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For a man who is always so well put together, with never as much as a lock of hair out of place, he’s a chaotic mess. Gone is his pristine appearance, replaced by a rumpled charcoal suit and wayward strands of ink-black hair. His tie hangs loose and crooked as if he’s been tearing at it for the better half of the morning. He is unravelling, and fuck me, it’s comical.
Scanning the office, my eyes roam past Donnacha and his dickless dad, Kevin Deegan, until finally, they connect with Lorcan Reilly.
He’s a big bastard, who wouldn’t hesitate to put me on my arse if I disrespected him, or his authority. For the past twenty years, he has run everything with the King name, from the legitimate businesses to the dodgy side deals.
“Sit.” His words are quiet, but any fool would recognise the demand in his eyes. Aodhán doesn’t hesitate and plonks his arse down on the couch by the door.
“You too, kid.”
My jaw tightens, and the sound of my clenched teeth grinds in my ears. Of course, I could call him out for that little nickname, but I won’t.
Lorcan knows I have a love/hate relationship with him calling mekid, and honestly, I think he only does it to piss me off.
Now, now, Lorcan. Two can play that game.
A smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth. He tips his chin towards the free chair across from his, motioning for me to take my seat.
I raise a brow, keeping the rest of my features unreadable. “I’ll stand.”
Turning towards my father, I ask, “Are you going to enlighten us on why we were summoned, or are we to take guesses?”
My father halts his pacing, then swiftly turns on his heel. Suddenly, his hands slam onto his desk with a heavy slap, the dense sound cutting through the room, and everyone freezes, including me. Then, the office is silent for seconds. Not so much as a breath is taken.
Finally, he directs his frustration at me. “Listen here, you disrespectful piece of shit. You are the reason we are here. You had one job, and you failed,miserably, might I add. Word has gotten back to me that Ms Saoirse Ryan has not only arrived in Killybegs, but she’s staying at the Devereux Estate.”
Over the years, my father has called me many names — arrogant, self-righteous, and let’s not forget — pig-headed. But the beauty of being me is I don’t fucking care. I’m known for being a cunning, calculated, untouchable bastard, and one day I will cull him and all his pretentious arselickers and then, I’ll replace them with people with a bit more substance.
“Saoirse is in Killybegs?” Lorcan frowns, and I can garen-fucking-tee he’ll be pissed I didn’t make the effort to mention it sooner.Oops!
“Yes. She arrived yesterday afternoon. A fact you should have made me aware of. After all, you are here to be my eyes and ears. Instead, Donnacha” — he points to the smug arsehole kicked back in the chair facing him — “told me he saw her at the gym.”
Spineless cunt, running straight to his lordship with every detail.
Okay, so I knew he saw her yesterday, especially when he noticed how much she pulled my focus from our sparring match, but in my defence, I was banking on him not knowing who she was. If I thought for one second he would recognise her, I would have demanded he keep his rat-mouth shut.
Shoving my hands into my black jean pockets, I rock on the soles of my boots. “As interesting as the princess’s arrival is, this seems like a ‘you’problem, old man.”
“A me problem? Let me spell this out for you, Rohan, because your thick skull doesn’t seem to be comprehending how much of a complete shit show this is.” He stalks around the desk, stopping mere centimetres from my face. “If Saoirse Ryan comes to the syndicate looking for her rightful place at the head of the table, they will give it to her. She is a Ryan…heir to the Killybegs throne.”
From the corner of my eye, I spy Lorcan shifting in place.
What the fuck is his problem? He’s acting shadier than Eminem. Well, I suppose that’s to be expected when you lose eyes on your boss’s biggest threat.
Gabriel spreads his arms wide, demanding my attention as he gestures to everything around him. “If that happens, all of this, everything we’ve built, dis-fuckin-appears.”
“We could have the boys watch her, make sure she knows her place,” Kevin interjects, making me want to rip his head off and shove it up his son’s anus.
My father looks at his watch and then releases a curse. “Fuck. I have to go. There’s a shipment due in an hour. Kevin, come with me. Lorcan,” he addresses. “Formulate a plan to contain this before I have to take drastic measures.”
“Yes, boss.”
They head for the door, and once Gabriel’s hand rests on the handle, he turns to trap my eyes with his lethal glare. “For once, do as Lorcan asks. Understood?”
I shoot him my best fake smile. “You got it, Daddy.”
Once they’re gone, I round the desk, plonk myself into my father’s chair, and kick my feet onto the desk. “So, boss man. What's the plan? Fuck Saoirse into submission? You know I wouldn’t be opposed to tying her cute arse to my bed and making her forget her own name, let alone the kingdom she’s about to inherit.”
Lorcan’s jaw ticks at my crass language, but hey, what can I say? I love getting underneath his skin.
“Saoirse Ryan...” Lorcan spews. Her name rolls off his tongue as he leans forward, his hollow eyes boring into my skin. “...is out of bounds.”
Crossing the room, he places his palms flat on the solid oak desk between us. “Keep her close. But under no fucking circumstances do you fuck her. There is no place for a Ryan in a King’s bed. Understood?”
Aodhán and Donnacha acknowledge him with a tip of their chins, but I stay silent, unwilling to make the devil’s advocate a promise I refuse to keep.
“Rohan?” he questions, eyes murderous as he glares right through me.
“Sorry, boss man. But fucking Saoirse Ryan is exactly what I intend to do.”
