Page 391 of Lodestar

“I foresee a wager,” Eoghan drawled.

I rubbed my hands together. “Can’t be that difficult being a mature student, can it?”

Aidan chuckled. “You’re about to find out. But before you become Harvard’s next MVP, can we get on with this conversation, please? What can we hold over Maloney’s head to make the purchase?”

“Nothing. We just buy it." At their blank looks, I snickered. "Your faces. Honestly, did you think we could go into this by blackmailing him? Legitimacy has to start somewhere."

Brennan frowned. “That’s going to be expensive?—”

“And a presidential election campaign isn’t?”

He conceded that with a grunt.

“I’m telling you this is the way forward. We formulate a Super PAC with O’Grady subsidiaries as major cash cows for the election campaign, funds that come from legitimate income streams like Ellie’s Bakery, and then we get the O’Donnellys linked with sports.”

“I’ve started checking out locations for new branches of the bakery,” Finn said. “Aoife’s being difficult, but it’s her baby so she can be.”

I hummed. “So long as we start the expansion soon, she can be as difficult as she wants.” To my younger brother, I informed, “Declan, you’d have to be the one who approaches Maloney.”

“Me?!” He groaned. “I hate fucking soccer.”

“We all do,” Brennan pointed out.

“I hate it more than most. Can’t we buy out a ballet company or something?”

“So we can look more elite than our bank balances allow?” I arched a brow at him. “Sports unite, Dec. Ballet doesn’t.”

“He’s right, Dec,” Finn stated.

“He is,” Brennan agreed.

When Aidan and Eoghan nodded, he grumbled, “Fine. But if I have to suffer, one of you can too. I’m not doing this shit alone.”

“Need us to hold your hand, Dec?” Eoghan mocked. “I’ll suffer with you. I don’t hate it as much as you fuckers.”

“I hate the sport, but I’ll come with. Wouldn't be a bad thing to get friendly with Maloney. His fiancée's father owns Puritan Oats. Ya know, what our nation was founded on.”

Brennan whistled. "Those and Cornflakes."

“Okay, so while the youngest are keeping out of trouble,” Aidan mocked, “we focus on…?”

“We need to make strategic purchases of players. Nothing major at first, a slow build. But we need to make an impact over the next two seasons. Splash our names about. While that’s happening, Aidan, I’ve got a connection I need you to... encourage.”

“Who?”

“Star’s grandfather. Anton Kuznetsov.”

“The head of the United Brotherhood?” Eoghan queried.

“More secret society bullshit,” Brennan complained.

“Not bullshit,” I corrected. “More likeuseful. Have you seen what that Interpol department he built has accomplished since its inauguration?”

I tossed a newspaper at him, one whose headline declared:

Interpol confirms two dozen arrests of previously unknown Sparrow agents via DGSI, Scotland Yard, and Guardia Civil.

He sniffed as he read it, but I ignored him to continue, “Plus, he’s a kingmaker. We want to think that we are, but we’re not where the legitimate side of things comes into play.Heis.

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