Bianca Cruz

The brothers make an unlikely pair. 

Liam O’Grady and Finn St Just. 

Sharing the same father. 

& 

Their father, Sean O’Grady had been a small-time Irish gangster who fell madly in love with a hooker who had run away from France. Elyna St Just charmed him and he followed her about, besotted, while Sean’s loyal wife, Maggie, waited for him. 

But the French woman grew tired of him soon. Seven months after Elyna St. Just had delivered his son, she disappeared. 

Humiliated and repentant, Sean had brought his little son home, to his wife, Maggie. She had stormed at him, thrown him out of the house, wept and wept. But being the large-hearted woman she was, Maggie O’Grady had made Sean swear upon his sons in church– for her own Liam was just a baby- that he would never have another woman in his life. 

And being the good Catholic that he was, Sean had kept his word and remained faithful to her till the day he died. He had concentrated on expanding his power, and had become a popular mob Boss by the time he died, a peaceful death no less, 

Maggie had accepted Finn St Just, for the boy had kept his mother’s name, and loved Finn like her own son.

And Sean had trianed his stwo ons in the ways of the world of crime.

From his humble beginnings in a trailer park, Sean had set up a mini empire by the time he breathed his last. But his sons, particularly Liam, had carried his legacy to even further heights.

Liam O'Grady ensured tht he was the unchallenged King of the East, along with his fatihful brother, Finn.

& 

Now Finn watched his brother speculatively.

Despite being teh older sibling, he took his lead from Liam, who was always one step ahead of everyone else.

&

In appearance, they were quite different. While Liam took after his Irish mother, with black hair and bright blue eyes, Finn had inherited his mother’s coloring. His eyes, the golden orbs that drove women mad, were only one feature that set him apart from his sibling. He was taller and unlike the stockier Liam, he was leaner, but both the brothers were packed with muscle. 

Liam was a gangster, cloaked under the guise of a realtor and a loan shark. But his excessive energy found an outlet in fighting; underground fight clubs were his ‘scene’ as he told Finn. He was also a businessman, brilliant to a fault whereas Finn was the muscle of the setup. 

With his violent temper and fierce, handsome looks, people automatically obeyed the towering Finn who seemed to be carrying a burden of anger around him constantly. His aggressiveness was unleashed upon the hapless submissive who he and his brother chose but even as he whipped them, they screamed for him to take them. Yes, women loved Finn. But then, they also loved the suave, charming Liam. 

Together, the two brothers had run through most of the women in Hunters Wood. 

He knew that he did not have the razor-sharp acumen of O’Grady but he had the undying loyalty of his troops, the men who worked for the O’Grady mob. 

And, most importantly, the brothers had a deep, unshakable bond. 

Both of them had discovered, early in life, that they were Doms, alpha males who enjoyed subjugating their partners. 

And the common bond only meant that they shared everything. 

Including their women. 

* 

The brothers shared a liking for women and had long ago discovered that they enjoyed having the same submissive cater to their needs. 

Helen Douglas, who had been the latest in a long string of subs, had fitted the bill nicely but she had begun to grow needy and Finn had suspected that Liam was about to send her packing. 

Now he looked at Lam who turned, his blue eyes sparkling as he drawled, 

“Finn my lovely brother, don’t you think we should get ourselves a new woman?” 

&&& 

Bianca Cruz 

The building looms in front of me and I stand in the rain, shivering in the cold as it whips around my legs. My jeans, my best pair, are already wet and I know that I look like a soaking wet kitten. 

I know I feel like one. Miserable and cold. 

And scared. 

So very scared. 

*** 

Pressing my lips together, I take a step forward then another. Then the doorman, who gives me a quick up and down look, lets me in, his face reflecting his incredulity though he hides it as he asks, politely, 

‘Are you here to see Mr St Just? Or Mr O’Grady?” 

I dredge up a half-hearted smile. As I meet his eyes, pushing my damp tendrils of brown hair away from my face. 

The hoodie is damp too, I think, clutching my old umbrella and blurt the first name that comes to my mouth. 

“Ummm…Mr St Just.” 

I say. 

He does not look deceived but he lets me in. probably out of pity, I think. 

& 

I can see the thoughts racing through his mind as I step into the wooden floored foyer and stop awkwardly. 

The doorman’s face seems to say, What does this bedraggled teenager, with her wet hair and old, pitifully poor clothes, want to do with a loan shark like Finn Walker? 

I square my shoulders and pop my wet umbrella into a place where there are other dripping umbrellas. Then I march to the reception determinedly, pretending to know what I am about to do. 

It is only the memory of my younger sisters, the twins, Annabelle and Rosemary, their pretty blonde hair and perfect features with sparkling blue eyes, that keeps me going. And of course, the look on Dean Nelson’s face. The leery, ugly look as he ran his bloodshot brown eyes over my sisters and me. 

His voice, was hoarse and greedy, as he stepped to me, his beer-laden breath almost making me gag as he snarled, 

“You better rustle up the money, pretty gal. Or your sisters and you are going to be on the streets, sweetheart. Or shackin’ up with me…” 

He had laughed, a high laugh, like a donkey braying, said my four-year-old sister Rose and I tightened my fists.