AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He nods. “See you later, Ava.” He walks out of the office.
“Dinner is at eight. Wait.” She spins to face me. “Will we be done by eight?”
“Hopefully. It should only take a few hours. Let’s take a seat.”
I lead her to the couch.
“Is everything okay?”
“Of course. I just wanted to ask if you have a preference for where you want to live? With the mansion destroyed, we need to find a new home. The penthouse isn’t where I want to raise our kids.”
“Are you reading my mind, Mr. Manarch?”
“Maybe.” I laugh when she ribs me. “I want more kids, and this isn’t exactly the place to have them.”
“How many exactly? Because I’m only giving you one more.” Her smile gives away her lie.
“We will see about that.”
* * *
One hour later…
While Oliver drives us to the docks, I consider all the possible ways this will go. There will be over two hundred men waiting. At the last minute, I decided the meeting should be all-hands-on-deck. This doesn’t need to be dragged out. The remaining Irish have either gone into hiding or left the city altogether.
Either way, I need my men on the same page.
Driving into the docks, I notice it is overflowing with cars and SUVs. Even though these are my men, I have a contingency plan in place in the event it goes sideways. Marco’s men have surrounded the place, inside and out. There’s no way to know if anyone has a hidden agenda, especially Bobby, who hasn’t returned any of Oliver’s calls.
“Here goes nothing,” Oliver utters, driving in. “Do you have a vest on?”
He glares at me when I mock him. “Do you?”
“Yes.” We laugh.
He suggested we wear one in the event someone makes an attempt on our lives. We have no idea how much poison our father spread among the men when the division happened.
The warehouse is filled with men talking in English and Gaelic, showing that some of the old-school men are present. As I enter, the men part and bow their heads, a sign of respect for the head of the Clan.
At the back of the warehouse, there’s a round table where the top men are seated. I opted not to use the traditional rectangular table my father preferred.
The men seated at the table are from my father’s reign. One of them is Bobby. I’ll use this meeting to introduce the change of leadership.
“Thank you for coming. Everyone can have a seat.” I order as I sit. The warehouse is filled with chairs as if we’re in an auditorium. “Before we start, I’m laying down some ground rules.” I scan the room and see how the men have clustered. All of my father’s men are sitting together. “Everyone’s concerns will be heard at the end, but I expect everyone to show respect for one another.” The room fills with men saying ‘yes’ in English and Gaelic. “With my father’s death, I will implement changes in how the Clan will operate.” There are murmurs, forcing me to bark out, “Silence.”
The warehouse quiets instantly, except for one voice.
“You’ve to understand them, Viktor. Your father just died, and you’re coming here, giving orders,” Bobby remarks.
“First, you will call me Ceannard,” I order, my words like daggers. “I am the head of our Clan. As the head, Igive the orders.”
When anger forms in his eyes, Angus takes a step closer to the table, right near where Bobby is sitting.
“I apologize, Ceannard. I didn’t mean to overstep.” He forces the words out.
“It’s time for new blood to sit at this table. My father’s reign is over, and things will change. This Clan needs to evolve. We aren’t in Scotland.” I hush the whispers by adding. “That is not to say I don’t want the wisdom you men have brought to the table in the last three decades.” I look at them as I speak.
“Aye,” they voice in unison, except Bobby.
