Page 22 of Cowboy (Fury Vipers MC: Dublin Chapter #4)

"Don't," she cuts me off, her voice firm despite its softness. "Don't tell me I can't go."

I watch her methodically pour coffee into two mugs, her movements controlled but her hands trembling slightly. "It could be dangerous," I say finally.

She turns to me, a bitter smile touching her lips. "Do you think I don't know what danger is, Ciarán? After everything?"

Shame washes over me. Of course she knows. "That's not what I meant."

"I know." She hands me a mug, our fingers brushing. "But I need to be there. I need to look him in the eye when he explains why he sold his own sister."

"And Saoirse?"

Caoimhe's expression falters. "She can stay with Grá. They already bonded when we met her. She instantly took to her and she'll feel safe with Grá."

I nod slowly, seeing the logic but still hesitant. "I need to see Pyro first. The club needs to know what's happening before we make any moves. I also have a meeting with Travis. No doubt he'll want to see you."

"Pyro," she repeats, a hint of apprehension in her voice. She knows who he is and what he's capable of. "Will he... What will they do to Dylan?"

I meet her gaze steadily. "What do you think the club does to men who traffick women and children, Caoimhe?"

She doesn't flinch. "Good."

We fall into a companionable silence, drinking our coffee as the morning light strengthens. It's almost like old times, almost normal. But the notepad between us with its scrawled "Vienna" and the weight of my cut hanging by the door serve as stark reminders that nothing is normal anymore.

"I had another dream last night," Caoimhe says suddenly, setting down her mug. "Not a nightmare, for once. I dreamed we found him. Dylan. And when I asked him why, do you know what he said?"

I shake my head, watching her carefully.

"He said, 'Because you were always the good one.' That's it. That's all he would say." She laughs, and it’s a hollow sound. "Even in my dreams, I can't understand him."

I reach across the counter, taking her cold hand in mine. "We'll get real answers, Caoimhe. I promise. And then he'll answer to the club."

She squeezes my hand then pulls away as footsteps sound on the stairs. Saoirse appears, rubbing sleep from her eyes, her dark hair a tangled mess.

"Good morning, little one," Caoimhe says, her voice softening. "Hungry?"

Saoirse nods, climbing onto a stool at the counter. "Can I have pancakes?"

"Of course," I say, already moving to the fridge. "With blueberries?"

Her face lights up. "Yes, please!"

As I mix batter and heat the griddle, I watch Caoimhe help Saoirse brush her hair, their heads bent together, dark and light.

They look like mother and daughter, and the thought catches in my chest. Will Caoimhe adopt her officially?

What will happen when we find Dylan? The club's justice is swift and final, but will it bring Caoimhe the closure she needs?

Questions for another day, I decide, flipping a pancake. For now, we have breakfast to make and a little girl to keep smiling.

After breakfast, Caoimhe takes Saoirse upstairs to get dressed while I clean up. I use the time to call Pyro, and let him know what Jerry said this morning. It doesn't take Py long to call me back with even more information. Somehow, he's managed to find out where Dylan was staying.

"It's looking more solid," I tell Caoimhe while Saoirse plays with some toys in the living room, out of earshot. "He checked into the Hotel Imperial three days ago under the name Patrick Murphy, but checked out yesterday. No indication where he went next."

Caoimhe's expression hardens. "So we've lost him."

"Maybe not. We have the club, Travis, and Jerry working on this. If Dylan's still in the city, we'll know."

Caoimhe paces the kitchen, energy vibrating through her lean frame. "We need to go soon. Before he disappears again."

"I'm working on flights," I assure her. "But, Caoimhe, we need to be smart about this. Dylan's not working alone. If he realizes the club is coming, he could vanish, or worse."

She stops pacing, fixing me with a hard stare. "What aren't you telling me, Ciarán?"

I hesitate, not wanting to add to her burdens, but she deserves the truth. "We have no idea about the organization Dylan's working with. It could be anyone. Which means we trust no one outside the club. Not with this."

"And Pyro? What will he say about me coming along?"

"He'll understand. This is your fight too." I pull her into a gentle embrace. "But when we find Dylan, whatever happens after... that's club business. You understand?"

She nods against my chest. "I just want to know why. After that..." She pulls back, her eyes hard as steel. "After that, he's all yours."

I kiss her forehead, a promise in the gesture. "I need to ride to the clubhouse tonight. Will you be okay here with Saoirse?"

"We'll be fine," she assures me. "Just... come back to us."

"Always," I promise, though we both know in this life, promises are fragile things.

* * *

"Brother," Pyro greets me, his voice a gravelly rumble. "You good?"

I nod, clasping his outstretched hand. "Yeah, just raring to go and find this asshole."

"I hear you," Pyro says, his eyes serious. "We've got a lead on Dylan, but we need to move fast. The boys are ready to ride at a moment's notice."

I nod, feeling a mixture of anticipation and dread. "What about Travis? Has he arrived yet?"

"Yeah, he's here. And he's not happy about being kept in the dark about Caoimhe." Pyro gives me a pointed look. "You should talk to him before we make any moves."

I run a hand through my hair, knowing he's right. "I will. Where is he?"

"My office. Waiting for you."

I take a deep breath, steeling myself for what's sure to be a tense conversation. "Alright. Let's do this."

As I make my way to Py’s office, I can feel the eyes of my brothers on me. They all know about Caoimhe, about Dylan's betrayal. The air is thick with tension and anticipation.

I push open the chapel doors to find Travis sitting at the desk, his face a mask of controlled anger. He looks up as I enter, his eyes hard.

"Sit down," he says, his voice deceptively calm.

I take my usual seat, meeting his gaze steadily. "Travis, I?—"

He holds up a hand, cutting me off. "I don't want to hear excuses, Cowboy. I want to know why the hell I had to hear from Jerry that you found Caoimhe. Why didn't you tell me?"

I take a deep breath, choosing my words carefully. "I was protecting her. She's been through hell, Travis. She needed time to feel safe before facing everyone."

Travis' expression softens slightly, but the anger is still there. "And you didn't think I deserved to know? After everything we've been through trying to find her?"

Guilt washes over me. He's right, of course. Travis has been there every step of the way, never giving up on finding Caoimhe. "You're right," I admit. "I should have told you. I'm sorry."

Travis studies me for a long moment, then nods. "Alright. Now, tell me everything. And I mean everything, Cowboy. No more secrets."

So I do. I tell him about finding Caoimhe, about Saoirse, about the horrors they endured. I tell him about Dylan's involvement and the lead in Vienna. By the time I finish, Travis' face is a storm of emotions, anger, pain, determination.

"We're going to Vienna," he says, his voice leaving no room for argument. "And when we find that bastard, he's going to wish he'd never been born."

I nod, relief and gratitude washing over me. "Thank you, Travis. For everything."

He stands, coming around the table to clasp my shoulder. "We're family, Cowboy. All of us. And that includes Caoimhe. We'll get her through this."

I nod, grateful for his understanding and support. "There's one more thing," I say hesitantly. "Caoimhe wants to come with us to Vienna."

Travis' eyebrows shoot up. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Probably not," I admit. "But she needs this, Travis. She needs to face Dylan, to understand why he did this to her. I don't think she'll be able to move on otherwise."

Travis is quiet for a moment, considering. "And Saoirse?"

"We're arranging for her to stay with Grá and Bozo. She'll be safe there."

Travis nods slowly. "Alright. But she stays back when we make our move. I don't want her anywhere near the action when we take Dylan down."

"Agreed," I say, relief washing over me.

"Just make sure she's prepared for what might happen. Facing Dylan... it won't be easy."

I nod, knowing he's right. As I stand to leave, Travis speaks again.

"Cowboy," he says, his voice serious. "When this is over, when we've dealt with Dylan and brought down this trafficking ring... what then? For you and Caoimhe?"

The question catches me off guard. In the chaos of the past few days, I haven't allowed myself to think that far ahead. "I don't know," I admit. "But I know I want her in my life. Her and Saoirse both."

Travis nods, a small smile touching his lips. "Good. They're going to need you. Just... be careful. Caoimhe's been through a lot. She's not the same person she was before."

"I know," I say softly. "But neither am I."

As I leave the chapel, I feel a weight lift from my shoulders. We have a plan, we have support, and most importantly, we have hope. Now, all that's left is to bring Dylan to justice and help Caoimhe find the closure she needs.

I head back to my bike, my mind already racing with preparations for the trip to Vienna. It's time to end this, once and for all.