Page 10 of Dublin Charmer

Straightening, I find Sean among the chaos and rush over. He’s gathering the MC boys and taking control of the situation. His long hair is matted with blood—someone else’s, I hope—and his tux is torn at the shoulder. “I want every person in this building assessed and triaged for care. No one dies because we didn’t do our best, got it?”

“Aye, boss, we got it.”

When he sends them off, he looks to me. “Brenny?”

“He’s shot, but also cracked his head good and is still out cold. He needs a hospital, not Doc Kelvin.”

“Agreed. Kieran already called for as many ambulances as they can send.”

Bryan jogs over to join us and frowns at the carnage. “Where’s the fucking honor in this?”

Sean frowns. “There is none.”

“At least the cops can’t say we’re at fault here,” I add.

Sean grunts. “That’s a conversation for later. Finn, go outside and flag down the first EMT to tend to Brenny. Go with him and Nora to the hospital and keep me up to date.”

“What about Tag?” I ask.

“He’s got a through and through, but will go to the hospital to have Laine and the baby checked while he gets patched up. Bryan, take Piper and Harper to one of the sitting rooms down the hall and away from this mess. Then move the guests who are whole there too. There’s no sense scarring them for life.”

That reminds me. “James Donovan and his wife are downstairs. I put them through a staff door behind the tapestry in the parlor. I told them we’d call them up when it was over.”

Bryan nods. “I’ll get them after I settle the girls.”

“And I’ll handle the police,” Sean continues, his voice steady. “Happy-fucking-Christmas.”

I’m already moving toward the grand entrance as he finishes speaking.

I pass Tag leaning heavily against a pillar, one bloody hand pressed against the marble column, his focus squarely on his wife. “All right?”

“Aye, still breathing, little brother.”

“Grand, let’s keep it that way, shall we?”

The December air hits like a slap when I emerge into the courtyard. Christmas lights still twinkle along the castle walls, obscenely cheerful against the horror inside.

The Quinns certainly can throw a party.

When the first ambulance arrives, I jog over and wait while they park and open the back doors. “You’ll also need a neck collar and a backboard, boys. Your patient was shot in the leg and took one hell of a crack to the head on the way down. He was still unconscious when I came out.”

CHAPTER FOUR

Nyx

Iwatch through the security feeds as the Quinn brothers methodically clear the castle of Gravely’s men. My fingers hover over the keyboard, but there’s nothing for me to do. The attack is over, and it failed spectacularly.

A groan escapes my lips as my phone lights up with the happy face emoji with a dagger in its skulls. At least he’s texting instead of calling. The guy is so paranoid about being overheard, it’s ridiculous.

I open the text window, acid churning in my stomach.

You stupid bitch. You had one job. Ensure my forces take the Quinns down.

What the fuck happened?

I grip my phone and let my thumbs fly.

I relayed to you exactly what I saw. I got you the building plans, the catering information, and gave you eyes inside. Everything that was available, you had.