Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 99191 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 496(@200wpm)___ 397(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 99191 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 496(@200wpm)___ 397(@250wpm)___ 331(@300wpm)
I’d do this and worse to keep my family and my people safe.
“Hmm. Well, I guess time will tell, won’t it?”
He didn’t particularly like where she was headed with this, but he couldn’t say that he was surprised. Aiden sighed as if he wasn’t coiled and ready to spring into motion the second one of her people moved wrong. “Alethea, all of Boston will take it poorly if you harm me, and I will take it poorly if you harm my fiancée. Let’s not waste our time with idle threats.”
“Who said it was idle?”
“Damn it!”
They both turned to find Mae raking in the chips, a small smile on her face, while Charlie slouched in her seat. She offered Aiden a sheepish smile. “Dinner’s on you, baby.” She pressed a hand to her stomach and made a face. “Speaking of…any chance your business is done? I’m starving.”
“Just wrapping up.” He stood and adjusted his jacket. Now was the time when Alethea would spring her trap—if there was one. Showing fear was out of the question, so he kept his gaze on Charlie as he crossed to her. I will get us out of here alive. I promise. He spoke over his shoulder. “You have the information. What you do with it is up to you.”
Alethea let him get almost to the door before she spoke. “You don’t fool me, Aiden O’Malley.”
He turned, touching Charlie’s back to signal her to keep close. It took more work than normal to keep his expression easy and open. “I’m not trying to fool you.”
“Bullshit.” She smiled a slow smile that made his skin crawl. “We’ll take that help that you’re so generously offering, and we’ll put Romanov in the ground.”
He knew the other shoe was going to drop, and she didn’t disappoint.
“For a price.”
He sighed. “By all rights, you should be kissing my ass for bringing you this information. You had no idea Romanov was going to double-cross you, and he would likely have succeeded in murdering both you and Mae if left to his own devices. I’m not playing this game with you. Use the information or don’t. But I’m not going to bend over backwards when you’ve already told me quite explicitly how little you need me.”
“Did I hurt your delicate feelings? How sad for you.” She shook her head. “Wait for my call, Aiden. We’ll talk more then.”
I’m saving Keira. He had to focus on that and let the rest fall where it may. Dmitri Romanov had done their family wrong several times over. They might be allies for the time being, but that didn’t mean he was going to cave to the man’s every whim.
Especially when it came to his baby sister.
He wouldn’t let it happen. He refused to.
He gave Alethea a tight nod. “I look forward to it.” Then he turned around and ushered Charlie through the warehouse and out into the night.
* * *
Charlie hadn’t taken a full breath since she’d thrown away that last pot to distract Mae from what Alethea and Aiden were talking about. She’d never had any intention of winning, though she’d had trip aces in her hand. Mae might have reached across the table and tried to cut her throat, and that would have ruined everyone’s night.
She hadn’t breathed at all when Alethea ever-so-carefully threatened Aiden.
That woman and her daughter were rabid dogs. She’d known that, but she’d comforted herself with the end justifying the means: Romanov had to go down, just like he deserved to. It had made sense in her head, though it had taken some mental gymnastics to get there.
Now?
Now she wanted nothing more than to grab Aiden’s hand and take him away from it all. She liked him. He wasn’t like these other mob bosses, who seemed to relish doing evil things and hurting people. He did what he had to do in order to keep his family safe.
And keep them in power. Can’t forget that.
She took his hand as they settled into the backseat of the sedan, the contact grounding her even though it was a lie. She couldn’t afford to have romantic feelings for Aiden. Her vision was already clouded because of her need for vengeance against Dmitri Romanov. Throw in something as foolish as love and she’d lose her way completely.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded, too twisted up inside to speak. What if something had happened to him? Through it all, he’d never dropped the mask he’d used to manipulate Alethea—the friendly and vengeful mob boss.
Did he know that we had maybe a fifty-fifty chance of walking out of that warehouse alive?
She squeezed his hand tighter. “You can’t do that again.”
“What?” Aiden turned to face her fully, his green eyes concerned.
“Meet Alethea like that—on her terms, surrounded by her people, in a place where you can’t get out unless she lets you out. Not again, Aiden. Not like that.”