“Let’s do it.” I yank the door open without another thought, swallowing down the last of my hesitation and leading the charge into the office.
Shane Gallagher’s private study smells of old leather, pine, and a faint hint of high-end cigars. Bright hardwood panels the walls and floor. Dark leather seating complements the deep mahogany of his desk and worktable. Somehow, his office manages to ooze both formality and coziness.
Despite the first impressions, it’s the kind of place where only Shane can be completely relaxed. The rest of us are on eggshells the minute we step inside.
But today, not even Shane seems comfortable as we approach his desk.
Titanium gray eyes pour over the paperwork in his hands. He doesn’t glance up until we’re several steps into the room.
Abrupt and agile, Shane rises from his chair and stalks toward the worktable. Just the speed with which he moves to a standing position reminds me that despite his age, the man is a coiled snake. A viperalways ready to strike.
He may be getting older, but Shane Gallagher could still decapitate a grown man with his bare hands. He’s done it. More than once.
Shane’s worth fearing. He wouldn’t have made it this far otherwise.
And Darren and I definitely wouldn’t be here without him or his leadership. Or without the faith and responsibility he places in us.
Failure isn’t an option.
We both serve as enforcers for the Gallagher family. In addition to providing muscle, Darren’s the explosives expert, and I’m the family’s tech wizard. Darren’s good with his hands, and anything involving spying, hacking websites, or developing new technologies usually involves me. From behind a screen, not in person.
At the end of the day, I’m really just an IT guy with a gun.
“Well?” Shane demands. “Let’s hear it.”
I suck in a breath and swallow. “Neither of the two employees we set up tonight took the bait.”
Shane scowls as if having loyal employees is the most despicable thing in the world. Then he directs his ire at me, as if I’m personally to blame. “So you’re saying we’re no closer to finding a lead on the traitor in our family than we were when we started.”
Acid singes my stomach. Shane isn’t wrong to blame me. As the go-to computer specialist, I can’t help but think I’m missing a digital breadcrumb somewhere. “Yes, sir.”
“Meanwhile, the stolen shipments continue.” Shane grumbles deep in his throat. “So does the theft, arson, shoot-outs, death…”
“Maybe we just haven’t tested the right person yet. The mole’s got to be the most anxious member of our entire outfit right about now.” My words run together when I’m on edge, and then I end up overcompensating by speaking too slowly.Focus, Rory.“We just need to catch them making a false move.”
“But even if we do that, there’s no guarantee that the employee you catch is actually the mole. They could just be some greedy asshole who’s taking advantage of an offer falling into his lap.”
Darren and I exchange a glance. He’s not wrong, but at least it’s a place to start. And it’s not as if weeding out any kind of traitor is a bad idea, mole or not.
Shane falls quiet, and in the long, awkward silence, my hand twitches with the urge to shoot something.
When he delegated Darren and me to head up the mole hunt, I didn’t realize I was agreeing to the most stressful work project of my career to date.
Even when I’m concocting solid ideas and my productivity’s up, the weight on my shoulders staggers me. One misstep on my part could lead the Kings to disaster.
The pressure is a tight fist around my neck.
Even doing everything I can doesn’t feel like enough.
My mom’s face surfaces behind my eyes, reminding me that this is far from my first failure.
I concentrate on a map hanging on the opposite wall. Red Xs cover the page, indicating all the places where our men have been attacked in recent weeks.
We’ve lost people. Good people.
Shane doesn’t forgive or forget that kind of thing well. None of us do.
The study doors fly open, and in stalks Shane’s son and heir—and my childhood friend—Finn Gallagher.
