I let out the breath I am holding, relief making me sag into my desk. "I'll be right there."
CIAN
I text Uncle Jimmy and tell him to get Anna into his office and keep her there until I give the all-clear. Fucking Quinn Murphy. He's distant family. My mom was a Murphy before she married a Doyle, but I'll end him if he doesn't leave my Anna alone.
Thinking he can ask her out. She said she wasn't interested though. My Anna doesn't say much, but she said that, didn't she?
Once I know she's safe in my uncle's office, I get down to business. We've got a gang trying to move in on our territory to sell their low-quality shit that's put more than one user into the hospital already. Since the Kicks Bandidos are doing the same thing in the Murphy and Walsh clans' territories too, it's a matter for all of us.
We argue over how to handle it for a while, until I'm sick of the bickering back and forth. Éamon Walsh doesn't like that both the Murphy and Doyle clans are now headed up by men young enough to be his sons. He thinks his age makes him the de facto big boss. Neither Quinn nor I agree.
"Enough," I say, cutting off a shouting match between him and Quinn. "Walsh, if you want to negotiate with the fucking Kicks Bandidos for the right to deal in your territory, I'm not going to stop you."
I don't say I can't stop him, because we both know that if I chose to become his enemy rather than his ally, I would crush him. My clan is three times the size of his. But we've got family ties through the Byrnes with the Walshes. That's how we became allies seventy-five years ago.
"We're kicking them out of Doyle territory," I bark. "I’m not letting that cut-rate shit bring the heat down on us."
"Same," Quinn says.
Most days I appreciate his succinct use of words. His clan is almost the same size as the Doyles and he's a good ally. But today, I want to cut out his tongue for talking to Anna. Maybe cut off his hands so he won't even think about trying to touch her.
"Do you want to coordinate attacks?" Lachlan asks him when I just sit and stare at the man as I picture his demise in my mind.
"I think it would be more effective," his underboss replies to Lachlan. "Right Quinn?"
Quinn is busy staring back at me. There's no expression on his face. Some might find that intimidating. I don't. I will fucking cut him and bathe in his blood if he comes near Anna again. We stare at each other in silence until the other men in the room start to move restlessly, but no one speaks.
Finally, Quinn asks, "That what you want, Cian?"
"So long as you remember what's yours and what's mine," I say.
He jerks his head in agreement. "I'll let Paddy work out the details with Lachlan."
We both trust our men so I have no problem with that.
~ ~ ~
After the meeting I text Jimmy.
Me:Send Anna back.
Jimmy:She just left for lunch with Shea.
I pull up the app that monitors my mother and sisters' phone trackers and see that Shea and Anna are at a Greek deli a couple of blocks from our offices. "Let's get some Greek food," I say to Lachlan.
"Sounds good. I thought you were going to make me work through lunch figuring out these logistics with the Murphys."
"You can meet with Paddy away from the offices later today."
"Away from Anna you mean."
I don't reply.
~ ~ ~
The deli is crowded. It usually is, which is what makes it such a good front for the Greek mafia's less than legal endeavors. They've been our allies sharing territory for three generations. They cover smuggling, illegal prescription drug sales, and weapons. We have the protection racket, illegal drugs and gambling. We both hire our soldiers out for hits and do our own money laundering. Anything not covered in our blood oath agreement is fair game for both families.
Stavros, head of his family, comes rushing up to us, his usually affable manner a front for a total sociopath. I relate. Except for the affability part.