There was no way in hell he’d touchthatwith a ten-foot pole.His only priority was keeping Sloan safe.The rest of the world could go to hell for all he cared—that included both Aiden and Dmitri.“Do you think that would solve your problems?”
He sighed.“No.Someone else would just rise to power, and they’d be an unknown quantity.At least I can roughly gauge where Romanov is going at any given time.He’s not exactly predictable, but he’s known all the same.”
That just went to further show that Aiden was smarter than Jude had given him credit for.“You have a plan.”
“I have a plan.”Aiden smiled, and it was the coldest fucking thing Jude had ever seen.“Do you know who John Finch is?”
“Yes.”Jude had made it his business to know everyone connected to the Sheridans, and that included the feds who investigated them.John Finch had his fingers in every organized crime family in both Boston and New York.
“Romanov was instrumental in Finch’s daughter being wrongly branded a dirty cop.”
Jude sat back, a little in awe despite himself.He’s going to use the daughter to take both Finch and Romanov out at the knees.It didn’t matterhowAiden would accomplish it, only that he was devious enough to use this woman to accomplish his goals.“That’s cold.”
“It’s necessary.”Aiden finally picked up the file and set it in a drawer next to him.“You love my sister.”
Jude blinked at the change of topic.“I do.”It was something that had been simmering in the back of his mind for days now, though he’d hesitated to give it voice.It turned out to be easier than he could have imagined.“She’s everything.”
Aiden nodded.“She chose you.”
Even though he knew that she would, he relaxed a little bit.“So what do you think happens now?”Jude knew whathethought was going to happen.Even if Aiden broke his word, Jude would fight his way out of this house and back to Sloan.He’d find her and he’d take them somewhere safe.That was the only thing that mattered.
“I’ll tell you the same thing I told her—retrieve her from the Halloran house.Get out of Boston, and don’t look back.I can cover your tracks to a limited degree as long as you don’t do anything stupid to put yourself in the spotlight.”Something almost like warmth came into Aiden’s green eyes.“Go have a life, marry my sister, have a boatload of kids, put the family business behind you—behind both of you.You have a chance at happiness, and you’d be a fucking idiot to pass it up.”
It sounded almost too good to be true, but whatever else the O’Malley men were, they loved their siblings something fierce.Aiden was smart enough to take Sloan’s word as truth, and essentially offer his blessing as a result.He stood, wanting nothing more than to get back to Sloan.He wouldn’t be letting her out of his sight anytime in the next couple years.“Happy hunting, O’Malley.”
“It will be.”
He turned around and walked out of the office without looking back.He would keep his word, and that was all Jude needed to know.He was going to go get his woman and leave vengeance to Aiden O’Malley.
***
Darkness fell while Sloan paced the room Carrigan had given her.Her sister had tried to stay and keep her company, but she wasn’t capable of holding down a conversation, her nerves stringing tighter and tighter with each hour that passed.There was no word, but there wouldn’t be regardless of the outcome.It wasn’t as if Aiden or Teague would ring Carrigan to tell her their dirty little secrets.
And they certainly wouldn’t call Sloan.
She rubbed her arms, her skin feeling like it was too tight.Jude should have been back by now.There was no positive outcome that would cause him not to be here.She turned and looked at the window.
And shrieked.
“Let me in, sunshine.”
“Jude!”
“It’s okay.”She turned and caught the door as it flew open, her sister charging in with a gun drawn.
Carrigan stopped.“You’re okay?”
“I’m fine.”
Carrigan stopped and huffed out a laugh when she saw the window.“That man of yours certainly knows how to make an impression.Let the poor bastard in before one of James’s men shoots him.”She stopped in the doorway, her eyes softening.“I’m glad he’s okay.”
“Me too.”Sloan waited for the door to shut before she rushed to the window.“What were youthinking?”She shoved it open and backed up so he could climb through.“They have a front door.”
“I didn’t want to announce my presence.”He shot her a look.“I didn’t expect you to scream.”
“It’s a normal reaction when a person is startled.”She started to reach for him and hesitated.“Are you hurt?”He wasn’t wearing the same shirt she’d last seen him in, but he was moving well.
“I’m good.”Jude seemed to be waiting for something.
