5. Chapter Five

5

Chapter Five

Kieran

S tanding in the shower at our warehouse washing another man’s blood and brain matter off of me, I pull in a shuddered breath. Everyone thinks I’m impenetrable, that I’m made of stone, and have no feelings. My brothers often call me a machine. They just think I’m able to turn it on when I leave the house and turn it off when walking through the door at the end of the day when I turn into the favorite Uncle of the coolest little boy out there. That’s simply not true. Every act I perform to protect my brothers or the organization chips away at me.

I’ll do anything to protect my brothers, new sister-in-law, and nephew. I carry my parents’ death on my shoulders. When they died I’d just turned twenty-one, but that still falls on me. I’m the enforcer and the protector. It’s my job to make sure everyone’s safe and healthy. That night I failed, because of that I have to carry the guilt of their deaths. I failed them, and in return my brother’s decided to make me the guy to keep them all alive and unharmed. Their safety and well being consumes my life. The only thing that’s for me is fighting. Even that isn’t really for me. That’s because I’m fucked up. Last night though, that was solely for me.

Britt is gorgeous, her hair is blonde with just a hint of red in it as well, her eyes almost as gray as steel. She’s got just enough sass to have my ears perk and my dick twitch. Don’t even get me started on last night. That was the best sex of my life. I have certain…. preferences in the bedroom. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not nearly as refined in my tastes as say Declan or Mac, but I do thrive on control. Brittany seemed nervous, almost scared last night at first, but she quickly gave me the control that I crave.

I’ve had her on my mind all day. I can’t think of anything else aside from if she’s thinking about me. Can she not get last night out of her head too? I’ve never wanted to spend more than a night or two with a woman. The fiery woman who crawled into my bed, though? I’m finding myself hoping for any opportunity to get her back there with me. Only, I can’t text her, because she hasn’t texted me. Getting out of the shower and toweling off I check my phone hoping she’s texted or called me… She hasn’t.

Meeting Dec and Mac back at the SUV, we slide in and immediately start debriefing on Rod Anderson, the stupid fuck that I just tortured until he gave us the name of his little trafficking buddy. “Jordan Hudson.” Declan’s voice breaks the silence in the vehicle. “Mac, you know what we need.” Mac hasn’t looked up from his phone but he nods in agreement anyway. I’ll bet my first born that he’s already zeroing in on Hudson’s address, social, parent’s first names, and his first dog. He’s just that good. It’s dark outside which means I’ve spent all day cementing my spot in hell. I’m so fucking drained, and all I want to do is find my new sisters best friend, get shitty take out, and watch a god awful movie in my sweats before burying myself inside her.

Huh… that actually doesn’t sound half bad. I mean it’s not in the least bit practical. Brittany was a one night stand. She was someone for me to worship and hold for one night. She wants the good time Kieran that she saw the other night, maybe even the brute I turn into when I’m not around my nephew or sister-in-law. But the real me? The version of myself that I barely even let my brothers see? No, she’s not interested in that. Honestly, I’m not even sure I’m interested in her like that. We’ve had one night of interactions where I had to act as security. That didn’t give me nearly enough time to gather information and make a decision like that.

She’s inhabited my head all day, and yeah I’m intrigued, but I’m not Rowan. I don’t fall head over heels the second a pretty girl looks my way. That’s definitely not me. I mean she better not give any other man her attention. I’ll slit his throat if he touches her, but that’s different. Maybe she’ll be down to keep hooking up. That could work.

I’m in my own head when Mac hits the side of my leg pulling me back. “Yeah?”

He’s looking at me like I have five heads, “Did you hear anything I just said?”

“No.”

“Dude, how do you keep us safe every day? Your attention span is the size of a fly.”

“Rude, just because I wasn’t listening to you doesn’t mean that I didn’t clock that in the past four minutes Declan’s checked his watch eight times. Which means he’s late for something or someone. Your knee is slightly bouncing, that’s your nervous tell by the way, which tells me that getting information from a human trafficker affected you more than you act like it did.”

I could stop but just to drive my point home, I don’t. “Also, Collin up there has adjusted his cuff link twenty-seven times since we’ve gotten in the car, and he sings every song under his breath. And Ian looks like his shoulders are going to snap if he tenses any more. Don’t ever mistake my tuning out your blabbering for me being unaware. If you would have said something important I would have been listening.”

Declan cuts in as soon as I take a breath, “Enough Kieran, we get the point. You guys get ready, we have to find Jordan tomorrow. We can’t leave a single stone unturned. We need to meet Rowan in the office when we get home.” Settling back in my seat my eyes shut and I try to relax for the rest of the ride.

* * *

“Women and kids?” Flynn clarifies, his face looking a little green after listening to my rundown of today’s events.

“As young as four.”

Rowan takes the crystal whiskey glass in his hand and throws it against the far wall causing the entire thing to shatter. His hands link as he sets them on the top of his head to breathe through what I just told him. He’s a dad to a four year old first and foremost. Just like the rest of us are uncles to that very four year old .

“We got the name of his boss, but it’s looking like that’s going to be a long ladder to climb.” Mac chimes in.

“So you can’t do it? You’re telling us you can’t uncover this?” Declan roars, his voice echoing in the room.

Mac soars to his feet in the next second. “Is that what I fucking said? Did I say those exact words, Declan? Or maybe did I say it’s a long list to work through? Don’t put words in my mouth, and don’t question my abilities when the goddamn government is foaming at the mouth to get me on their side because I’m that good!”

And now it’s time to break this up. Mac’s the quietest of us all, but he’s still a Byrne and once that fuse is lit, everyone’s in trouble. We’re all on edge right now. It’s to be expected when we’re talking about the scum of the earth and it hits so close to home. Pushing at Mac’s back to guide him out the door I call over my shoulder, “Everyone do whatever you need to do to calm down, and we’ll meet up in the morning. Just stay out of the gym.”

Mac doesn’t fight me as I guide him out of the room and up to our floor. Neither of us says a word until we’re in his room. I push him into the center then make my way over to his dresser, pulling out shorts and throwing them at his face.

“Get changed, we’re going to the gym.”

“I don’t need the gym. What I need is to go stab Declan in the hand.”

“And that is exactly why we’re going to hit shit until you’re too tired to hurt him. I’d encourage you to go to the club, but I’m not sure whoever you get paired with would survive the night.”

He grumbles something about not touching a sub while he’s pissed but I’m not paying attention. “You have five minutes. I’m going to change then meet you there. We’ll warm up, then spar. And if you mark up my beautiful face, I’m stopping and you can hit the bag.” He cracks the faintest smile before heading into the bathroom to change.

A couple hours later Mac and I are laid out in the middle of the gym floor. Sweat pouring from our bodies as our lungs fight for a full breath. We lay in silence for about twenty minutes before Mac finally whispers a single name.

“Riley.”

Yeah, I knew exactly where this was going the moment we figured out these assholes are in skin trading.

“M, we don’t know that this happened to her.” He sits up and draws his knees up before draping his arms over them locking one wrist in the other hand’s grasp. His head falls so low his chin hits his chest.

“We don’t know that it didn’t either.”

“I know, I’ve been thinking about her too. The hard truth is that we can’t save her. It’s been fifteen years, and we still know as much as we did when she disappeared.”

“Wow, thanks for the pep talk, you’re so good at them it’s no wonder I don’t go to anyone else.” Sitting up beside him and copying his position, I knock my shoulder into his.

“Shut up. What I mean is we can’t save her, but we can save them. Rowan and Dec are looking at this as if it was Rhett and Clara. They were so much older when Riley disappeared that they weren’t friends with her. But I swear to you Mac, she’s on a loop in my head too.”

“I know, I’m sorry for blowing up. It’s just been like taking sandpaper to sunburn for days. I couldn’t take it anymore.”

“I know the feeling. Come on, let’s go shower and crash. We’ll start fresh tomorrow. ”

Mac nods his agreement and takes my hand when I offer it to him. Pulling him up I lead us back upstairs where we separate to go to our own rooms. I’m opening my door when Mac’s voice stops me.

“Hey K?”

I turn my head towards him and lift my chin for him to continue.

“Thanks.”

“Anytime little brother. Night.”

“Night.”