Page 71 of Alfie: Part One

I scratched the side of my head. It wasn’t like I’d been allowed time to think things through.

Not that I regretted my decision.

“So I’ll have him work for room and board,” I said.

I’d figure something out. Maybe he could?—

“He’s not staying in the condo,” Kellan told me.

Well, fuck.

“That’s not what I was thinking.” I scowled and left his ass there. Now I had to take a sixteen-year-old kid somewhere.

I wasn’t precisely strapped for cash, so I could put him up in a nicer hotel while I made better arrangements. I walked behind Colby and brought out my pocketknife upon seeing he’d been restrained with zip ties.

“You’re comin’ with me, kid,” I said.

“Wh-where are we going?” he stammered. “Are you g-going to kill me?”

For fuck’s sake! I understood Finn and the others had to be hard-asses, but how could they look at a kid and consider punching him to pieces?

“Nobody’s killing you, Colby.” I removed the zip ties and helped him up to his feet.

The kid winced and sniffled, and he cast a brief glance at his brother on the floor.

“I told him to be more respectful,” he croaked. “I didn’t wanna be late for work.”

That was good news. “And what about the drinking? Do you have a problem?”

He swallowed and hesitated, though I suspected he was more overwhelmed by everything else tonight than unsure about his response.

“I-I don’t think so.” He sniffled again. “I just… It’s easier to handle things when I’m wasted. And he’s all I have.”

I nodded with a dip of my chin. “I buy that. But he’s not all you have anymore. Are you gonna be okay knowing he’s getting his final shot in Ireland?”

He let out an unsteady breath. “Yessir. I’m honestly surprised Mr. O’Shea let him live.”

“So am I,” Kellan said as he walked past.

I reluctantly understood that Finn showed mercy in his own way—by letting Tony live, at least for the moment, for Colby’ssake. Now it was up to Tony. Finn had spared Colby from watching his brother die. That was something.

“Alfie, youse get outta hea,” Kellan told me. “Eric’s running interference in a few seconds.”

“Okay, cheers.” I assumed he’d get a ride with his hubby later. So I gestured for Colby to follow me, and he grimaced, embarrassment coloring his cheeks. “Don’t worry about it,” I said. We’d find something he could sit on in the car until he got cleaned up.

CHAPTER 9

Alfie Scott

Technically, it was a motel.

I stayed in the doorway as Colby packed up his shit, including Tony’s things. If Tony wanted his bag, Kellan could arrange for a pickup—or we shipped it to Dublin. I didn’t care. All I knew was, Colby was checking out of here tonight.

The stains on the carpet spoke of years of guests spilling, throwing up, getting off, maybe bleeding, and…pissing, by the smell of it. The two beds were different heights, one looked awfully lumpy, and the closest nightstand had one leg duct-taped.

We were also half an hour outside Camden—on the wrong side.

“What’s the rate here?” I asked.