Page 35 of Dublin Charmer (Emerald Isle Mafia #5)
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Finn
T he glow of multiple monitors bathes my bedroom in blue light. Nyx sits cross-legged in the chair beside me, her focus locked on our overwatch tasks. We’ve been at this for hours, but we’re more energized now than when we started. Billy Gravely is going down tonight.
We all can feel it.
“Traffic cam 12 shows the supplier’s vehicle approaching from the north.” I zoom in on the black Range Rover with diplomatic plates. “Right on schedule.”
Nyx doesn’t look up from her screen. “I’ve got eyes on Gravely. He’s arriving at the meeting point with four guards.”
Our setup is a masterpiece of technological efficiency and is sexy as fuck.
Six monitors spread across my desk display different angles of Dublin’s dockyard. Traffic cameras, security feeds, satellite imagery—all hijacked and funneled through our system.
Two laptops run surveillance algorithms while another handles communications between us, my brothers, and the Devils. On the far right, a monitor displays the live feed from the body cameras worn by my brothers and their crew.
“Tag, supplier approaching your position. ETA two minutes,” I say into my headset.
“Copy that.” Tag’s voice comes through crisp and clear. “Everyone in position?”
A chorus of affirmatives follows. Sean and the Dublin Devils are positioned to block the eastern exit. Brendan and Brody have the western approach covered. Bryan and Rory are watching the water exit with a small fleet of boats.
No escape routes left uncovered.
Piper’s brothers have united with us against a common enemy, but it’s clear they aren’t mafia kingpin material. They started this takeover with their father and four older brothers to carry the weight of leadership. Now the once great McGuire territory is in tatters.
Nyx taps my arm and points to her screen. “Gravely’s nervous.”
I lean over to get a clear look. On her monitor, Billy Gravely checks his watch, and then goes back to tapping his cane against the toe of his boot. His shoulders are tense, his movements jerky.
“He has reason to be nervous. He’s running low on men.”
“I’ve only got eight visible. Turn on thermal scanning on Drone 2 and see if there are others hidden.”
“Maybe that’s all he could persuade to follow him after the trail of mercenary bodies he’s left in his wake the past month.”
“Maybe, but it’s not like him to walk into a situation under-manned.”
“He’s desperate,” I mutter.
“Or planning something,” Nyx counters, her eyes narrowed. “I don’t like this.”
I access the controls for Drone 2 and activate its thermal imaging feed. “I count twelve heat signatures around Gravely. Four more than we can see on the regular cameras.”
“Tag,” Nyx says into her headset. “Be advised, Gravely has at least twelve men, not eight. Possible ambush.”
“Understood,” Tag replies, his voice steady. “Where are they?”
I describe the position of the four in hiding and watch as Tag signals to his team, spreading them wider to account for the additional threat.
Pride swells in my chest—not just for my oldest brother’s leadership, but for this moment. Nyx and I working together, keeping our family safe.
We’re a perfect team.
“Supplier has arrived. Two blue box trucks and a tinted-out Range Rover,” I report, tracking the Range Rover as it pulls into the designated meeting area. “A driver in each truck, no movement. Two men exiting the SUV. The driver remained in the vehicle.”
“Visual confirmation.” Sean angles his body to face the men from his place of hiding. “If I were to guess, I’d say the guy on the left is Alejandro Vega. Colombian cartel lieutenant.”
Their image is captured on his body cam feed and Nyx takes that and runs with it. “Accessing facial recognition... confirmed. That’s Vega. He’s on Interpol’s watchlist for… well, everything.”
“Gravely’s burned too many bridges here,” Sean says. “The asshole had to reach out to South America to get someone who would work with him.”
“Aye, that might be so,” Tag says, “but we don’t need Vega for an enemy. We hold until their business is done, and Vega is clear. Understood?”
There’s a resounding mumble of compliance and then the comms fall quiet once again.
We watch in tense silence as Gravely approaches Vega. The men exchange words, then handshakes. Gravely gives the man a duffle bag. Vega checks inside and then hands it to his man. Then he waves for the drivers to get out of the box trucks. They leave the trucks and move toward the SUV.
Business as usual in the underworld.
“Wait.” Nyx leans forward, pointing at the screen. “Gravely’s posture has changed. He’s drawn his gun. Shit. He shot the man holding the duffle bag. Vega’s men have drawn weapons as well.
“Shit,” I mutter. “Tag, the deal’s going south. This exchange is now armed and hostile.”
“Gravely’s taking back his money and screwing over his new supplier.” Nyx quickly cycles through camera angles. “Such a Billy move.”
The dock erupts into chaos as Gravely’s hidden men burst out into the open and run for the box trucks. Gunfire flashes across our monitors as Gravely’s men and Vega’s crew open fire on each other.
In the confusion, Gravely breaks away from the fight, swings the duffle over his shoulder, and runs.
“Gravely’s bugging out,” I shout. “East dock, heading for the maintenance building.”
“I see him,” Sean responds. “Moving to intercept.”
Nyx’s already three steps ahead, pulling up the dock’s security system. “We’ve got a new player. A car just pulled up to the maintenance building—black Audi, no plates.”
I switch to the exterior cameras. “Got it. Yep. He’s got a getaway car waiting.”
“Not for long.” Nyx flashes a grim smile. “I’m hacking into the dock’s emergency lockdown system.”
Cylindrical security bollards pop up blocking all the exits, trapping all vehicles inside.
“Nice,” I grin at her. “That’ll slow him down.”
Nyx blows me a sassy kiss and then updates the others. “The dock exits are on lockdown. Gravely’s on foot in the maintenance corridor. Sean’s closing in from the east.”
“Copy,” Tag responds. “Brendan, Bryan, move your teams to support Sean. Aiden and Gallagher, you’re with me. I’m going to approach Vega. Maybe he’ll be grateful if I get him and his men clear of this.”
“I’ll release the exit he needs when you give me the signal.”
“Aye, stand by.”
I watch my brothers’ body cameras as they navigate the maze of shipping containers and warehouse structures. Sean’s feed shows him approaching the maintenance building, weapon ready.
Brendan and Brody, Bryan and Rory each flank from different angles.
“He’s got someone trying to override the lockdown.” Nyx points to a blinking alert on her screen. “That asshole thinks he can replace me?”
I snort. “You sound offended.”
“I am!” She’s frowning as she works against the assault. “I think his guy is in that car. They’re accessing the emergency protocols.”
“Can you block it?”
“Are you seriously asking me that?”
I laugh to myself and watch in real-time as she counters each attempt to override the lockdown to escape.
It’s like watching a chess match played at lightning speed.
“He’s not even that good,” she mutters.
“That’s my girl.” I squeeze her shoulder.
The maintenance building’s camera feed shows Gravely frantically looking for a way out, his remaining guards positioned at the doors. He’s trapped, and he knows it.
“Sean, he’s in the northeast corner,” I direct. “Three guards with him.”
“I see them,” Sean responds. His body camera shows him signaling to Brendan and Bryan, coordinating their approach.
What happens next unfolds with brutal efficiency.
My brothers move in perfect synchronization, years of working together evident in every motion. Bryan creates a distraction, drawing fire from two guards. Brendan takes them out with precise shots. Sean circles around, coming face to face with Gravely’s last guard.
The gunfight is quick and decisive. When the echo of the final shot fades, only Gravely remains, cornered like the rat he is.
“It’s over, Billy,” Sean’s voice comes through the feed, cold and hard.
On screen, Gravely backs against the wall, his hands raised. “Sean. Still stuck doing your brother’s dirty work, I see.”
“This isn’t Tag’s dirty work,” Sean replies. “I fought to be the one to win this honor—of ending you—you sorry piece of shit. This is for everything you and Mattie did to Piper. For betraying her family. For just being a festering disease in our fucking city.”
Gravely’s eyes dart around, looking for an escape that doesn’t exist. “What do you want? An apology? It’s the nature of the business. It’s what we do.”
“It’s not what we do,” Sean says simply.
Gravely changes tactics, desperation creeping into his voice. “Fine, let’s reinstate the truce and run this city together. No more fighting. We’ll honor our territories and split it down the middle.”
Sean laughs, but there’s no humor in it. “You still don’t get it, do you? This war has never been about territory.”
“Then what?” Gravely snarls.
“Family and protecting innocents and honor among criminals,” Sean answers. “None of which you understand.”
Sean raises his gun.
Beside me, Nyx’s hand finds mine, squeezing tight. “Finn, cut the CCTV.”
With my free hand, I execute the command to disable all surveillance and video feeds within a half-mile radius.
“We’re dark,” I say. “No evidence. No witnesses. Just justice.”
We watch the body cam live stream as Sean steps closer to Gravely. “Burn in hell, asshole.”
Three shots echo through our headsets, and Gravely crumples to the ground.
“Bastard down,” Sean reports, his voice steady. “The world is a better place.”
A collective exhale seems to pass through the comms. The tension that’s been building for weeks—months, even—suddenly releases.
“Everyone good?” Tag asks.
My brothers check in. All safe.
The McGuire brothers too.
Even Vega and his men have been secured and sent on their way.
Nyx leans back in her chair, her eyes meeting mine. There’s relief there, but something else too. A shadow.
“What’s the look? It’s over. We did it.”
She nods, but her smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “ Si , we did.”
Like a blow to my sternum, it hits me, and I understand her melancholy. This victory means our time is coming to an end. Gio will want to leave now that the threat is eliminated.
The thought sits like lead in my stomach.
“Standard clean-up protocol,” Tag says. “Gallagher, your team has the honors. Devils, we thank you, as always. Brothers, rendezvous at the compound in one hour.”
I start the process of erasing our digital footprint. Beside me, Nyx does the same, methodically removing any trace of our presence in the systems we’ve infiltrated.
“Dock cameras?” she asks.
“I’ve got them looped,” I confirm. “By the time everyone gets in tomorrow, the cleanup crew will be long gone, and no one will be any the wiser.”
We work in comfortable synchronicity, our hands occasionally brushing as we reach for the same keyboard or toggle the same switch. Each touch feels precious now, numbered.
“You know,” I say casually, trying to keep my voice light, “we make a good team.”
Nyx looks up, her gaze softening. “The best.”
“Tag’s going to offer you a job,” I tell her. “A permanent position working cybersecurity for the family.”
Her hands pause over her keyboard. “Finn, we talked about this.”
“I know, but I’m just saying you have options.”
She’s quiet for a moment, her expression unreadable. “And Gio?”
“We can set him up somewhere safe. Maybe a retreat or somewhere he can work through what happened. Hell, I’ll hire him a personal trauma companion to help him. It doesn’t have to be you. Honestly, it’s probably better for him if it isn’t you and it’s a licensed therapist.”
Nyx turns back to her screen, but not before I catch the glimmer of tears in her eyes. “Let’s finish this first. One thing at a time.”
We complete our cleanup in silence. By the time we’re done, it’s as if it never happened.
The perfect crime.
“All clear on my end,” Nyx announces, closing her laptop.
“Same.” I shut down the last monitor and the room plunges into relative darkness, illuminated only by the soft glow of my desk lamp.
In this gentler light, Nyx looks tired but beautiful. The weight of everything she’s been through—and we’ve accomplished—shows in the slight slump of her shoulders, but there’s strength there too. Resilience.
“What happens now?” she asks.
“Now, we celebrate.” I offer her my hand and when she takes it, I pull her against my chest and kiss her with everything I’ve got…
My hope. My fear. My passion. My love.
When we break apart, she rests her forehead against mine. “You’re making this harder, Finn.”
“Good. I want to make it impossible. I want you to see that together we can help Gio. We can meet all his needs and get him back on his feet.”
She sighs. “And you’ll still be Finn Quinn. Dublin Charmer. Heir to a crime family. Target of danger.”
I want to argue but she’s right. No matter what I do, I’ll always be me. I’ll never turn my back on my family, so even if I leave Dublin to be with her, I’ll still be tied to what’s going on here.
There is simply no easy solution.
With no answers, we gather ourselves and head downstairs to await the return of my brother. At the very least, we can celebrate the death of Billy Gravely.
That’s a big win for all of us. The war between north and south Dublin is over and now the landscape of power is shifting.
And thankfully, the Quinns are on top.