Burke sighs. “Not a bad idea. Hugh’s really pissed.”
“I bet. I shot his fucking father in the head.”
“Heard you took a few yourself.” His eyes stray to my shoulder and chest.
I shrug and grimace as pain lances from several wounds. I’m alive and I’m healing, but I have a long way before I’m back to full strength. Drinking dulls the physical pain and helps mute the emotional turmoil, and so I’m drinking.
“My injuries are temporary. Hugh’s injuries are permanent. No matter what Hugh’s saying, he’s weak now. Much weaker without his father. How many captains are taking his side?”
“Not many,” Burke admits. “Most of us are staying out of this shitshow until the dust settles. No offense.”
“None taken, you’re all a bunch of spineless bastards that got too used to peace.”
He shrugs, drinks, and winks at me.
“Truth is though,” he says as he puts his glass back down, “Hugh’s pushing a new idea now. He wants to split the family in half. Remove all the rotten dark money mafia crime shit and keep the company. Basically, leave you to your own devices and run the construction group for real.”
My eyebrows raise in surprise. “He’s saying that openly?”
“That’s what I hear. I also hear he made you that exact offer and you turned him down.”
“Fucking right I did.”
He groans. “Kellen.”
“That company is mine. I know, I’m a thug. I’m a street gangster. You can’t imagine me in a board room. I don’t give a fuck, you simpering pile of dogshit. It’s all mine.”
“You don’t get it. The family isn’t all yours. There are several captains with real sway that don’t want anything to do with you, and even though a lot of us are staying out of the battle, their opinions carry weight. If you wanna survive this and maintain some power, talk to Hugh. Take his fucking deal. You don’t care about that damn company. You just want to make money and kill your enemies.”
I take a deep breath and slowly release it. Back to this deal again, even though I thought I made myself clear two weeks ago in that cottage when I shot Cormac in the head and murdered my own uncle. I can’t think of a clearer way of saying absolutely fucking not.
Apparently, I need to be clearer.
“Think about it.” Burke finishes his drink. “I’ll stay neutral for a while. I’ll keep a bunch of others neutral too. And if you decide to take the deal and grab power while you can, I’ll back you. I admit that you’d make a very good mafia family leader, if you’re a drunk and a psychopath. But don’t make this last too long because we aren’t patient.” He slips from the booth and nods at me before he ambles away.
I watch him go, seething.
Finn appears in his place. He makes a disgusted face. “Seat’s warm.”
I glare angrily at the whiskey. “Hugh’s still pushing this bullshit split the family garbage.”
“Really? I figured he would’ve dropped that after Cormac.” He mimes getting shot in the head.
“It’s Hugh’s only play. He knows that even with the few captains willing to follow him, he’s outgunned. If he ever wants to go back to work, he needs to find a way to appease me, because I’ll shoot him in the fucking chest in front of the board of directors if I have to.”
“That wouldn’t be great for company morale. I hear he’s been calling into meetings lately from some undisclosed location.” Finn laughs to himself and leans forward on his elbows. I finish off my drink and pour another. “Go easy on that shit.”
“Don’t tell me how much to drink.”
“I need you coherent, you asshole.”
I flip him off, suck down half, and put the glass down. The warmth spreads through my belly and the dull, flat, lifeless hum of the alcohol takes over my brain, slowly shutting down all the little voices that keep nagging and telling me how I’m failing and ruining everything and I’ll never be happy or have a woman half as good as Tara ever again.
I hate those fucking voices. They’re all a bunch of dicks and idiots, and my head’s full of them.
“We need to find Hugh, kill him, and be done with this.”
Finn nods, considering. “We’ve got some ideas. I’m following up on them.”