Robbie
I don’t want to think about her anymore. I want to put her out of my mind and distract myself, but my obsession doesn’t allow for that. I’m going to try my best, in any case. I message Aiden and Callum and meet them at my private offices. They’re there before me, waiting in the board room, having a cigarette. I take one from Aiden and light it. “Morning, lads.
I sit opposite them, and they mumble their good mornings. Since we were lads, we’ve always been a little trio of trouble. Their parents worked for my father, and now they work for my brother. It was the natural progression of things.
“Lads, we got a problem. We’ve got a traitor in one of our families and need to figure out who it is. I trust you two above everyone else because I know you’ll never do anything to put our boys in danger. We’re going to spend the week figuring out who’s still loyal to Ronan and who could possibly be fucking us over.” I inhale deeply as I draw on the cigarette and sigh, the smoke trickling out my mouth.
Aiden leans back after finishing his cigarette. “What? Just go through a list of the lads and lasses and see who we think it could be?”
“We’ll start by visiting the attack sites this week and see if there is anything we can learn. Then yes, we’re going to start tracking down where everyone was during those attacks.” My explanation and plan are simple. Dina would have overcomplicated things, wanted spreadsheets and shit. I don’t have time for that.
I kill my cigarette and stand. “I doubt the Sorvinos will let us onto the estate to investigate, so let’s start at the pier, then we’ll go to the Volkov laundromat.”
They stand and follow me out. We take my car and sit in silence as I drive, not even music in the background to cut the silence.
I can’t help but think of how Dina looked in the shower, how she felt moving against my body, and how she tasted. I lick my lips.
“Robbie!” I glance at Aiden.
“Sorry, I was lost in thought. What did you say?” I glance at him again, and he frowns.
“I could see you weren’t listening. I was saying the men aren’t going to like that we’re questioning our own boys when we should be questioning Russians and Italians. Don’t you think? We’re basically announcing that we don’t trust them.”
I shake my head. “Someone is already looking into them. We know our men better than we know the Russians and Italians, so this is where we’re most useful.”
Aiden nods and sits back. I pull into the pier and park near the crime scene. There aren’t many people milling about as we walk around.
“They probably hid behind the crates round the side.” Callum points to the large wooden crates. “Especially if they came in from a boat.”
“I doubt they did,” I say, rubbing my stubble as I think. “They drove in, and they attacked. Eye witness accounts have said so.”
Callum looks around. “What eyewitnesses?”
I shrug. “There were some. It doesn’t matter.”
“Well, it does because they can describe what the men look like.” Callum comes over to me. “Why don’t you give me their details, and I’ll go round and ask them some questions.”
I shake my head. “No, I need you with me.”
He looks impatient, and I snort. “Relax, Callum, just because I don’t do it your way doesn’t mean I think less of you.”
Callum nods and starts walking around the outskirts of the scene.
Aiden stoops low and touches two fingers to the floor. “Whoever it was sped off fast enough to leave skid marks.”
I go to him. “They were driving a fast car. Maybe there are some traffic tickets we can check. I’ll see if the Italians have someone.”
Aiden stands. “Let’s go to the laundromat. There’s nothing left for us to learn here.”
We walk back toward my car. I keep an eye out for anything that looks suspicious, but there’s nothing, and no one, that draws my attention.
As we drive to the laundromat, my mind wanders again. I should let Dina know what I think. She’ll probably have a contact somewhere that can trace if a camera speeding ticket was issued in the area.
“What do you think?”
I look at Aiden. “Sorry, my mind is elsewhere. What did you say?”
“I said. I don’t think the Russians will be happy to see us at the laundromat. What do you think?” Aiden eyes me out. He and I both know it’s not like me to let my mind wander while we’re busy with something. “I doubt it, but they know they can’t defy me. Volkov told them as such, so they’ll have to suck it up.” I pull into the road and find a parking space.
We climb out and walk toward the back entrance. Two burly Russians are sitting outside at a table. They both stand quickly, their hands on their guns.
I walk up to them without fear. “We’re here to inspect the crime scene.”
“What for? You Irish are useless.” The man’s accent is thick, and he’s twice my size in height and weight, but I raise an eyebrow.
“Because I fucking said so. Do you want me to phone Ivan?” I take out my phone to add weight to my statement, and the guy scoffs.
“Go in, see if we give a fuck. We’ve had nothing but problems since you Irish were hired.” They don’t sit back down. Instead, one leads us inside while the other keeps watch outside.
He leads us into the back laundry room. The metallic smell of blood faintly lingers in the hair mixed with fabric softer and clean sheets. Men are working here, and our escort speaks to them in Russian. I judge his tone and decide we’re not in immediate danger, but I still have my guard up. We look around and find the bullet holes in the machines and walls. The floor and appliances are still stained with blood, which is unsurprising since this isn’t a part of the laundromat that customers normally use.
“Clean this up, or you’ll attract the wrong attention,” I finally say before waving for Aiden and Callum to follow me back to my car. As we drive back to my offices, I glance at them. “What do you think?”
“The bullets came from standard handguns anyone can get their hands on and modify,” Aiden says, looking out the window to his right as we pass several buildings. “It’s not traceable, not really.”
“Do you think we can pull CCTV footage from surrounding stores and see if we can get our getaway vehicle?” I ask, turning back toward the office building.
“I can try, though that’s not really a connection I have,” Aiden says.
“I’ll get it,” Callum says. “Drop me here, and I’ll catch a cab and organize it.”
I pull over and turn to look at him. “Don’t let anyone know what you’re doing. This is between the three of us and Ronan.”
“Got it, boss,” Callum says, climbing out of the car.
I drive Aiden back to our offices, and we start by compiling a list of people that we definitively trust.
When Callum returns with the footage, I have him review it while Aiden and I discuss the men and women working for us.
Days pass by, and before I know it, it’s been a week of missing Dina but keeping busy. I would be lying if I said I didn’t jerk off to the thought of her at least once a day when I got to my apartment. It relieves some of my frustration but more than wanting to fuck her, I miss her. She’s funny and frustrating and sexy, and my heart is calling for her. Not that I would say such a sentimental thing out loud.
A week passes, and all I know is what a few little birdies tell me:
she’s working closely with one of the Italian guys trying to root out the traitor.
To say I’m jealous is an understatement, so I throw myself harder into work, not wanting to think about another man leaning over her and catching a gander at her cleavage or smelling her wild hair.
It sends me into a fiery rage, and I take my frustration out on our lack of progress.
“For fucks sake.” I slam my fist onto the table. “This is fucking impossible. No one has a reason to betray Ronan.”
“Calm down, Robbie,” Aiden tries to placate me. “We won’t get anywhere if you’re in a mood every day.”
“And how moody has he been?”
Ronan’s voice from the door of the boardroom attracts my attention. I stare at him for a moment, his arms outstretched, before I realize what I’m looking at.
“Your cast is off,” I say, watching him walk in with a slight limp.
“They want me to do physical therapy, but I don’t see the point of that.” Ronan looks at our lists. ‘You boys getting on then?”
Callum sits up from behind the screen he’s using to watch footage.
“Yeah, we are getting on alright, except some things pissed Robbie off.” I glare at him, then take a deep breath. “I’m just on edge, is all.”
Ronan waves at Aiden and Callum. “Go get lunch at the pub, boys. I need to speak to Robbie alone.”
I groan as they exit the room. I don’t need a damn lecture from Ronan about my temper. I’m fucking busy.
Ronan goes to sit in my chair. “Sit down then, lad.”
I sit opposite him, where Aiden was seated, and lean back. “I’m not in a bad mood. I’m frustrated we can’t find the fucker who is betraying us.”
“That’s not what I’m here to talk about.” My brother traces a finger on the table and then looks into my eyes seriously. “What’s going on with you and Dinara?”
I snort. “Nothing. I haven’t seen her in a week.”
“I know. Did you two fight? Did you do something to her?” Ronan leans forward on his arms, lacing his fingers together. “I can’t have you fucking this alliance up, Robbie. I know how you stalked her, and I didn’t intervene then, and that won’t happen again.”
I frown and stand up, staring down at my brother. There is no fear in his eyes, but I’m sure he can tell I’m pissed. “I haven’t done anything to her she didn’t want, Ronan.”
“Well, she’s not happy about something if you’re avoiding each other.” Ronan inclines his head to the side.
“We’re pursuing different leads, is all.” I throw my hands up in the air. “You trust me to run your security but question my every move.”
Ronan snorts. “Robbie, sit down now.”
I sit in the chair opposite him and look at him, clenching my teeth.
“You can’t avoid her forever. Learn to work together because you need to sort security for the family lunch.”
“I chose to keep away from her because peace is better than war,” I say through my clenched teeth.
Ronan stands up. “This isn’t a request.”
He walks out, and I sigh. I take out my phone and stare at it for the longest time before finally deciding a text would be best.
We need to discuss security for the lunch.
My place. Dinner. Strictly work.
Rob
I sit there and stare at the wall until my phone pings with her reply. See you at eight. Dina.