I excused myself from Capo’s side—he was deep in conversation with Keely’s dad and uncle—and went back into the house. I looked for Keely but couldn’t find her. Keely’s Mam was in the kitchen, and she asked me if I wouldn’t mind arranging a dessert tray and making coffee. Her sister was about to leave, and she wanted to say goodbye. I knew my way around the kitchen, and to be honest, it felt good to be back home.
Home.
Footsteps sounded on the floor, but I continued to arrange the little cakes, pies, and muffins. A second or two later, Harrison stood next to me. I looked down, trying to concentrate on what I was doing. My nails were dark, almost black, and in contrast to the white cakes, it made them stand out even more. It was something, anything, to distract me from the heat I felt coming from him. He smelled like a bar.
He stood close to me, his hip leaning against the counter. “You smell good, Strings,” he said.
“It’s new,” I said, trying to keep my voice even. He had never made me nervous before, but I could sense his disappointment, or maybe his anger toward me.
“It smells natural. Like you’re not wearing anything, but you are.”
I thought the same thing. The perfume worked like magic with my chemistry. But this was petty conversation. He was moving us along, bringing us somewhere. I didn’t like where we were headed, so I murmured, “uh huh” before turning to the coffee pot.
“You’ve changed so much. I hardly recognize you.”
“I got a job, Harrison. I’m able to afford things now.”
“New hair.” He took a strand and analyzed it. “New clothes.” He nodded toward my purple silk camisole. I had paired it with a pair of blue jeans and heels that showed a lot of toe. Since I planned on wearing a pair for the wedding, I’d been practicing. “I’d say that job pays really well, Strings.”
“It pays enough.” I finished filling the filter with coffee and set it in the pot to brew. I didn’t want to turn and look at him. The hurt in his eyes was too much. I just wanted to be the way we used to be. “I’d say your job pays really good, too. Seems like you’re doing better.”
“Keely told you I bought this place?”
I turned on him so fast that I could feel the breath of air that circulated between us. Pistachio drifted off of me. “You bought this house?”
He nodded, picking up his glass from the counter, taking another drink of whiskey. “I didn’t take you for the kind of woman to be attracted to golden things, Strings.”
“What do you mean? Golden things?”
“Golden things,” he repeated, his voice slurred some. “The man outside. Capo. The ring on your finger. Not this house. It’s a paper thing compared to what he can offer you.”
“I’d never think of this house as a paper thing,” I said, turning from him again. “This house is the only home I’ve ever known. Even if it was a paper thing, I’d still call it home.”
Only a few people could get to me. I never allowed anyone in. But Harrison could get to me because I loved him like a brother, and it was hard to pretend like everything was okay between us when it wasn’t.
“There’s a war going on,” he said, throwing me for a loop.
Maybe he was drunk off his ass. That was usually Owen, but there were a few times I’d seen Harrison drunk, too. He was usually more relaxed.
“I’ve heard about it.”
“I doubt you’ve heard about this one,” he said. “Right here. Home soil. New York.”
I turned to him again. “What are you talking about?”
He grinned at me. “Someone’s fucking with the five families. Whoever it is started a war. One family is blaming another. Territories are being crossed. Even the Irish are getting in on it. Whoever’s fucking with them killed a dangerous name in that world, too. Serious turmoil.”
“Are you drunk?”
“Maybe.” He grinned. “A little.”
“That explains a fucking lot,” I said, about to turn around again when he took me by the arm and forced me to look at him. His stare was too…much. “Why would you even care?” I rushed out. “About all of that?”
He shrugged. “I don’t. Just bringing up recent news. You work for the Faustis. I thought you should know.”
“I doubt they’d get involved. No one touches them.”
He shrugged again. “I want you to be careful.”
