Page 76 of Dublin Devil

My brothers and I take a seat around the table and Tag pulls Laine into his lap. Two weeks ago, I thought it was crazy that he always needs to touch her.

Now…I would give anything to have Piper holding my hand or sitting in my lap while we work out how to take down her father.

Am I as far gone as Tag? Am I in love with Piper?

Even as I ask myself the question, I know the answer. I began falling in love with her from the moment I picked her up from that sidewalk. It didn’t matter that she was beaten and bloody—she stole my breath as quickly as she stole my heart.

A half an hour later, we’ve decided how to proceed. If the Tessiano Outfit agrees to leave Laine in peace, Tag will get them the guns they need to secure their interests in Chicago and the surrounding areas.

It’ll take some finesse to get the guns inland to them, but Finn has some ideas about how we can eliminate Tag’s transportation concerns.

“You nailed it, Finny.” Tag pats Laine’s thigh and kisses her cheek, urging her to get up. “You both did. Now, give me a few minutes to jot down my ideas of how the conversation should go. My call with Volkov is in two hours and I want to be home and in my office for that.”

“I guess that’s our cue to clear out.” Finn closes the laptop, and we all stand.

My phone buzzes in my hand and I draw a deep breath as I answer it. “Kieran. What can I do for you?”

“I’ve got bad news, boss.”

I step backward and sit on the edge of the table. “Tell me.”

“Piper got grabbed by the Russians after the cemetery. They were in one of the limos and drove off with her.”

“Drove off where, Kieran? Where the fuck did they take her?”

“To a house down by the bay. My guy stayed on them until she was unloaded and taken into a house south of the city.”

“Does he have eyes on her?”

“No. Not her, but he says she hasn’t left. In fact, he said there have been trucks in and out over the past hour delivering food, flowers, and chairs. He says it looks like they’re getting ready for a party.”

“A party? They fucking kidnapped her from a funeral and they’re throwing a fucking gala? What is wrong with these people? Didn’t anyone try to stop them?”

My guy said the only ones who tried were the two youngest McGuire boys. They were held back while Mad Mattie laughed and waved goodbye.

All the blood drains from my head and I can’t tell if I’m going to pass out or go ballistic. “Mattie laughed? He fucking laughed as his daughter was taken by the same fucking animals that beat her and tried to rape her?”

“Sorry, boss. I’m just reporting the news.”

It’s not his fault I need to kill someone. “Text me the address. Where are you?”

“In my paint shop.”

“If you’re in the building, why the fuck aren’t you telling me this in person?”

“Because I’d like to keep my face pretty and my insides right where they are, fuck you very much.”

I roll my eyes and rein in my urge to kill. “Fine. Pull one of the trucks into the front and start loading it up. We’re going across the river.”

I hang up my cell and fight the urge to throw the piece of shit technology against the wall. I would…except Piper might need to call me.

“You can’t move on the Russians.” Tag’s voice is stern and when I whip around to meet his gaze, his expression is uncompromising. “We’ve spent the past hour planning an alliance with Volkov. You can’t storm into McGuire territory and kill his cousin.”

“The fuck I can’t!” I move to storm out of the room, but Brendan and Bryan block my exit. They’re standing in front of the door with their arms crossed like fucking bouncers at a club.

I turn back to Tag, feeling more like a trapped wolf than a man. “Those animals have Piper and after what they did to her the last time, how long do you think it’ll be before they have her pinned to a mattress or bleeding because she won’t stop fighting?”

Even as I say the words, my stomach tightens.

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