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“If Maura is the next head of the family, who will succeed her, then?” Sean continued to push. “She can’t have any children to—”
Jamie slammed his fist on the table. The loud sound echoed off the walls and the room fell silent. Tension built as Jamie stared at Sean like he would slit his throat if Sean said one more word. I was going to do some dirty things to him later while imagining that look he held.
“I didn’t know being able to conceive children was a requirement.” I looked to my uncle. “How was it determined for my father? Or my grandfather? Or my great-grandfather? Did someone at this table jerk them off so they could test to see if they had viable swimmers?”
The murder in Jamie’s eyes faded.
Louie grinned.
Rourke snorted. “That’s gross, cuz.”
The corner of Conor’s mouth twitched. “You can appoint anyone as your heir. Your child or someone else.”
I knew that, but I’d had to break the tension somehow. “I think it’s clear where the majority of this table stands on me taking over. For the sake of time, let’s move this meeting along.”
“We need to debut you before false rumors spread,” Conor said.
Debut?
“The Underground is the best place to do it,” Louie suggested.
“The Underground?” I repeated.
“It’s under the pakhan’s club,” Rourke said.
“Sasha’s club?” I frowned. “Anarchy?”
Rourke nodded. “It’s a neutral place within our territory where those with any standing and enough money in the crime world go to fuck around, whether they are loyal to our family or not.”
“Gambling, high-end prostitutes, drugs, alcohol, you name it,” Louie said. “The only thing that’s not allowed is fighting and weapons.”
“Unless it’s a sanctioned fight that can be gambled on,” Jamie said.
Sounded like Disneyland for criminals. “Alright, we’ll go there tomorrow night.”
We discussed Stefan after that. There wasn’t any new information and Vincent and Aiden had yet to find any leads.
After I dismissed everyone, Sean stayed seated. “May I speak with you?” he asked me.
Rourke and Conor went to leave, but Jamie and Louie didn’t move.
“It’s a private matter that I would like to discuss with the head of the family alone,” Sean said.
I tilted my head toward the door, gesturing for Jamie and Louie to leave. Reluctantly, they listened. Sean told his enforcer to leave, and he looked expectantly at Dean and Brenna to leave as well.
“Go,” I told them, and they too seemed reluctant to leave but followed my order.
Sean tapped the top of the table with the tip of his finger. “I don’t support you taking over for your father.”
I let out a theatrical gasp. “I’m shocked.” I stood from my chair and went over to the liquor trolley. “Who do you support, Sean? Other than yourself, that is.”
As I filled a crystal tumbler nearly full of whiskey, he said, “Me and my men could go back to Boston as soon as tomorrow, leaving you vulnerable here in New Haven. In fact, I’ve been incentivized to do so.”
There it was.
You work quick, Dylan.
I took a big gulp and relished the burn of the whiskey as it slid down my throat. “I thought it odd for you of all people to suggest a traitor.” I turned around to face him. “Especially since you were originally passed over so he could have that chair your ass is currently occupying. He certainly didn’t earn it.” I took a sip. “He got a spot at this table simply because he was a Quinn.”
