He looks pointedly at Sally’s gaping neckline, and I stand.
“That’s enough, Sally,” I dismiss her.
She huffs and walks from the room, adding an exaggerated sway to her hips.Before the door closes, she shoots a look back at Broderick.He gives the slightest nod, but I catch it.Huh.I shake my head.She’shis mistress.
“I want to discuss a merger with a family back home in Ireland.There’s an eligible young woman from a prominent line.Joining with her would give us a direct connection to the mother country’s organization.”
“I’m not interested.”
“She will be here in January.I think it would benefit you to meet with her and at least start the negotiations.Or, if you’re not interested, I have a distant cousin who has shown interest in Roisin.”
“Fuck no.I’m not arranging a marriage for my sister.As for me, I’m off the table too.I already have a strong enough alliance with the families back in Ireland.I don’t need to marry for that.And I won’t even consider a Boston family, so don’t bother mentioning that.Jesus, Broderick, what century do you think this is?No arranged marriages.”I hold up my hand to stop his next argument.“I know you marriedAintínEireen without seeing her and arranged it all with Grandfather, but I’m not doing that.I believe, as my father did, that love will find you if it’s meant to be.”
“I won’t push on this, but when she comes in January, you should meet with her.”He continues with the same line of conversation, even though I said it was a moot point.
I want to tell him I’m planning to be married soon, but I still need to lock down my wayward woman.Instead, I move on the conversation.
“Is that all you needed to speak to me about?This could have waited until Monday during my normal office hours.”
It bothers me that he assumes that just because I’m in the office, he can speak to me.I think back over his advice the past few years.I’ve slowly been pushing him away, seeking counsel from Hayes and JJ more than from him.When I was younger, I needed his guidance.Now, not so much.
Just last year, he got me involved in a trade with a known poker loser, who was using his virgin sister as ante for entry into a card game.I didn’t know she was his sister at the time.I didn’t even realize the complete situation, but I immediately tried to correct it.I’d blindly allowed Broderick to make decisions for me.One that nearly started a war, because that young woman had already been claimed by Andrei, thePakhanof the Vegas Bratva.
That’s another incident that could have started the war and is closely tied to a member of my family.It gets me thinking.This goes back way further than Lyric and Ainsley, JJ’s sisters.How far back could this go?
The first thing that pops into my head is my parents’ murders.They were killed years apart from each other, and both cases are considered unsolved.Then there’s Aleksei’s father’s murder—and Daria’s father.
When we met with the Bratva, they explained why they killed Jimmy.He murdered Mikhail’s parents and raped his mother before killing her.Could all these murders have something to do with Jimmy’s and Johnny’s deaths?
Granted, Johnny didn’t die by an organization’s hand but by a sniper.But was it really in defense of Ainsley, or did someone hire the sniper?
“When I heard you work here on Saturdays, I thought it would be a good time to catch up with you.We haven’t spoken very much.I wasn’t privy to the discussion about Jordon going to the safety deposit box.How did he find out about it anyway?Has Jordon got the list yet?”He crosses his leg over the other, and I lean back in my chair.
For the first time in my life, I use that superpower JJ says I have on a family member to see if he’s lying.To me, it’s not only watching for their tells, changes in body language, restlessness, and other physical signs of stress.It’s an innate sixth sense I’ve honed for years.And in the City of Sin, it’s a necessary talent.I’ve broken people JJ, with all his power and strength, couldn’t crack.
I rest my elbows on the arms of my chair and steeple my fingers in front of my chest as I watch Broderick.I don’t answer him, and just like most people when I stare them down, he fidgets.That isn’t a complete indicator, but what he does next makes the hair on the back of my neck rise.
“Are you even sure you can trust any of Jimmy’s boys.JJ has been sitting in your shadow for years.No man should be okay with that.Jordon is young and impressionable.It only takes the right person whispering in his ear, and he’ll turn on you.I think you need to shelter yourself and step back.Let me take the reins.We don’t want to lose you like we did your father.”
“Huh.That’s an interesting take on both.How would you lead?I’m the boss, not you.My men will only listen to me.Unless you know otherwise.”I wait to see if he’ll fill in the information.
“Well, obviously, not all of them listen to you.I know a hacker who could help you out.He’s not a part of our organization.He’s able to dig up information Hayes can’t.”
“What’s his name?”
I need to find out if there is another hacker out there who masked himself behind Lyric.She’s the hacker out of the twins.She was the one Jimmy asked to hack information on the Lucky Dice.But I suspect she was coerced into hacking into the organizations.
“Oh, I mean, I know of him.I don’t know his name.I know how to find him, though.”He quickly changes from friendship to acquaintance.
I watch as he shifts in the chair to his side a bit.He’s not being open with me.His head whips to me, and his eyes light up with something new.My brows drop, prepared for what he says next.
“I heard there was an issue on the dance floor last night.You led a woman off to your private suite.”
Now it’s my turn not to give any of my tells.He will not use my girl against me.His immediate change of topic is more telling than any of his other lies.
“It wasn’t an issue, just someone I wanted to speak with.”
Only my direct guards, JJ, and Hayes know I took Daria last night.Oh, and one more person I almost forgot.It’s hard to hide my grin when I figure out who his inside person is here at the club.I plan to take care of that as soon as I can.Sally will be looking for another job before the day is through.
