She looks at me, and for the first time in days, a flicker of something like hope lights in her eyes.
“Thanks. For letting me fall apart for a minute.”
“Anytime.”
I know all too well that grief isn’t a wound that scabs over. It’s something that becomes part of you. But over time, you learn to live with it until it’s nothing but a dull ache in the back of your mind.
Mila isn’t there right now, but at some time in the future, this pain will be nothing but a distant memory. Until then, I’m going to make sure I’m by her side every step of the way as she learns to live in a world where Max no longer exists.
Chapter Eight
RONAN
It’s nearlytwo in the morning when Kieran calls with an update. I’ve lost count of how many days it’s been since Max’s death, but from the growing feeling of dread that has settled in my stomach, it’s been too fucking many for us not to have any leads.
I don’t even hesitate to pick up the phone, knowing that I won’t be chasing sleep anytime soon, so I might as well continue to work.
“You’re not going to like what I’ve found,” Kieran says by way of greeting.
“I never do. Talk.”
“I got the name of the kidnapper: Liam Kelly.”
I sit up straighter, the fatigue I’ve been drowning in all day vanishing in an instant. “Are you sure?”
“My guy wouldn’t risk giving me a fake name. Not after what I paid him.”
I frown. “What did you pay him?”
There’s a beat of silence, and I know whatever the answer is, I’m not going to like it.
“We owe him a favor. One he can cash in whenever he wants.”
I swallow a groan as I rub the back of my neck.
Owing a debt to a man I don’t know if I can trust is the kind of move that gets people killed in my world. But the cost ofnotfinding out who’s trying to bring us down is even worse, so I’ll let it slide. For now.
“We’ll deal with that later. Tell me about Kelly.”
Kieran scoffs. “Looks to be nothing more than a thug for hire, a man with zero loyalty. He was most recently seen working with the O’Keefe brothers.”
I curse under my breath.
That name Idoknow.
The O’Keefe family is about as reckless as they come, infamous for stirring shit and never playing by the rules. My own father put two of them in the ground back in the day and warned the rest to stay the hell out of New York. But it looks like they forgot my father’s warning.
“They want back in?”
“Either that or someone’s using them as a front. Whatever the reason, Kelly’s connection to them gives us a starting point.”
Even though he can’t see it, I nod. “Who else has he worked for?”
“Anyone who pays enough. My guys and I have put together a list of factions he's known to associate with.”
“Send it over.” I open my email just as the list appears in my inbox.
I open it and stare at the names, most of which I’m familiar with, which is a good sign.
