Page 38 of Dirty Eoin

She’s one of Jaine’s two loyal supporters present today. Our Dylan’s new wife is seated to his right. They say opposites attract and it’s true in their case. Dylan is an introvert, or at least he was. Jessie, on the other hand, is an extrovert who loves to be the center of attention. Looking ever the business professional, the tall model-esque blonde accountant now has her poker face firmly in place.

She’ll hold her tongue for now. She won’t want to upset Da and the same will be true vice versa. For whatever reason, they share a soft spot for each other.

I then turn my attention to Sarah, our Cillian’s wife, seated to his right. Both are redheads with matching fiery temperaments. Sarah lives in the moment. Most of the time, she does so without a single thought or care as to the outcome of her fly-by-the-seat-of-her-pants approach to life. Sarah is Paul Delaney’s baby sister. She’s also one of Jaine’s closest allies and her other great supporter.

She’s currently biting her lip nervously. It's that skittish reaction that gives her away. She knows. Whatever it is, Sarah Delaney already fucking knows.

For how long I wonder?

Da looks deep in thought, a frown marring his forehead. He has done ever since his tete-a-tete with Jaine yesterday. Today, we’ll see first-hand the results of his handiwork now that all the blood and filth will have been washed away. No one will know the reason Jaine will look like she’s been through the wars.

We’ve been sworn to secrecy or else there will berepercussions.

A blatant threat, not a veiled one, and one our Dylan took extremely seriously.

I look at the only other person in the room. Blonde-haired and green-eyed like his ma and hailing all the way from Dublin, I take in our cousin, Aidan O’Connell.

He catches my eye and grins. This is all new to him. The professional business side of the organization. He’s used to getting his hands dirty dealing with the supply and shipping of weapons from the Irish end. As he’ll be working closely with Cillian, we thought it only right that he witness today’s showdown.

He has no real idea what’s going on or who Jaine is, but he’s soaking it in all the same. He’ll no doubt be enjoying every entertaining moment of witnessing the big bad Dusters being made to jump through silly little hoops by a female fucking lawyer.

Still, he’s part of our inner circle. It’s his birthright the same as it is ours. He’s blood. Family. It’s the most important thing to us O’Connells.

And no matter the earth-shattering news Jaine Jones announces today, she will never bring our family to its knees. She will never bring me to my knees. She may try like many have done before her. But she will fail just as they did.

Silence.

So quiet we can all hear the elevator door as it opens and closes, then the mumble of conversation as Jaine speaks with Candice.

The latter knocks on the door.

“Come in.” My tone is firm. Today, Jaine Jones will meet her match when she enters the den of the lion himself.

Candice’s smile is polite but forced. Now I’ve agreed to wed Molly, what we shared has ended once and for all. A reality she’s not pleased about. She’ll get over it, I’m sure. It’s not like I ever promised her anything.

“Your visitor has arrived.”

“Show her in, please.”

The door closes.

Seconds later, it reopens and Jaine walks into the room.

I take in the woman I allowed to haunt my thoughts for far too long. She looks immaculate in a navy suit with matching heels. Her golden hair hangs down to mid-back. It’s a far cry from her typical tank girl look.

If she’d been dressed like this when we first met, then maybe I wouldn’t have made the mistake of underestimating her. I know now it was likely deliberate on her part. She’s manipulative. Extremely so.

She makes eye contact with me first. Her cheek is badly bruised, and the cut inflicted on her by my da’s blade is being held together by surgical tape. She shifts her focus to him. Not many can hold my da’s stare, but she does, and with ease. Then again, she’ll have looked into the depths of the madman’s condemned soul yesterday when her life was hanging by a thread.

She showed no fear then. She’s displaying none now.

I thought he may appear sheepish at having to survey the results of his overreaction in the harsh light of day, but he gives nothing away either.

“Partner, have you been in a fight?” Jessie breaks the elongated silence, which is typical of her need to always be heard.

Jaine smirks at her. “You know what curiosity did to the cat, don’t you, Jessie? I suggest since you’ve not been blessed with the nine lives of a feline that you mind your own goddamn business.”

Jessie laugh-snorts in response. Very ladylike. Almost as ladylike as Jaine’s cussing little mouth.

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