there as an advisory role, but typically the Prionsa would sit there.”
My brows shot up as I eyed the chair. Prionsa was Gaelic for prince.
“The Ri doesn’t have an heir,” I stated. Ri meant king.
Stefan nodded, nonchalant. He didn’t seem bothered by the fact that he didn’t have a son to follow in his footsteps. “Since I haven’t picked a successor, whenever we have a guest attending the meeting, they sit there.”
“Where do you expect me to be during these meetings? Do I stand behind you?”
“Where do you want to be?” The question was a loaded one. A test maybe? Knowing that didn’t immediately upset me because I couldn’t see any risk in picking a chair.
I chewed on my lip. I knew where I wanted to sit, but I was worried I’d be overstepping, especially if I was just supposed to be shadowing him. Thinking back to what he'd said about who sat where, an idea formed in my head. “As of right now, you haven’t decided what role I’ll have in this family. Can I request that I temporarily take the title of guest until my role is decided?” I asked and pulled out the Prionsa’s chair before sitting in it.
The corner of his mouth twitched. “Normally, our guests are someone of importance.”
“I’m the Banphrionsa and the only child of Stefan Quinn, the boss of the New England Irish mob. Are you saying I’m not important?” I challenged with an arched brow.
He didn’t argue. With a proud glint in his eye, he pulled out his chair and also took a seat. “The reason I brought you in here was to go over everyone’s role at this table and why it’s imperative they are always informed when something goes down.” He pointed to Samuel’s chair. “Samuel oversees drugs. Be it obtaining them, making them, or distributing them. Dylan works directly under Samuel. His main focus is getting the product out there and making sure it’s being sold. They have men that help them man that pillar of the empire.”
I quietly listened, digesting the information he was giving me. It was one thing to know your family was a bunch of criminals, but hearing it explained straight from the horse’s mouth, as it were, was still a little eye opening. It hadn't felt real until now.
“It’s sort of set up the same way with your Uncle Conor and Rourke, except they deal in guns. Conor works with our contacts in Ireland to get the guns. Rourke makes us a lot of money by selling them to other crime families and gangs across the States. They also have men who work under them who help move their product and man their pillar. Louie is our top enforcer. He helps Jamie with a lot of tasks, but he’s in charge of all our security. He oversees recruitment, placement, and passing along orders.”
“What about Jamie?”
“Jameson is my enforcer. He’s also my second pair of eyes and hands. He makes sure everything runs smoothly and if it doesn’t, he fixes it. If we have a rat, he finds them and brings them to me. If I need information, he gets it. When I’m needed in more than one place, he steps in and we divide and conquer.”
“How does the chain of command work?”
He seemed pleased by my question. “If I’m ever indisposed or otherwise occupied, Jameson runs things. If I die, Samuel.”
“Samuel?!” I was going to be sick. No way could that man be in charge.
Stefan nodded. “Don’t worry. I have a failsafe in place for you in case anything happens to me.”
“What do you mean?”
“All I’ll say is you’ll be taken care of and out of Samuel’s reach. He may be my brother, but I’d never trust him with you.”
“Why haven’t you named Jamie as your successor? You raised him.”
Stefan sighed. The topic seemed to frustrate him. “He doesn’t want it.”
There was no way Samuel could be in charge. He’d undoubtedly destroy this family by ruling it like a tyrant. Not to mention, he’d either marry me off or beat me until I learned to be as submissive as he expected a woman to be, which would still probably end with me being married off.
“Back to the point of all this,” Stefan said, pulling my attention back to him. “The reason your uncles need to be in the know is because the men who work under them have heard what’s happened or what they think has happened. Regardless, all they know is one of