Page 6 of Dirty Dylan: Dirty Dusters

I pick up the envelope which has been left unsealed, pulling out the images of the girl my parents want me to wed. I flick through them. She’s beautiful. Stunning, in fact. Slim, tall with long black hair, pale skin, and clear blue eyes. She even looks Irish.

I may have been tempted once. Once when she was exactly my type. But not now. Not now my thoughts are forever plagued by a blonde-haired, green-eyed biker with the mouth of a sailor. Someone I look forward to having heated exchanges with more and more each day. I push the photos back inside the envelope and throw them on the table.

Da snorts as he reads my mind once more.

“I agree Jaine Jones’s credentials as an outlaw lawyer are beyond compare, Eoin. I will grant both you and her that. But has she now lost that hands-on rapport she had with the people who matter? Let’s be honest, son. She’s been out of the loop for the past eighteen months or so. That’s a long time in this life. Plus, how many lives has she actually taken? One, maybe two at most? Molly, on the other hand, has taken many. Ending a life is like water off a duck’s back to her now, and let’s face it, we have to end plenty. And what can Jaine offer the Dusters by way of an alliance? We already have the bikers in our back pocket. Molly will bring with her a host of new connections and all from the old country. I’m sorry, son, but it’s our opinion she’s far more suited to being the next Ma Duster.”

“You need to meet Jaine.”

I watch as he shakes his head, immediately turning down my request. I can’t blame him. What Jaine did was disrespectful. Unforgivable in my parents’ eyes.

“We offered to meet her once before, and she didn’t show, Eoin. She should thank her lucky stars we didn’t task The Exterminator with planting a bullet in that skull of hers for the blatant show of disrespect she showed me and your ma. And as I’ve already pointed out, she’s taken the vows with this other biker. So, what are you going to do? Send him to meet his maker so you can claim her as your own? No. I’m sorry, son, but mine and your ma’s minds are made up. Young Molly is flying into New York next week. You’ll meet with her, and we’ll take things from there.”

I nod at my father. There’s no point arguing with him, so for now, I outwardly pretend I will accept his decision knowing full well I have no intention of ever doing so.

CHAPTERFOUR

JESSIE

The Hudson Dusters’ HQ, Manhattan, New York

“Howdy, partner.”

I take in my reflection in the restroom mirror as I call Jaine to update her on the outcome of the recent meeting.

“Are you sure you’re not from Texas?”

“Definitely Nevada. I triple-checked. With him being present at my birth, I also asked my daddy, just to be one hundred percent certain.”

There’s a pause. I get the distinct impression Jaine doesn’t like my daddy after what went down in Nevada when he intimated she might not be doing things by that professional legal handbook of hers. Offense was definitely taken. Then again, I also think she’s still coming to terms with my whole family situation. The fact that Bailey and I are sisters. That her ex-boyfriend is now shacked up with my youngest sibling.

“Any update?”

She changes the subject. Yup. She’s not prepared to give my daddy the time of day.

“On?”

“Tell me about Dylan first. And I refuse to call him delectable.”

“Spoilsport.” I snicker immaturely. “Well, there’s no change on that front. I continue to stay out of his way. It’s only when I have to attend Duster meetings that we’re ever in the same space. You know, those times I’ve told you about when I catch myself drooling. Eoin caught me blatantly ogling him today.”

“He was probably pissed off because you weren’t admiring him.”

“Trust me, it’s not me he wants to admire him.”

She ignores that comment completely.

“Anyway, enough about the O’Connell brothers, what’s happening with the IRS?”

I exhale loud and slow. “It’s not good news, Jaine.”

“Don’t keep me in suspense then. Just tell me how it is.”

“Apparently, the wheels are now in motion. I’m reliably informed they want to conduct an audit into Play with a view to calculating the tax avoidance they believe has taken place there. If any related party transactions are discovered, it could then create a domino effect with any other Duster companies Play has traded with being next in line. The resultant ripple could see audits rolled out through the entire group.”

“Audits that will lead to criminal investigations in due course.”

“Yes. So I need to provide all the necessary supporting evidence to substantiate the transactions under suspicion. Interim financial statements have already been published. The balances cannot be altered.”

---