Page 109 of Ruthless Dream

I shake my head. Wallen is a clever bastard, but he’s asking for too much on this one.

“If Wallen wants to start war with the Russians, let him at it. It’s got nothing to do with us, though.”

My uncle narrows his eyes. “Are you sure?”

“About avoiding war with Lev Zimin?” I’m not one to squirm under fire, but I very much like my balls. And if it came to it, I don’t doubt Boris Akatov would take any excuse to torture me.

Cormac pours himself another whiskey. “Wallen thinks he can take more territory by the docks. More territory there means more trade routes. More trade routes means more money. We’re looking at an opportunity here.”

To die.

I shake my head. My uncle knows better, but I play along.

“There are other ways to get territory.” No matter what major city you’re in, you’re bound to find disputes when it comes to the harbors. Shipments are crucial, but the Bratva isn’t going to budge an inch on this.

“Wallen has the power to take it.”

“In what fucking world?” First he wants to take on the Knights, and now the Zimin’s. “He might have the weapons, but he doesn’t have the manpower.”

I know as soon as I see my uncle’s face what he’s thinking.

“The O’Connells are not his soldiers.”

Cormac remains silent.

“There might be a fuck ton of us,” I add, my voice gruff, “but not enough to take on the fucking Bratva!”

Cormac shrugs, agreeing with this argument. It doesn’t do enough to pacify me. He shouldn’t be entertaining Wallen. It’s one thing to allow the man to vent, it’s another to make him believe we might be willing to help.

“Why are you doing this?” I ask. “Why are you putting up with him?”

“Surely you want to own a home one day.”

I barely stop myself from rolling my eyes in time. We’re not disputing money. “You can’t bring cash with you into the afterlife.”

“I want the harbors,” Cormac admits, and there it is.

Cormac is stone. His blond hair and lighter eyes make him into a marble statue. He’s gotten an idea into his head, and it will not leave him.

Truth be told, we’ve always wanted the harbors. It’s been our ultimate plan.

I lean forward, placing my elbows on the desk. “Controlling Dublin is one thing.”

That’s our territory. Wallen’s letting us use his harbors in New York, where we’ll run more ships through the Atlantic, getting them into Dublin.

“We have no business getting into war with the Russians,” I tell him. “We want them on our side.”

Cormac looks at me strangely. “Do we?”

“Our lives are in Dublin. Anything we do here will need Walsh’s approval. Unless you intend to start a war with him too?” Cormac stays silent, so I go on. “We are not the type of men to be asking for permission. Let us go home with more money in our pockets and contracts for the future. Let Wallen deal with his shit on his own.”

“But if we have a chance to get the harbor, would you take it?”

I take a deep breath, trying to understand. I shake my head after a moment. “It’s madness. Taking out a Russian, who would we⁠—”

“You don’t think you could get close enough to Boris?”

Icy claws tear into my chest. I rub my bearded jawline.