Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 93048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 465(@200wpm)___ 372(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93048 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 465(@200wpm)___ 372(@250wpm)___ 310(@300wpm)
“No, it’s not.” He keeps his arms crossed over his chest and affects a casual pose, but I can sense the danger lurking underneath him. “A lot’s been changing around here.”
“I don’t know what you think you’re going to accomplish, but you’re making a mistake.”
“Are you sure about that?” He tilts his head to the side. “From my perspective, the old boss dies, and the new boss rises up. Once that happens, things start going to shit. A random Italian girl’s making plans for us and men start getting hurt. You have a couple good wins, but that won’t last forever. Meanwhile, the new boss seems smitten and ready to sell himself out to an Italian.”
“He’s not selling anything.” I’m breathing fast and struggling to keep myself under control. I think of Seamus calling me a bitch the night before and implying that I’m having sex with Ronan to get money and power from him.
“Ronan’s doing whatever he can to push the family into a new reality, but the problem with that is there are those of us who don’t want change.”
“What’s your point, Cormac? I’m not a part of your family. I’m just consulting on some jobs.”
He tilts his head from side to side like he’s conceding that point. “My point is that you have gotten too close to the boss. He’s been denying it, but now the evidence is right before my eyes. How long did you stay with him? Just for the night? The size of that bag suggests longer.”
“It’s not your business.”
“Sorry, but you’re wrong about that, it’s very much my business. Doesn’t matter, you don’t have to tell me, but now it’s clear that Ronan’s been understating his relationship with you from the very start. You aren’t just a consultant. You aren’t just a clever girl coming up with lucrative jobs. You’re more than that.”
He’s right. I know he’s right. Ronan and I are a lot more than that, but we’ve been hiding it all this time because we’re both afraid of what might happen if people like Cormac find out.
Now I can’t do anything about it. Everything I’ve feared is happening right here on this sidewalk. Cormac knows that I’ve been staying with Ronan, and he’s going to use it to pry the Hayes family apart.
“I think you should go.” I stare at him, doing my best to keep a straight face, while inwardly I’m falling to pieces.
“That’s okay, I think you’re right. Tell Ronan I stopped by to talk to him about Seamus. I was here to make peace, believe it or not, and never pictured I’d find—” He gestures at me as he turns back to his car.
“You’re making a mistake,” I call after him. “Ronan’s a good man. He cares about the family.”
“Ronan’s a flawed individual following a faulty ideology. The Hayes family needs someone stronger in the top position.”
It all clicks. Cormac’s sleazy smile tells me everything. He disappears into the car and pulls out, and I stand there watching him go.
This isn’t about disagreeing with Ronan’s vision for the future. This isn’t about me getting too close to their boss.
This is about power and money, just like Seamus said.
Cormac wants to be the boss. He thinks he’s better suited and in a good position to make it happen. This talk of fault lines and bad decisions has always been about Cormac’s personal ambition, and he’s playing the game with a master’s skill.
But now we know. Now we can do something about it.
I turn back to the house and my phone starts to ring. I think it’ll be Ronan, and I can’t wait to tell him about that conversation.
Instead, the name on my screen makes me stop dead in the foyer.
“What the hell?” I say softly.
Marco’s calling. My former best friend. The guy that saved my life back when the Santoro Famiglia fell apart. The guy that betrayed me and our little group of allies for a girl. The guy I despise most of all in this world.
Slowly, I raise the phone to my ear. “What the fuck do you want?”
“Hey, Val,” he says, sounding so much like himself, and it breaks my freaking heart. Even though I hate him, I also miss his friendship so much. “I know I’m the last person in the world you want to hear from right now, but this is important.”
“What could you possibly have to say to me?”
Marco clears his throat.
“I’ve been doing some freelance work recently, and part of that has been to keep an eye on Gregory and the Faithful Servants.”
“Great. Good for you. How about you fuck off and—”
“Val, hold on. Just listen. Five minutes ago, I caught some of their communications. They’re launching an attack right now.”
“An attack?” My feet go cold. I look around like I might be able to find a weapon.