The Heirs: The Silver Knight

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Aleks

Nestor has a whole spread for us for dinner. He and Vic are our 'gracious' hosts, although Miko and Lev Yenin are the ones who have been practically living here for months. It's always good to see some of the Yenins. Damien and Ivan Yenin are my dad's oldest friends and allies. Miko and Lev are Ivan's oldest sons, Chase and Tate's cousins. They're older than us and normally run the streets of Chicago, but since all this madness with the Cosa Nostra, Ivan has sent them to handle things in New York.

The Irish syndicate in Boston, the Murphys, have sent Noah Murphy – Finn and Kailey Murphy's oldest son and heir. He's your typical, charming mafia prince-type. He's got a mind for business, but is also good with conversation. He reminds me of Josh a lot, actually. Along with Noah is one of his father's right-hand men, Rhys Whelan. Rhys is about a decade older than me. Before he moved to Boston to work for Finn Murphy, he was working in Dublin with Alistair Callahan. Both Noah and Rhys ooze charm and debonair, and are just as likely to make a business deal with someone as they are to kill them. I never underestimate their ruthlessness.

The Murphys' top ally, Connor Carmichael, has sent one of his top guys, Theo Tomlin. The Tomlins are a big family in the Irish mafia. Theo's older brothers run Limerick and are allies/cousins with Alistair Callahan. Theo is also another one of Imogen's second-cousins, but I know they aren't as close as she is and was with Josh, Eli, and Owen. Unlike Noah and Rhys, Theo is the stern-silent type, which I can appreciate. He's straight to the point and is there to be the brute force, nothing more, nothing less.

The leaders of the Providence Italian mafia, the Office, have sent Xander Carozza. I've known Xander as long as I've known Leo, and I know he's solid. He knows these streets almost better than anyone, often taking up business dealings in the city for his family.

Then there are the rest of the Donnellys. Ronan sent his pride and joys, his son Matthew and his niece, Hazel. Along with their right-hand, Cam McCarthy, who I met briefly when we were in Chicago last. Matthew is a lot like Noah and Rhys with his easy mafia-heir charm. Hazel is more of a wildcard – ruthless, unfiltered, that type. Cam is a silent, but steady presence in their lives.

As soon as Imogen sees her cousins, they exchange big hugs – clearly the Donnellys are very close.

After all the introductions, we start feasting. Nestor hosts with his usual small-talk, but all of us are eager to get to the conversation at-hand.

Hazel Donnelly, of course, is the first to break the ice.

She says, "Glad to hear about your club conquests with your usual floozies, Semenov. But we aren't here to listen to tales of your sordid sex crimes. Oops, sorry, I mean sex life."

Matthew and Vic snicker.

Nestor gives her a look.

"Charming as always, Hazel."

Noah Murphy speaks up, a smirk on his face, "Tell me again, Donnelly. When I repeat your name in the mirror to summon your evil spirit – do I repeat your name three times or four?"

Hazel turns to Noah, smiling sweetly. "Four, and remember, all the lights have to be off," she coos.

Noah's smirk widens.

"Donnelly's right," Xander says with a huff, leaning back. "We have to go through the plan of attack."

Everyone looks to Nestor. He just sips his wine.