretion is key. We can’t tip him off. Just observe, report back to me directly—anything out of the ordinary,” I explained, feeling the weight of each word press against the night air.

“Why are you doubting Ronan?” Sean said.

“I’m not doubting him,” I replied. “I’m just covering all my bases.”

Sean finished his drink, raising his brows.

“Discretion is key. We can’t tip him off. Just observe, report back to me directly—anything out of the ordinary,” I explained, feeling the weight of each word press against the night air.

“Understood,” Sean said after a beat, a firm nod sealing his commitment to the task.

“Good.” I clapped him on the shoulder, a silent thank-you for his service. It wasn’t easy to trust anyone in our line of business, but Sean had proven himself time and again.

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