Page 65 of Mob Saint

Loan sharking. It’s one of Gareth’s best skills. Extortion, coercion, and loan sharking. He excels at all three since they’re so closely related. He talks people into a corner, then pounces.

“No.”

That surprises me. Gareth and I both look at Seamus, but I’m quick to snap my gaze forward again. I won’t let Gareth know I’m unprepared for anything Seamus says or let him think I’m not on board with everything Seamus says.

“What do you mean ‘no’?”

“Tiernan doesn’t work for you anymore.”

“Seamus, you’re pushing me too far. You don’t tell me how to run my family.”

“You really believe that, don’t you? My family’s owned yours since your dad’s unfortunate and untimely accident. My family allows you to live in a quaint home, have plenty of money, and think you’re in charge. You exist at our largesse, but our benevolence is about to run dry. Don’t push me, Gareth. I push back.”

When I feel Seamus’s chest move, I look down to see him Terry Crewes his pecs. He flexes one side, then the other five times. I swallow my laugh, and it nearly kills me. If the knuckle cracking earlier didn’t remind Gareth that Seamus doesn’t joke, then seeing those muscles move ought to. I see fear flash in Gareth’s eyes before his smirk is back.

“You should be on a pole, Seamus. Banana hammock and all.”

“Would you like to see how much bigger my dick is than yours? I heard you enjoy looking at them. I draw the line at touching, though.”

I nearly choke. There’s been a rumor going around for years that Gareth and Vince are more than besties. It’s not true, but it’s definitely been inconvenient for both of them.

“Fuck you, O’Rourke.”

“Language. Don’t swear in front of my girlfriend. I don’t like it.”

“I don’t give a shit?—”

Seamus is out of his seat with a knife flicked open faster than I can understand what’s happening.

“If I trusted Tiernan was safe to leave this office without me, you’d already be dead. I have more reasons than the ocean has sand. You’re the one pushing too far, Gareth. I didn’t like you before I met Tiernan. Now I can’t stand you. So, let’s try again. Swear in front of my girlfriend again, and I will take off a finger for every letter.”

I don’t dare stand up. I don’t dare get in the middle of this. I’d only intervene for Seamus’s sake. We’re in O’Brien territory now, and we only came with one other man who isn’t in shouting distance. I can’t be sure my father would come to Seamus’s aid. I don’t want to do anything to distract Seamus, but I wish there was a way to distract Gareth.

Fucking think.

“Let me off the hook, and maybe I can convince Seamus to only take your pinkies.”

Weak, but something.

“Stay out of it, Tiernan. This is between me and O’Rourke.”

“Until it isn’t. Don’t fight him, and there’s a chance the rest of his family won’t descend upon you like a horde of locusts. We went to Sunday School together. You know the Bible story and what’s supposed to happen and what little is left. Don’t make some ancient prophecy come true because of your ego. It’ll be your fault when nothing’s left.”

Seamus doesn’t take his eyes off his nemesis—my nemesis—and I can tell he thinks I’m trying to protect Gareth. I’m not. I’m so not. I’m scared for Seamus, and I wish I could tell him that. I wish I could send him some message by telepathy. I wish he had ESP and could tell what I want him to know. But he doesn’t.

“If he lets you live but cuts off your thumbs because you have a potty mouth, how are you going to explain that for the rest of your life? Rather than wash your mouth out with soap for swearing, Seamus O’Rourke cut off your thumbs. Shay, go for the thumbs, not the pinkies. Way more inconvenient.”

Seamus moves the knife that was at Gareth’s throat after he grabs Gareth’s left hand, which is his dominant one. He slams Gareth’s wrist on the edge of the desk, and the hand flies open. Seamus’s knife points straight down at the thumb.

“All right, all right. I’m sorry, Tiernan. I won’t swear in front of you or at you.”

Seamus lets go, but not before he grabs the thumb and twists it until I hear the pop. Gareth opens his mouth to scream, and Seamus’s hand goes around his throat.

“I wouldn’t.”

Please let that be a piece of Seamus’s advice Gareth takes. The latter snaps his teeth shut and nods. Seamus releases him, but not before he moves around the desk and pulls open the center drawer. He pulls a gun out, and terror bursts through me. He leans over and puts it on the ground before kicking it away. He does the same to the other drawers and pulls out two more guns, kicking them away, while Gareth cradles his hand. Then he takes the gun from under Gareth’s elbow and walks back around to the sofa. He switches the gun from his right hand to his left and sits with his right arm over the back of it. I don’t look away from Gareth as I lean into Seamus.

“Let’s finish this conversation, Garry. There was something you didn’t say earlier. Who's been forcing your hand to keep using Tiernan?”

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