Page 35 of Vengeful Union

I agree. We really do. But I can't bring myself to say anything. I'm afraid that if I do, I'll cry.

As we make our way out of the house and toward the waiting cars, I turn back and see my family blew up the front of the house to gain entry. My heart is heavy and painful as I silently say my goodbyes.

Finn.

He's on my mind. I'm going to miss him, but it's for the best.

Though I pray that this morning wasn’t the last I’ll see of him.

Yet, at the same time, I hope it was.

14

Finn

I'm pissed. Beyond fucking furious. Leaving Destiny isn't something I wanted to do. The way we left things was fucked up. That kiss we had, it sure as fuck felt as though she was saying goodbye. That's not happening. I don't know how many times I have to tell her, but she's mine. I'm not letting her go. If she leaves, I'm following her.

"Tell me you have the fucker’s location," I growl at Jacob, glaring at him through the rear-view mirror.

His lips twitch, but he doesn't look at me, just continues to drive. "We do," he tells me, still fighting his smile. "I hate to drive you away from your love fest, but we have Bannon's location."

"Good," I grunt. My gut's screaming at me that not all is as it seems. "Do we have any idea who the fucker is working with?"

He's too slick; fades into the background too easily. I don't like it. He's being backed by someone and I'm going to find out who.

Alex shakes his head. He glances at Jacob, who's sitting beside him.

"What?" I demand, pissed that they're obviously hiding something.

"It's fucking weird, boss," Alex says, his fists clenching. "How an unknown like him was able to evade us."

I'd laugh if it weren't true. We own the east coast of America. Everyone knows they'll be rewarded for the information we seek, and they'll be penalized if they withhold it from us. The Irish and the Italians have grown over the past year, and our families entwined, making the two greatest criminal entities into one.

"Where has this information come from?" I ask, wondering if we're walking into a trap.

"Your brother," Jacob tells me.

Now that gets my attention. "Which one?" I have three, one of whom I do not trust. The other I'm unsure of, and then there's Denis. I may have only known him a year or so, but he's proven himself to be loyal. He gives a fuck about our sister, and for me, that says it all. Denis is my older brother—my da and his ma fell in love even though my da was promised to my ma. When Denis’ ma turned up pregnant, she was sent away to have the baby, and Da and Ma moved to America. It was only when Makenna became Boss that we found out the truth.

"Cian," Jacob says. "He called me, said he wasn't sure of the intel as it came from one of his men, but we checked it out. I had Reilly and Boz stake out the house, and they both confirmed that Bannon is inside."

Now I allow myself to smile. "Good. Are they still there?"

Jacob nods. "They're waiting until we arrive and will be our back up."

Reilly and Boz both worked for my father. They were his men. When my da was killed and I was shot, they were too, along with a third soldier—Malachy. Unfortunately, Malachy died alongside my da. When I recovered, both Reilly and Boz wanted to join my ranks and be my soldiers. The Boss had no problem with that and allowed them to come to Philly with me.

"Well then," I begin. "Let's go find out who, exactly, Bannon is working for."

When I find out the truth, there's nowhere the fucker can hide. Bannon is in for a world of hurt.

Fifty minutes later and Jacob's pulling up outside a tiny house that's seen better days. As soon as I'm out of the car, Boz and Reilly are by my side. "Any movement?" I ask.

"None. He went inside about an hour ago and hasn't resurfaced since. A black Escalade dropped him off. It had blacked out windows, so we were unable to see the driver. The tags were fake, so we have no way of tracing who it belongs to."

I straighten my suit jacket as I take a step forward. "That, gentlemen, is where Bannon comes in."

The men smirk, knowing what's about to come if the bastard doesn't answer my questions. There's no way out for Bannon. He has one of two ways of going: he can tell me what I want to know, and I'll put a bullet between his eyes—a quick death and relatively painless—or he can be a pain in my arse and not tell me, which will mean I'll unleash holy Hell on the man. Torture is one of my specialties, and I have no problem with doing it to him.

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