“I’m not working with the FBI,” I whispered to my dadwhen the door slammed shut behind Atticus.
He let out a defeated sigh. “Neither was Jack.”
Oh, god, don’t bring up Fat Jack now.
“Dad, can’t you stick up for me? Can’t you saysomething? You know me. You know I would never sell out thebratva. You know this has alwaysbeen my life. I’ve never known anything different.”
He shrugged, his face looking drawn and pale. “Caro,they don’t listen to me. I’m a nobody.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “Youneed Sayer to speak up for you. They listen to him.”
“He’s in prison.” My chin wobbled and tears leakedfrom the corners of my eyes.
“That’s real loyalty,” my dad said. “Going to prison‘causethe bosses asked it of you. He’s a good man. He’s areal example.”
My dad praising Sayer for his selfless sacrifice mademe want to scream. “Do you believe me?” I asked him. Because it didn’t soundlike he did. “Dad, tell me you believe me.”
He stood up and shoved his hands in his pockets.“Listen to them, Caro. Don’t be stupid. Don’t give them a reason to mistrustyou. Don’t let them be right. You know yougottakeepyour hands clean.”
“And your nose cleaner.”
“You’re a smart girl. You’ll do the right thing.” Hewalked over and kissed my cheek before moseying out of the apartment.
Twenty minutes had gone by before I moved from where Istood. I stared at my feet for twenty freaking minutes, trying to figure outwhat I was going to do.
Thebratvathought I was working with the FBI. I wasn’t. ButMason Payne thought we were on friendly enough terms to talk to me whenever hewanted.
It looked bad.
Itwasbad.
And Sayer was locked away for the foreseeable futureand not able to help me. Not at all.
Wrapping my arms around my waist, I knew I had to dosomething. I knew I had to do whatever it took to protect the life inside me.
If it was just my life I was playing with, I wouldhave been able to face it. I would have kept my hands clean and kept my noseclean and everything so goddamn clean and then faced whatever consequences cameout of my decisions. But I had more to think about now.
I had more than one life to protect.
Frankie walked in the door, yanking off her heels asshe headed to the kitchen without slowing down. “I hate this fucking city,” shegrowled when she saw me standing in the middle of our apartment.
It only barely registered that she’d told me she wasgoing to be with her uncles tonight and yet her uncles were here. With me.
“Then let’s leave,” I whispered to her. “Let’s justfucking go.”
She tottered in her bare feet. Quirking one eyebrow,she deadpanned. “You’re serious?”
I grabbed her hand and dragged her out to the balcony,lest the possible bugs in my apartment give warning to the feds or Atticus orfucking Santa Claus. And out on the terrace, with the freezing DC wind bitingour skin and making our noses run, I spilled everything.
I told her about Payne and his frequent visits, aboutthe deal he offered Sayer that I didn’t get a chance to share with him untilafter the FBI had pitched it. I told her about my visit with him today, how hewill never leave thebratva.No matter what.Andhow her uncles had stopped by to threaten my life.I cried when I toldher about my dad and his less than enthusiastic response. He hadn’t stuck upfor me. He didn’t even believe me. And I told her about Atticus and his stupidvendetta against me.
“He’s waited all this time,” Frankie said, in shockeddisbelief. “Caro, he’s waited ten years to get his revenge. Ever since youembarrassed him that night in the warehouse with the Irish guns. He’s like aninsane spider, just lying in wait, spinning his web. He’s out of his goddamnmind.”
“I know.”
“He’ll do it.” She shook her head, hugging herselftightly. “He’s going to do it. You know that right? He’ll find what he needs onyou. He’ll follow through. It’s only a matter of time.”
There was one important detail I’d failed to mentionuntil now. “Frankie, I’m pregnant.”
Her head snapped up, her eyes bugging out of her head.“I’m sorry, what?”
