Page 85 of Dublin Charmer
The truth is, I’m more than okay. For the first time in years, I feel something dangerous and beautiful unfurling in my chest.Hope.
Not just for me and Gio, but for something I’d stopped believing in.
A future and a place to belong.
Finn’s body is solid behind me, and I lean against him, trusting him to catch me and keep me safe if the world should overwhelm.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Finn
Ican’t stop looking at Nyx. Every time I glance away, my eyes drift back to her like she’s magnetic north and I’m a compass that can’t help but find her. She’s sitting across from me at our massive dining room table, her blue hair a bright spot of color in a room full of exhausted warriors.
“The west wing is fucked,” Bryan says, breaking the heavy silence. “Blood on the walls, bullet holes everywhere.”
“Better the walls than us,” Harper adds, her hand resting on his forearm. The gesture is small but speaks volumes about how this storm has solidified our relationships.
Brendan leans back in his chair, wincing as he adjusts his bandaged leg. “Cora’s gonna lose her mind when she sees what they did to her kitchen.”
“Och, I’m made of sterner stuff than that, m’boy.” Cora joins us, setting down a tray of sandwiches. “And the way I look at it, I’m thinking this would be just the time to speak to Tag about a remodel.”
Connor chuckles. “That’s my girl. Timing is everything.”
Nora passes plates around the table, her movements efficient despite her obvious exhaustion.
Sean finishes with a text and addresses the room. “We’ve swept every room, every closet, every crawl space. The house and the outbuildings are all secure.”
Bryan grunts. “I half expected Gravely to be hiding somewhere like the coward he is.”
I scoff. “No, he doesn’t stick around once he sees he’s losing.”
“The bodies are in the driving shed for now and the cleanup crew will arrive at dawn. It’s cold enough out there that they’ll keep overnight.”
“You didn’t put Andrew and the men we lost from the grounds crew in with those fuckers, did you?” Brendan asks.
Sean shakes his head. “No. They’re in the stables. I’ve notified all their families of their sacrifice and have told their loved ones we will hold a private ceremony here in two days’ time. Then, once they’ve had their chance to say goodbye, all the bodies will be cremated and returned to them.”
I suppose that’s the best we can offer them.
My phone buzzes. I check the message and feel a weight lift from my shoulders. “Tag says Laine and the baby checked out perfect. They’re staying overnight for observation, but everything is good.”
A collective exhale ripples around the table.
“Is the hospital secure?” Harper asks.
Sean wraps his arm protectively around Piper. “I’ve got Devils at every entrance, the labor and delivery floor, and outside their door. If Gravely is stupid enough to try something there, he’ll regret it.”
Piper’s brother, Brody, looks strange and out of place at our table. He shifts and clears his throat. “What’s the play now? Gravely’s lost men, but he’s not finished. Do we go home? Do we try to reclaim our territory?”
Bryan shakes his head. “He’s cornered and desperate. That makes him more dangerous but hopefully, it also makes him reckless. You’ll stay here a few more days while the dust settles. Then we’ll see where we are with Gravely.”
“He’s a dead man walking,” Sean says flatly. “Just hasn’t accepted it yet.”
I watch Nyx push food around her plate, her thoughts clearly elsewhere. Gio’s resting upstairs: exhausted, malnourished, but alive. I can see the relief in her eyes, but also the lingering tension.
I finish my Guinness and swallow. “We’ll need to eliminate his remaining resources. From what I’ve gathered, he’s lost about ninety percent of his manpower between the two warehouse battles and what happened here. His supply lines and warehouses are compromised, and with the damage from this ice storm, nothing much will be happening for another week or so.”
“His assets are literally frozen,” Brendan says, chuckling.
