American Dynasty

F I V E

David Gandy as Callaghan O'Hare ^^^

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As Flynn came back inside, he couldn't clear his mind of the frustratingly interesting girl he had had the pleasure of dancing with.

Stella Biancardi. Her name sounded more than familiar to him; she was all the men of New York could talk about. How gorgeous she was, how rich her father was, what they would give just to have her in their bed for the night. Flynn couldn't help but feel a little bit smug that he had gotten to hold her in his arms, even if it had only been for a few minutes.

"Flynn!" He turned at the sound of his name to see Callaghan quickly making his way over to him. "Flynn, Joe Masseria is here!" Callaghan hissed. "This is the guy you're going to want to talk to if you want in with the Mafia."

"Where is he?" Flynn asked, immediately on high alert. Callaghan discreetly nodded towards a rather large man who stood off to the side with a group of scarred, intimidating looking thugs that Flynn could only assume were from the Masseria crime family.

Flynn took a deep breath, trying not to show just how nervous he was. Giuseppe "Joe" Masseria was without a doubt one of the most dangerous men in the country, with the most ruthless, merciless and heartless gangsters at his disposal. Flynn's eyes darted around until they met those of his closest friend, Aiden, who stood just a few yards away. He discreetly motioned for Aiden to come over with a nod of his head.

"What is it?" Aiden asked as soon as he had reached the two men. Brady Doyle, another friend of Flynn's, followed closely behind.

"It's time," Flynn said grimly. He looked between the three men standing in front of them, feeling like a hand was clutching his heart and slowly beginning to squeeze. These three men, his friends, were trusting him with their lives.

He had known Aiden since they were little boys in rural Ireland, wreaking havoc at school. In Manhattan they had met Callaghan who sponsored them and got them into the good graces of an Irish mob boss. It was there that they met Brady, and the three of them became the trinity that was feared by all of New York.

"If this going to work, we're going to have to make it look like all we want to do is be friends and make a business deal." They all nodded, their jaws set in determination. Flynn's tongue darted out to wet his lips before he perfected his composure and calmly started walking towards the Mafia boss.

"Well, well, well, Flynn Dempsey." Giuseppe Masseria was the first one to see the small group heading towards him. His small, beady eyes suspiciously travelled over each of the men's faces before settling permanently on Flynn's. "You're really as young and fresh as they say. Have you ever even been in a fight, boy?"

"Plenty," Flynn said nonchalantly, tilting his head upwards. "I've just never lost."

Giuseppe laughed heartily and crossed his arms over his large chest. "I like your quick wit. Now Callaghan's told me you have a deal you'd like to strike with me."

Flynn's eyes flickered to Callaghan before he spoke. "I'd like to propose a partnership between the Masseria and Dempsey gangs."

Giuseppe's expression was a mix of amusement, disbelief and grudging admiration. "A partnership?"

"The two strongest gangs in New York in a coalition, it would be unlike anything anyone has ever seen before," Flynn said, his voice dripping in persuasiveness. "We would have the monopoly on anything and everything. Votes, bootlegging, racketeering, prostitution, embezzlement, you name it."

"And the other gangs?" Giuseppe questioned. "The rest of the Mafia? The Irish mobs?"

"You think it won't be easy to knock off the bosses?" Flynn chuckled, trying his best to sound confident. "You know what happens when a boss croaks. Someone replaces him, or the gang gets absorbed into the gang that killed the boss. Either way, they'll be ours. As for the Irish mobs, uniting them will be easy when we all have a common interest. Those who don't want to cooperate...well, I have my ways of dealing with them." Flynn could see the cruel light dancing in Giuseppe's eyes, excited at the idea of more power.

"Why are you striking this deal here?" Giuseppe asked, raising an eyebrow. "In a place so public that anyone could hear what we're planning on."

"Everyone's too busy in their own little worlds to realize when history is being made. And seeing as though we're supposed to be enemies I wanted to be in a place where killing me on sight would have been out of the question for you," Flynn said with a sly, humourless smile.

Giuseppe laughed and clapped Flynn on the back. "I like you, boy. You've got some nerve."

Flynn smirked and held his hand out. "Do we have a deal?"

Giuseppe shook Flynn's hand with an almost uncomfortably strong grip and grinned. "We've got a deal. Welcome to hell, partner."