AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter 4
Cahill
I finish up my meeting with Cillian, explaining there is a situation I need to deal with. Cillian is very understanding. He loves to hear the stories about what happens to people who cross us. I have taken many lives before, either as orders from my dad, or trying to save my own life. I don’t enjoy it, but it’s a means to an end. I do enjoy roughing someone up if they need to be reminded of who is in charge or when they need to make repayments.
Now I’m head of the family I don’t get to do much of either anymore. I have foot soldiers to do it for me. It means I have more time to rub hands with the Garda and politicians to keep their noses out of my business. I always find out stuff to blackmail them with. With the internet my boys can hack into any computer and find files, or we catch them in compromising situations and exploit them for my family’s benefit.
I button up my jacket and head down to the back of the restaurant. I greet customers and make sure everyone is having a lovely time enjoying the food. It makes people believe I am a lovely respectful business owner just trying to make a name for myself. I have made a name for myself, but not as a respectful business owner.
I keep walking. I hate this hall, it’s so dark and boring but I need it to make people who walk down it feel like they are going to death. There is nothing fun about death. As I get closer, I hear the room is silent. Then I hear a female voice asking for their bag. I think I know that voice. I can’t be sure. I need to see her to be sure. Then I hear her demand her bag from Jonathon, so I slip inside quietly. Only Liam notices I’ve entered as he is looking at the direction of the doorway. She still has her back to me. Jonathon is in front of her, taking all the sass that is coming from her, and I can tell he wants to retaliate. I can see her long brown hair and floppy hat. What kind of trousers/skirt thing is she wearing? They are wide and different. Not what I am used to seeing on a woman. She has on a white t-shirt; I think it’s plain and far too big for her. What is this style called? The most unfitted clothes she finds she wears. No man would look at her, is that what she is hoping for. Strange little lady.
She is petite alright, maybe up to my chest in height but I need to get closer, then I hear her mock Jonathon and Liam bursts out laughing. This little one has some fire in her. She is clearly nervous and scared but trying so hard to remain brave. She has some balls for a woman. Jonathon is furious with her. I am sure he would love to spank her but won't until I say he can. Loyal men I have, and we also don’t like to hurt women or children if we can avoid it. But some women have been honey traps, and their lives have ended very abruptly.
She is stunning, better than I remember at the coffee shop and nightclub. Her t-shirt has “never underestimate the power of a girl with a book” written on it. It takes her a while before she notices me, but when she sees me standing there, I find it interesting how her eyes become wide. I think she remembers me. I don’t speak. I’m scared of what I might say. Since when does the head of the family get scared, especially by a woman? Pull it together Cahill, I tell myself. I really hope to fuck she isn't working for someone to try to take me down. She’s too pretty to die.
Then she says, “You! Coffee boy!” I know Liam wants to ask so many questions. I’m still stunned she remembers me. It has been weeks since I saw her. Have I been on her mind like she has been on mine?
Then she goes off one about being kidnapped—which is kind of true. By ogres—which is not true, my men are very well mannered and were gentlemen to her. Her claim she has done nothing wrong—I will see about that.
I tell her I’m the boss and use her name. I think she wants to scream, run, cry, but I see pride in there too. She looks shocked I remember her. I did tell her I would be seeing more of her, I just meant maybe trying to ask her out for a date and a long night between the sheets making her scream my name.
Jonathon hands me her bag. I take it apart in front of her, setting the three books on the table. I see she is still reading theSantiago Seriesabout Dante. I wonder why she has all three books with her? When I handle the books, I see her cringe and hear her gasp as I touch them. I am not planning to do anything to them, but I honestly believe if I was to dog-ear a corner of one the books, she will tell me everything I need hear. These books are her babies. That’s a little creepy to me. Next I pull out her phone, keys, and purse. That’s it. No make-up, lippy stuff, creams, nothing, just the simple stuff besides the books. I glance at her, and she is nearly crying.
“Sophie, do you have anything on you? Like weapons? Or a wire?” I ask her gently. She shakes her head as if I’m crazy for asking this question.
“I have to ask these questions. I can ask Jonathon to pat ya down to make sure you aren’t lying?” I say to re-enforce that I don’t want to make this any harder than it is. I glance at Jonathon and Sophie perks up.
“Him? You mean brute? I don’t want a pat down, thanks very much, and I have no weapons or wire or anything! Where the fuck would I hide them?” She spits back at me.
I am slightly lost with her calling Jonathon brute, but I see Liam is really trying not to laugh again. What did Jonathon do? If he hurt her, I will hurt him! Wait. What am I thinking? She was eavesdropping. I don’t know what came over me there, something stupid. When I really look at Jonathon, I see a little blood around his nostril. I wonder if Sophie did that? Or did Liam? I know Liam has a fiery temper when he wants to.
I take her phone, it’s locked of course. It’s an apple and she is just sitting there so I get the face recognition to work in two seconds.
She has a lot of notifications from Instagram. Well over a hundred. What is she doing on there? I will worry about it later. I check her calls. The last person it says she rang was her mam two days ago. She has a recent message from Lauren—with a heart emoji beside her name. The text is about dinner tonight, it says Lauren is cooking. Sophie is meant to be home by half past six tonight. The other messages I see were weeks ago from her boss asking her to work overtime. Her mam has messaged a few times too.
Sophie doesn’t seem to have many friends. I wonder why? She is a good-looking lass. I assumed she would have plenty of friends, especially if this Instagram thing is anything to go by. I wonder if she is lonely in this world. But not for much longer if I have anything to do with it.
I will still need to get Timmy to hack her phone to make sure. I have a look at her pictures, just in case she did try to snap pictures of our drop off today. What I find is a camera roll filled with pictures of books and the odd selfie with her blonde friend from the club. I was not expecting this. A young lady at her age I thought would have hundreds of selfies and pictures of places she has been to with her blonde friend or food. Aoife tells me that is the in thing to do, take pictures of your food and send it to people. I don’t understand why. No one cares what you eat or drink.
I look at the pictures she took today at the warehouse. They’re of the three books she brought with her in her bag. They are amazing pictures, and you can’t see anything in them of my men, or the drop off. Maybe she was telling the truth, but I can’t trust her yet.
I ask Jonathon to take her phone to Timmy to check it out, and Timmy will do a background check on her too while he’s at it. When Jonathon is out the door, Sophie looks at me.
“Why are you taking my phone? And how am I meant to contact Lauren? She will be worried about me and call the Garda.”
This is brave talk for a wee woman. I try to reassure her. “Lauren said in her message dinner won't be ready to half past six. It’s…” I pause while I look at my Rolex, “half past four now. I am sure your phone will be back before then. But in the meantime, I will take you back to mine to wait.”
“No! I want to go home now, Cahill! I don’t know why I am here. Who are you to detain me? And why did these two bring me here? I only took pictures of my books for my blog. How is that a crime? I didn’t trespass either. The warehouse has been abandoned for years.” She squeals at me jumping up from the chair.
Liam is ready to hold her back.
“Sophie. Don’t test me,” I say as calmly as I can. “You are being held because we think you might have overheard some of my business. I need to find out what you have learnt, if anything. Also, if you are working for the Garda, or another family.
Maybe you are a honey trap to get to me or one of my men. I don’t want to do this but it’s for the safety of my family, and family comes first. Now you will come back to mine, and you will wait. If you are innocent, I will take you back home myself.”
I have no intentions of taking her to her own home. Once she is at mine, she will be at mine, until I say otherwise. She might have learnt too much already, and that’s only by coming to my restaurant.
I can see something register in Sophie’s mind, reading those mafia books are maybe starting to pay off for her, I think to myself and smirk. Sophie nods and grabs her books and bag. A look of defeat and worry crosses her face.
