“New Mexico.”
Sighs and groans ran around the room like a breeze. “That’s near Reyes’ territory,” Fionn murmured. “Those are unnecessary toes to step on.”
Dino shifted closer to his brother. “We could take a trip there.”
“And what? Burn the building to the ground?” I asked dryly, then realized I probably shouldn’t have said that out loud.
Mr. Killough looked torn between irritation and amusement.
Carmine grinned.
Dino gave me an unblinking snakelike stare. “Exactly.”
I shivered and grief and anger tangled together inside me. Had he set fire to my father’s house? The school building? He seemed nasty enough to make it his personal priority. I clenched Rowen’s hand back hard enough that he grunted.
“Let’s try our lawyers first, hm? Vail sometimes gets off topic, but he doesn’t lie, from what I’ve learned of him, and I believe he tried to pull the plug with the resources he has. Let’s try mine. For the satisfaction of our guests, however, please explain how things got this far along.” There was a seriousness to Mr. Killough’s words that had me leaning nervously against Cillian’s side. “Now, Vail.”
Embarrassment heated my face and humiliation had my stomach sinking like a stone. “I have ADD. They call it ADHD nowadays, but that’s what they first told my parents, ADD. I do get off track a lot. I can focus on things I love, but the everyday humdrum—” I stuck out my tongue. “—it’s a mess. The university I work for gave me an assistant.” I explained that while, yes, it was nice to have someone help me manage my multiple classes, and it gave me time to write my books, that having people hovering over my professional life also meant I was rarely in charge of making my own decisions on many things that, as a faculty member, I should have had a right to. My books included. “You see, Dr. Atmeyer was worried that if I stopped publishing, the enrollments in our school would drop, so my books were top priority. He was the go-between for me and the publisher and pushed them to go to press with what they already had. I believe I would have been sent on sabbatical if everything else hadn’t happened, whether or not I would’ve wanted to go, all in the name of getting that book finished.”
Carmine tipped his head back and stared at the ceiling while Dino studied me like I was a piece of something unsavory on his shoes. Carmine finally sat up straight. “This isn’t the end of the world. Once, we wouldn’t have worried so much about some book, but we’re very careful these days. Not too long ago there was a big mess with Mario Ricci. That was public, so I know everyone probably heard all about it. He was Angelo’s right-hand man. He lost his damned mind for some reason and was going to testify against the family. We never did learn what sent him over the edge and turned him against Angelo. The rat had an unfortunate accident in a car explosion before his court date.” He smacked Dino on the arm. “Info about my family is in the book?”
I nodded, since I presumed he was a Giordano.
“We’ll have our lawyers sue for potential slander. See what else they can cook up. You try to get it pulled from your end, Killough.”
Mr. Killough nodded.
I hated that once again someone else was controlling a part of my life, but I’d dropped the ball—or rather had it stolen from me—and I should be grateful I wasn’t dead on the floor. I knew I should be scared of these men, but I was honestly just frustrated my life still wasn’t mine to live, even though I’d given up on the idea of going back to academia.
“And what if the legal mumbo jumbo fails?” Dino asked, sending an unpleasant look in my direction.
Cillian leaned forward. “We’re not afraid to get our hands dirty if we need to do it.”
Carmine shrugged. “We’ll tie the publisher up in court forever. Plenty of time for less-elegant solutions between now and then.”
Mr. Killough raised his eyebrows and nodded. “Yes, I agree.”
But Dino still glared.
The door to the office opened and Conall slipped in, dressed only in a pair of black pants that left little to the imagination. A man followed him with a white leather stool, which confused me, but he set it on the floor by Mr. Killough’s chair and Conall sank gracefully down on it. Mr. Killough pulled Conall’s head over until it rested against his leg and caressed the red collar on Conall’s throat. Everyone stared. It was difficult not to watch the tantalizing slide of fingers over flesh, and I had to imagine even men who didn’t want other men might still like to see it.
The fellow who’d gracefully carried the stool tugged a gun from under his jacket, and there was a moment where all I could hear was clothing rustling, but the Irishman already had his gun pointed at Dino’s head for a few seconds before anyone else got into position.
“This is what you call a peaceful meeting?” Dino snarled at Mr. Killough. My heart raced, and Aspen settled his hands on my shoulders like he might drag me behind the couch if things got out of hand.
Mr. Killough casually continued to stroke his fingers along Conall’s throat. “I want you to recognize that, should I decide it necessary, you will be dead before you leave this house. On the off chance you made it clear of the front gates, you would be dead before you escaped the city. I’m being generous with you as my equals.” Mr. Killough sounded like he didn’t think much of them at all, actually, but I knew better than to open my mouth.
Carmine nodded and sat back in his seat with his hands casually on his lap, as if he didn’t have a care in the world. “I would do the same in your position. However, you never know where business might take you, Sloan. We could be useful to each other in the future.”
Mr. Killough smiled, but Dino’s face was beet red, and I got the impression he would order his men to kill us all if he thought he could get away with it. Mr. Killough nodded at the gunman who’d started this mess, and I realized Conall must have been in on the stunt as well because he didn’t seem surprised; although, he was breathing fast, too.
“Vail belongs to some of my trusted men. As part of our arrangement, Giordano—” Mr. Killough looked directly at Carmine and ignored Dino. “—he is to be left alone.”
Carmine nodded and chuckled, and I was beginning to think maybe that was his version of Mr. Killough’s smooth business face, only he hid behind friendliness instead. “I can agree.”
Dino said nothing.
Mr. Killough caressed Conall’s lips, and almost like that had been some sort of signal, Conall sat up. Mr. Killough whispered something in Conall’s ear and he rose and made his way over to me. Conall held out his hand, and Rowen, Aspen, and Cillian all gave me a little nudge until I took it. He pulled me to my feet. We walked out of the office and I kept my back straight like Cillian had insisted I needed to do while I was in the presence of the Italians.
