Finn (2 page)

“To do work,” he said simply. She didn’t need to know how much he worried for her safety at work. He’s spent so much time trying to convince her to just take the job that he’d forgotten just how she’d gotten shot.

His track record for keeping people safe in his business was pretty poor. He wasn’t about to let there be a repeat.

She watched him for a moment, and he was fairly certain that if she could have exploded his head with her thoughts, she would have.

“Why does my desk have to be over to the side like that?” She pointed to how much space there was between the desk and the wall.

“How else am I supposed to stare at you without you knowing?” He grinned broadly when she huffed over to the door.

“I’m doing inventory,” she said and stomped out of the room.

“Let Conor help you,” he hollered at her and laughed when he heard her kick open the door to the room next to his.

Something had clicked in her over the last month. The woman that he had known before had faded away, and instead he was left with this very unsure spitfire. It was much better than what she had been. With someone who had been beaten repeatedly like she had, it was just luck that she had been able to pull herself out of it.

Regardless, the next man would have a hard time doing anything that might harm her. Finn frowned. Maybe there shouldn’t be a next time for her for quite some time.

“You know you shouldn’t get her so worked up,” Liam said from the door. His cousin looked as worn down as Finn recently. “The doctor said it was important for her to rest it as much as possible.”

Finn shrugged. “I tried to keep her home as long as I could. At least here I can keep an eye on her.” He nodded to shut the door. “What’s the latest word?”

Liam shut the door and stretched out on the couch.

“Lot of odd movements going on,” he said and looked up to Finn. “Lopez and his crew have slowed things down. Can’t tell if they are gearing up for a war or waiting until things pass with the Russians.”

“And Boris?”

Liam shook his head. “Nothing yet, but Viktor is bouncing all over the place. He seems to think his days are numbered.”

Finn raised a brow. “And are they?”

He shrugged. “Maybe. He didn’t do his job, and Boris has little patience for that. However, I don’t think Boris wants to get stuck here managing things. Americans aren’t as easy to pay off, and his kind of criminal activity goes outside the bounds of what most feel comfortable with.”

Finn nodded. Boris and Ennis were proving to be far more irritating than he had anticipated.

“What about the zoning?” Liam asked.

Finn groaned. “Claire brought over the paperwork, and it’s a clusterfuck. This one council woman is pulling the strings for the rest, and she’s just got something against me.”

Liam laughed. “Well, you are a mob boss.”

“Right, but we’re not into that anymore,” Finn said and leaned back. He stretched his arms over his head and yawned. If only he could just get in a few more hours of sleep, things would be so much easier. Finn opened his eyes.

Liam was nearly asleep.

“Not sleeping?” he said to Liam. He opened one eye and looked at him.

“Meg’s in London learning from those computer pervs there,” he said.

Finn nodded. “Staying up late to chat to her?”

Liam froze, and Finn nearly laughed when he blushed.

“She doesn’t post on her blog until three in the morning. I’ve been getting up to read it,” Liam said and looked up at the sky. “Damn woman.”

Finn chuckled. Liam had been denying himself for that woman for so long, it was amazing his dick hadn’t fallen off.

“I don’t know why you don’t just make her yours,” he said.

Liam looked at him in disbelief. “With the shit I’ve done, I’m no good for her.”

Finn gave a cold laugh. “Is that all? You’re just a baby in all this. These,” he held up his own hands in disdain, “these are dirty hands.”

“That why you’re getting out?” Liam sat up with interest.

Finn hadn’t been totally honest when he’d pushed for the family to move into a more legit business. He was tired of it. Tired of the lifestyle and what it created. It demanded a man like his father, and he’s be damned if he turned into that rotten son of a bitch.

It was bad enough knowing that his father’s blood coursed through him. He lived in daily fear that he’d wake up one day too far gone to be saved. As it was, he’d done things he could never be forgiven for.

Finn nodded to Liam. “I’m not him,” he said firmly.

Liam nodded his understanding. “This is the right move.”

He felt a weight lift off a little. Despite being told by some of his closest men, it was hard to really take them at their word. It was great to have men that would stick by you no matter what, but someone like Liam would tell it like he saw it. Even if that meant pissing people off.

“Good,” he said. “Now if I could just get this shit sorted.”

Finn pushed around various files on his desk.

“Can’t help you there.” Liam laughed and stood. “Going to go get some shut eye before duty.” He stretched and yawned.

Finn looked up. “Take the night off,” he said. “You’re no good to me if you get sick.”

“You sure?” he said skeptically. “You aren’t looking so great yourself.”

Finn nodded. “I’ll be fine. Tomorrow is Sunday, so I can sleep in a little.”

Liam gave a curt nod and headed to the door. “See you tomorrow.”

Finn sat in silence and thought about what he was going to do. If that damn woman would quit being so stubborn, things would be easier. Then he wouldn’t need to have his trusted men so divided in the evening.

He sighed. Things couldn’t continue that way.

Chapter Two

Alyssa sighed. Music thumped in the background. It was still early in the night, and there was only a sparse crowd. She wondered if people were still afraid of the club could be the scene of more violence. With all the trouble and rumors they’d had prior to her getting shot, it was a wonder anyone came at all.

Alyssa rubbed her aching shoulder. It felt a little warm, and she worried that she might have done too much. Not that Conor let her do much of anything. She glared at his back as he slipped into the office.

Finn and Conor pissed her off to no end. They were always bossing her around and acting like she couldn’t do anything for herself.

She grabbed out the jar of olives for a martini and grunted in pain when she tried to grip it with her bad hand. She placed it between her thighs and tried again.

“Damn it,” she said and slammed the jar onto the bar.

“I don’t think that’s going to open it,” a man said at the end.

She looked up and was surprised to see that he was very good looking. She saw a number of good-looking men at the club, but he was outside the norm and well dressed. He had a nice face and despite his lean build, it was obvious from his forearms that it was all muscle.

“Would you like some help?” he said and held out his hand.

Alyssa smiled, grateful she wouldn’t have to go into the office and ask the assholes. They would just take it as a sign that the worst had yet to come.

“Thank you,” she said and handed him the jar.

With a pop, the lid came free. Their fingers touched when he handed it back, and her face heated.

The man leaned forward and smiled. “That’s a much better look for you than the scowl you were wearing.”

She groaned. She really was going to have to start watching what sort of face she was making.

“Sorry,” she said. “It’s my first night back since the injury.”

Alyssa reached under the counter and pulled out some ibuprofen. She tossed a couple back.

“That doesn’t seem strong enough to help with and injury like that,” he said with a frown.

Alyssa laughed. “It’s not really, but the pain killers make me groggy.” She leaned forward. “And to be honest,” she said in a dramatic whisper. “My boss can be a pain in the ass. He thinks I can’t handle this, and he’ll send me right home.”

The man gave a laugh. “Well I’m glad that didn’t happen.”

Alyssa smiled. It had been a long time since someone flirted with her. It was nice to be seen as a woman again. Her ex had been such a cruel man she didn’t know if she’d ever want to see a man romantically again.

“Me too,” she said shyly.

“You know what always works for me?” He leaned forward, and she noticed his smoky green eyes.

Alyssa shook her head.

“A shot of whiskey.” He smiled. “Will you let me buy you one?”

She smiled. It wasn’t often that she took someone up on a drink. Most were just looking to get into your pants, but it might be nice to share a drink with someone like him.

“I’d like that.” She smiled. “Nice to meet you,” she said. “I’m Alyssa.”

He slipped his hand into hers.

“Dylan,” he said.

She got out two tumbler glasses and poured in the amber liquid.

“To speedy healing,” he said.

She smiled. “I’ll drink to that,” she said.

The whiskey burned as it went down, but she finished it off.

He raised an eyebrow at her. “A woman that can hold her own.” He grinned. “Did I mention I liked that?”

Alyssa grinned and took their glasses to the sink.

When she came back, he was gathering his things to leave. “I’ve got a meeting in the morning,” he said and seemed sad to be going. “I’ve enjoyed our chat.”

Alyssa smiled. “Same here,” she said. “Come back, and see me again.”

“Oh, you can be sure of that.” He winked. She felt her cheeks burn again and watched as he walked away.

* * *

Despite the medicine and whiskey, her shoulder still ached. The doctors said she was lucky the bullets hadn’t shattered the bone. Sometimes she didn’t feel lucky. Though it was only a compound fracture, it still hurt like hell. The muscle inside had been ripped up, and the puckered skin was still sensitive to the touch, so much so that she’d been forced to wear strapless bras, which just didn’t offer as much support as she wanted.

She touched the scar down further on her chest and reminded herself just how lucky she had been. If the bullets had hit a fraction more to the left, she’d be dead. At the times when she felt the lowest, she tried to remember that.

Alyssa dragged herself to the office to finish the paperwork. She hated to admit it, but she was slightly glad to have someone right there with her. After everything that had happened in the club, she didn’t know if she could handle the silence now that the club was closed. She sighed. She just wished it didn’t have to be Finn.

She walked in and found him hunkered over some files. He looked up at her and smiled, then frowned.

“Is it hurting you?” he asked. He stared at the spot where her hand touched her heart.

Alyssa dropped her hand.

“Just sore,” she said and sat in the chair.

“You’re pushing too hard.” He sighed, closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I knew we should have waited longer. Six weeks just isn’t long enough.”

Alyssa frowned at him. “My doctor released me for work.”

Finn stood up, anger blazing in his eyes. “Well, he’s an idiot. You obviously aren’t ready.”

He stomped over and glared at her from across the desk. His anger crackled in the room.

“Have you been drinking?” he asked quietly. His green eyes fixed intently on her.

Alyssa swallowed.

“Yes,” she said and pulled up her courage. “What’s the big deal?”

He placed both hands on her desk and leaned in. She stared at his long lashes and swallowed hard. “The problem is that you were just shot six weeks ago. Now you’re going to start drinking?”

“A customer bought me one drink,” she said and stood. “You’ve never had a problem with this before. Quit acting like my mother.”

He leaned in closer. The vein in his neck popped out a little. “You’re right. I’m not your mother. I’m your boss.”

“If you were just my boss, I never would have taken bullets for you,” she whispered.

Silence filled the room. Their breathing was ragged, and for a second, she wondered if he was going to kiss her or hit her. She shook her head a little.

“You’re not going to intimidate me,” she said. “I’m not the same person I was. Being shot didn’t just hurt me. It changed me.”

Worry creased his brow. He leaned back slowly, the anger replaced with fear. True fear. Despite how he had acted, she had the urge to comfort his fear.

He turned swiftly away from her and walked to the side of his desk. She watched his retreating back and thought about going to him.

They jumped at a knock at the door.

“I’m ready to take Alyssa home,” Noel said when he opened the door.

She swallowed and looked back to Finn, who was now sitting at the desk, busy with paperwork.

“I’m going to go early,” she said quietly. “Maybe I did overdo it.”

Finn looked up to her with surprise.

“I’ll finish my paperwork Monday,” she said.

He gave a nod and looked back down at the files.

She watched him for a second. Everything from their fight was gone from his face. She sighed.

“Goodnight, Finn,” she said quietly and shut the office door.

She followed behind Noel and stared at his bald head. He wasn’t one of the men she saw very much, and, for the most part, she was glad. He was covered in tattoos, big and quiet. She’d learned that quietest men were ones that had the most to be quiet about.

They walked to his car in silence. He held the door open for her as she climbed into the front seat of his polished BMW. She wondered how any of them saw out the windows when they kept them tinted so dark, but she figured it was so bad guys couldn’t see in. Well, other bad guys.

They drove quietly for a moment before she spoke.

“So are you a cousin?” she asked.

He nodded. “I’m Finn’s cousin.”

She frowned for a moment.

“So you aren’t all cousins to each other? But then how are you family?”

She watched as the corner of his mouth twitched.

“We’re all family because our families have known each other forever. I’m blood related to Finn on our mothers’ sides. We are several families that live as one family,” he said.