“I did not realize we were having so many at the meeting.” Dino sneered, tilting his head at Sloan. “But I shouldn’t be surprised, you are an Irishman after all. Your father undermined the Five Families and cut off their balls and kept them in a glass jar.”
Carmine laughed and slapped his brother on the shoulder. “Enough, Dino. We’re here for a peace bargain.”
Dino glared at him, but something in Carmine’s gaze forced him silent. Carmine turned toward Sloan, who sat down behind his desk and clapped his hands.
“Let’s make a deal. Tell me about this book and how we’re containing it.” Sloan peeked at Vail, and I tensed.
“How about ye tell us why ye had Vail’s father killed,” I snapped at the Italians before I could stop myself.
Sloan gave me an icy stare that had a shiver of fear trickling down my spine. I bowed my head in apology.
Carmine laughed and bounced to one of two single armchairs available in front of Sloan’s desk and sat down. He crossed his ankles and kicked back like he was on vacation, not in his enemy’s home. “Funny story. Our men did that without consulting us first. Took matters into their own hands. You know how it is. They’ve been dealt with.”
I didn’t believea wordof his bullshite but didn’t dare argue. I valued my life, but when it came to Vail I would protect him, even if Sloan disapproved.
Dino gave me a narrow-eyed glare as he dropped into the other single chair beside his brother.
Sloan glanced between the chairs at Vail, who he had direct eyesight with. “Vail, tell us what happened with the book.”
15
VAIL
Everyone was focusing on me,and not in the same way the students did when I lectured. Their rapt attention was comforting, sometimes buoying. It made me feel on fire with knowledge.
But this time was different.
Everyone wantedsomethingfrom me.Something very specific.The Giordanos probably wanted me to die, or at least, the younger one did, and Mr. Killough seemed like perhaps he had some expectations as well.
Rowen and Cillian appeared to be mentally willing me not to fuck up, but that only made my insides quiver with unpleasant stress.
I’d never felt less capable of delivering a speech in my life.
Raising one finger, I smiled around at everyone and cleared my throat. “Well, I would like to make it clear, sirs, that in the event of my death the publisher retains the right to print the first half of my book, which they already have, apparently. The rest of my work was destroyed, as you know. I think. Uh... I’ve asked that the publisher not print what they have, but I’m getting the runaround. They want it. I might need to hire a lawyer.” It occurred to me all at once that perhaps I should have devoted more energy to clearing this up, but it just seemed like so many things were constantly happening, and I only had so many hours in a day.
I was probably being selfish, wanting to do what Iwanted to doand not what I should have been doing but—“It’s fairly easy to argue that I had little time to devote to the matter while I was being kidnapped.”
Mr. Killough covered his mouth and stared at the Giordanos. The older one laughed and the younger one scowled, so at least they were keeping in character with what I’d seen so far. I gripped the couch cushions at my sides.
“I’m Carmine, and I happen to hate lawyers,” the more congenial man said. “What I need to know is how you figured out so many things about—”
“You really don’t want to know,” Mr. Killough said, waving a hand at him. “It’s too ridiculous.”
The younger Italian leaned forward and stared holes through me. Cillian put his arm around my shoulders, but my heart raced despite his strength, and as much as I’d been excited to be here, the enthusiasm was fading fast.
“If there’s a blabbermouth in our organization who is talking to him—”
Mr. Killough’s lips twitched toward a smile and he coughed, cutting off the rant clearly about to be unleashed on us. The younger Italian scowled, then his face went back to a calm neutral. “Our Vail, there, he chitchats to people. They tell him things. Little old ladies and bakers, and women with cats in trees or old men who need groceries unloaded. He jogs around the neighborhoods and listens to what everyone wants to talk about. There’s so much exaggeration mixed up with the truth, it’s probably not half the threat you’d imagine.”
Hurt wound its way through me and I slumped against Cillian, who pressed a kiss to my temple. I thought all my research was pretty good, but that made me wonder how much of it truly was useless. “I always tried to double-check my information. I worked hard to collect my stories.”
Rowen picked up my hand and squeezed it until my fingers went numb. I snapped my mouth closed, and no, I wasn’t stupid, but they were talking about discrediting my life’s work.
“As I was saying—” Mr. Killough slid his chair back so he could cross one ankle over his knee. He seemed much more relaxed now. “—what Vail gathered was neighborhood gossip, not anyone spilling vital secrets.”
Carmine snickered and elbowed the younger man in anI told you sotype of way that was familiar from how Rowen and Cillian would go after each other. “See, Dino?”
Dino, I presumed, spun in his chair to fix his mean glare on me. “Where is this publisher?”
