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Chapter One
Finn
Present Day . . .
Holding the cards up in my hand, I examine what I have while sipping on my whiskey glass filled with Jameson. Being Irish, I tend to stick to the whiskey my da had me drinking from the time I turned sixteen.“There’s no better whiskey than Irish whiskey, Finn. Learn now and know the best.”As much as I hated the man, I have to admit, he was right. To each their own, but Jameson, Bushmills, and Redbreasts are the best out there, and no one will ever be able to convince me otherwise.
Tonight’s our monthly poker game between Félix, Leo, and myself. We’ve all been friends for years, since we were kids actually, and this is our way of keeping a connection. While we also do business together, meeting up like this once a month is different. It’s outside of our business life, which can sometimes be tense as hell. Honestly, things are very tense right now for multiple reasons.
But more so, I’m supposed to be marrying Félix’s younger sister, Olivia, within the year. Three months ago, I approached Félix about the contract his father and mine agreed to when we were children. The bastards made it so if I didn’t do as they wanted, I lose everything while my brother, Ashton, claims it all. This is something neither Félix nor myself want to see come to fruition.
Ashton isn’t someone who anyone wants to have control of anything. My brother holds grudges over the littlest things and will go to war with anyone just because he has the power to do so. It’s why Félix agreed to the proposition I suggested with Olivia. It’s the best for all of us.
I at least was able to choose who I wanted as my wife, and I chose Olivia. I could’ve easily chosen Sabine or Désirée, but I didn’t for several reasons. Désirée’s still at school and she’s beautiful, but not my type. Sabine is a ballbuster, but she has secrets she hasn’t told her family, and I’m sure she’ll keep them to herself for as long as possible. I only know because I caught her red-handed. Well, not so much red-handed but in the midst of what she’s been doing.
This left Olivia as my only option, and while I’m a bit worried about how young she is, I don’t have a choice. Sure, she’s twenty, but she has the type of personality I’ve always looked for in a wife, and on top of it all, she’s gorgeous. When I started to notice her, I stayed away as much as possible, so I wasn’t tempted to take her to my bed. Then again, I started to notice her when she was underage, and I’m not the type of man who fucks around with that type of shit.
Now she’s of age and she’s going to be my wife. Yet, she hasn’t even given me a shot, not even the time of day to get to know me better.
It’s been hard to keep from feeling anger or resentment toward her, especially given the way she’s acting. Though, as much as I’m holding my feelings back, I’m getting frustrated with her. Time’s running out, and I want the chance for her to get to know me before we say our vows. Even though arranged marriages aren’t too common, it’s something that is when it comes to the Alliance. The Alliance is the Irish mafia, which is my bloodline. I run the Southwest for my family, and someone in the family manages other parts of the country.
The Alliance’s head boss on the East Coast ended up marrying the daughter of the main man out in Ireland. The contract was set the day Bridget was born. Now they’re married with kids. Sometimes the contracts go well. Other times they don’t, like with my parents.
My father was an asshole from hell, similar to my brother, Ashton. The woman who gave birth to both of us can’t even be classified as a mother. She left, escaping from her hell the first chance she was able to. I know I should be more lenient toward her, given who she was married to . . . but the way she left, she just fucking vanished. It’s inexcusable. If I were in her position, I at least would’ve taken my kids. We would’ve been better off away from our father, and maybe my brother wouldn’t be so much like he is today.
Clearing my throat, I stop my thoughts right where they’re at and get back into the poker game. I’m trying to win and being distracted is only going to make me one thing—a loser.
“You ready for your wedding?” Leo asks, his question aimed toward Félix.
“More than ready,” Félix states with a shit-eating grin. No doubt thinking about his fiancée, Madelaine. Even I have to admit the stunning spitfire is his perfect match.
“What about you, Finn?” Both men look at me, and I stiffen.
“I’d be ready if my fiancée would speak to me. Right now, she’s too busy avoiding me at all costs,” I mutter, downing the rest of my Jameson.
“She still hasn’t spoken to you?” Félix demands, his brows furrowing. I know he asked her to talk to me on several occasions. We both want this alliance to stick between our families, and that won’t happen if Olivia doesn’t cooperate with us. She’s going to marry me. I’m trying to make it easy for her and I want her to get to know me throughout this process.
“No. She refuses to answer my calls and hasn’t responded to my text messages. Hell, the woman stayed as far from me as possible during your engagement party,” I grumble, tossing my cards down, folding.
Leo flips his hand up with a grin holding a full house, while Félix shows his hand holding a royal flush.
Fucker has always been good at cards. We all are and when we’re in a casino or card game with others, it’s hilarious to see strangers who think they know the game go up against one of us, especially when they’re playing against Félix.
“Swear to God, Olivia is my baby sister and I’ll do whatever it takes to protect her, but fuck if she doesn’t make life harder than hell sometimes,” Félix states with a shake of his head.
“Hell, you remember the one time she followed us out to the middle of the woods when you guys were visiting? Ha, and those girls met us out there to fuck.” Leo chuckles.
Shit, I remember that day. We were fifteen and were meeting up with these girls we met in town out there. Félix had gotten the bitch down on her knees when we heard Olivia muttering to herself about not seeing us anywhere and how she got lost.
“Not fuckin’ funny. I swear she cock blocked me more than I can count back then,” Félix grumbles, running a hand over his face, letting out a deep breath of annoyance. “Sometimes being the head of the family is more of a headache than I want to deal with.”
“Yeah, but in the long run, it’s worth it. You know Mia doesn’t make it easy for anyone either,” Leo says, leaning back in his chair.
“Mia is a character all unto herself,” I chuckle. I know his sister well. She stays at my house when she wants to go to the beach. According to her, she enjoys the peace she gets when she’s away from her family. Every one of them is extremely protective of her after what happened to her where she ended up with a scar marring her face.
“Think what you want. Just count your blessings Olivia isn’t like her,” I grunt in response to Leo’s remark.
“I’ll speak to my sister and get everything situated. We’ll have it straight before the St. Patrick’s Day dinner we’re having,” Félix remarks, nodding.
I jerk my chin up, shuffle the cards in front of me, and deal them out while thinking about the dinner Madelaine suggested we have.
