AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Once I’d arrived at the estate, I’d gathered everything I’d needed for this meeting and what would follow after and sent out the emergency message.
I dipped my head in Conor’s direction when the last member was seated and waited for him to close and lock the doors before hitting the send button on my phone.
Mickey liked to perform. He drew things out and kept them wondering. I wasn’t going to do that.
As soon as all the phones in the room went off, I said, “Mickey’s dead.”
Every member scrambled for their phone, looking at the message containing the picture of Mickey I’d taken before we’d gotten rid of him.
There were more murmurs and woops of excitement.
But they all died down when I called out over them, “I’m not your new boss.” As soon as I had their attention, I continued. “I won’t rule over a life I’ve always hated. And I won’t let Holloway continue.”
It felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room before everyone erupted, shouting curses and questions.
I let them yell for a minute before I started talking, letting them quiet while I did. “Most of you are only here because you’ve been trapped here by Mickey. Even more of you have families that live in different cities because you’re afraid for their lives. That’s not a life.”
“Some of us chose this,” one of the guys in the back yelled.
I shrugged unapologetically. “From what I’ve heard, some Borello members found new gangs up north after they disbanded. I’m sure you can too. But I promise you don’t want to stay here.”
There were a few huffs of displeasure.
I kept my hardened glare on the men they came from.
“I know this has been a lifestyle and source of income for years, if not all of your adult lives. I know you’ve been secure in the money that Holloway and O’Sullivan Financial produces. But it’s about to be seized. Hopefully you can gather some of what’s yours before it is. You’ll have to find real jobs apart from Holloway and the firm, or again, find other gangs up north. You’ll have one hour after the meeting ends to take what you can and disappear before Holloway and the truth of O’Sullivan Financial goes public.”
Dare might have kept all the information we’d gathered of Mickey’s plans for the human trafficking ring, but I still had what I needed to destroy his name and his company.
His ties with Holloway, dating back to the beginning. Every time he blackmailed the government to do his bidding or sweep something under the rug. Every piece of proof needed to show his broker-dealer firm was a front and money source for the cocaine he bought, moved, and supplied.
All of it.
And everything would soon be sent to news stations and government officials.
The collective shock from all the men in the room except for Conor hit me hard and fast, and I knew it wasn’t long before they exploded again.
I brushed my hands across my legs, pulling two knives out of my pockets as I did. A cruel grin pulled at my mouth as my fingers curled and flexed around the handles.
“Anyone have a problem?”
When a minute passed and no one said anything or moved, I nodded to Conor to unlock the doors.
“Meeting’s over.”
One of the lifers immediately shoved from the table and stormed out, the door smacking against the wall and slamming shut behind him.
After a few seconds, a handful of others followed.
One of the members who had picked up Jessica’s mom that afternoon hurried over to me and threw his arms around me, despite the knives still in my hands or the way I was seconds from pushing him away.
“Thank you,” he said, then clapped my back and hurried out.
A line had formed behind him of men who had been loyal to Aric and me, and even some who had stayed loyal to Mickey. None of them tried to hug me again, but every one of them shook my hand, thanking me for setting them free.
One of Mickey’s followers cleared his throat and said, “You would’ve made a good boss.” When I started to disagree, he continued over me, “They followed you even though you never wanted to lead. And I see why. Mickey wouldn’t have given us the warning you just did, he would’ve fed us to the dogs.”
I tilted my head in appreciation and watched him go.
