“No.” The word comes out harder than I mean it. “Look again, Erin. I told you before, that's not possible. I know my men. That’s my family you’re talking about.”
“Cavin, I?—”
“I saidno.Every single one of them. They're loyal.”
“I'm not saying it's one of your crew, perse,” she says carefully.
I stand, dislodging her. “You're taking the piss now, seeing patterns that aren't fucking there.”
“You’re some thick if you think I’m droppin’ this.” She's on her feet now, clutching the blanket. “The numbers don't lie. Someone's leaking information, and if we can't figure out who?—”
“Drop it, Erin.”
“Don't tell me to drop it.” Her cheeks flush with anger. “You asked me to help with this, and now that I've found something, you're just going to dismiss it because you don't want to face the truth?”
“You don't know my family, Erin. You don't know shite about how we operate.” My hands curl into fists at my sides.
She pulls the blanket tighter, her eyes flashing. “Then explain it to me! Why was there no record at the funeral? Why couldn’t you figure out who bombed your car? Explain how else someonewould know exactly when to hit you, exactly where you are, exactly how much you can afford?—”
“I saiddropit.” My voice cracks through the room like a whip.
Silence falls between us, heavy and sharp.
Her eyes go hard. “You asked me to help. You put me on this. And now that I'm actually getting somewhere, you want to pretend there's no problem because you can't handle the idea that someone you trust might be?—”
My phone buzzes again. Another message from Declan.
Declan
Did you get my text?
“What is it?” Erin says, her anger fading into concern.
“Nothing.” I shove the phone back down. “Just Declan.”
But I don't like lying to her. My mind is racing. If the West Coast connection falls through, if Padraic’s played us…fuck. I can't lose her. I won't lose her. Not over this. Not over anything.
“Cavin,” she says, “you're scaring me. What's going on?”
“Nothing, love.” I force myself to meet her eyes. “I just—I'm sorry for dismissing you like that. You're right to be careful.”
She studies my face. The woman's too smart for her own damn good. “You're lying to me.”
“I'm not.”
“You are.” Her voice softens. “But I'm guessing it's something you can't tell me yet.”
I know then she’s come to trust me. I sigh. “Don't mention… what you said to me to anyone else. Not until we're sure.”
“Right,” she says, “because if there is someone, obviously we don't want to tip them off.”
“Exactly.”
She nods and crosses to me, letting the blanket drop. She's bare in the firelight, and I love her so.
“We're in this together, yeah?” she says. “Whatever it is you're not telling me, whatever it is?—”
“Aye.” The lie sits bitter on my tongue, but I kiss her instead of speaking. “Together,” I whisper.
