The look he gives me. I'm not used to seeing it on anyone's face. Not even Ini's. It's like I'm something special. Like I just offered to do the best thing ever.
My face heats with a blush of pleasure. Cian doesn’t think I'm weird or incompetent. I make him happy. That's what that look is.
And seeing it makes my own heart soar.
I have a person.My person. And I'm his.
Whether we live together, or not.
CIAN
Lachlan and Ronan step off the second elevator, coming up from the lobby, at the same time the doors open on mine. Ronan doesn't have access to this building, so Lachlan had to let him in. All secondary access codes have been temporarily disabled. When the issue with the Kicks Bandidos is handled, they will be reinstated.
Right now, we are on red alert status in the building. Which is one of the reasons I want Anna staying in my apartment.
I should have moved her in when we realized the extent of the cartel's involvement. Instead, I opted to distance myself from her to keep a target off of her back. That didn't work.
Mistakes aren't something I'm used to and I won't make another one when it comes to Anna's safety. Or Shea's. I've had tracking devices implanted in her and Ma and their security detail is doubling going forward.
Connor is working at his desk when we arrive. He looks up, his expression grim. He's settling into his enforcer role. There's a seriousness in his demeanor that wasn't there a few months ago. And he's handled his duties as enforcer well without showing signs of cracking under the pressure.
Jimmy said Connor was meant for the mob side of the business, but I wasn't sure. Now, I am. My cousin is younger than me, but he has a ruthless streak that I understand well.
He still has more conscience than me, but then almost everyone does.
Maybe not Drakos. The Godfather of the Night shares my brutal, unemotional outlook about syndicate business. He was married once, but I don't think he saw his wife the same way I see Anna.
As necessary, but he understands loyalty.
"I want the two detectives that took Anna in for questioning under investigation by Internal Affairs," I say to Lachlan before we head into my office. "Grieves assaulted her." Remembering what the man did, groping my girl, rage boils inside me. "Samuels didn't even try to get him to back off. No way was it a one-off. There will be a string of victims behind them for IA to leverage."
"You want IA to handle it?" Lachlan asks with shock.
"He fucking touched her?" Connor's fury makes his voice deeper than normal. "No wonder she was so upset."
"When Grieves disappears, I want it to look like he went on the run from IA," I correct Lachlan. My plans for him don't include his body ever being found. "I want Samuels in prison, paying the price for her culpability day in and day out for every fucking year of her sentence."
If she survives prison, the detective won't survive her release. Anna asked her to stop Grieves and Samuels ignored her. I've got no doubts that she's stood by while he's done worse.
"I'm on it," Lachlan says.
Then we all get down to what we're here for. Going over the intel that came in last night.
"If we don't move tonight, Martina and that asshole Carmen's married to are going to be on their way to Colombia," Ronan says. "According to the wiretap we have on Martina's phone, others will be sent to accomplish what she hasn't been able to."
Like hell. That is not fucking happening. We are taking down the street gang and then going after those fuckers in Colombia.
Chicago is off limits.
"Connor, send out the coded messages to our allies," I tell him.
"Everyone but Walsh, right?"
"Right. I don't trust that bastard." He gave me the information I asked for, but I'm not convinced he isn't playing both sides.
He was too reluctant in the beginning.
"You think he's trying to make a deal with the Kicks Bandidos for more territory?" Lachlan asks.