“What if she lies?” Sloan asked.
Rowen nodded, glaring at me as if he’d wondered the same thing.
My face went hot. “I’m just thinking of my grandma because she would have come after anyone who’d done us wrong. If she was angry, she would tell anyone and everyone all about it, too.”
Sloan chuckled. “I knew Old Lady Maher, and that’s a fact.”
“Sir,” Aspen said, and Sloan’s eyes widened a little. “I do know it will be a pain in the ass if shots go off in here.”
Cillian’s mouth fell open.
Rowen blinked as if he was stunned.
Sloan snorted after a few seconds and removed his gun from Sidorov’s crotch.
The Russian slunk down in his seat and cupped his balls, almost like he wanted to make sure they were still there. “Let’s start with the best question. What the fuck do you think I did?” Now that there wasn’t a gun against his dick, anger snapped alive in his eyes and his voice was low enough it nearly sounded like two rocks smashing together.
Sloan pointed at him. “You knew I was going to check on the salon today.”
“Yes, and I sent a couple of the girls over with the keys. Didn’t they meet you there? They were supposed to go in and figure out what we needed to buy for the space.”
We all sucked in a deep breath as we stared around at one another.
“Oooh, that’s not good, is it?” Cillian asked.
“There were people in there?” Rowen crossed himself.
Sidorov’s eyes narrowed. “Yes, I sent them over to help Killough.”
Rowen hung his head, making the sign of the cross on his body again, and I could see his lips moving, maybe in a prayer.
This was about to turn into a clusterfuck. I didn’t know what was happening, but I could feel a sensation crawl over my body and settle in my gut. My dad occasionally talked about things like this. It was only a hunch, but I felt very strongly something awful would happen before the day was over—well, more awful.
Sloan hung his head for a second before straightening. “A bomb went off while we were on our way inside. I don’t know if the intention was to kill us, but anyone in the building is certainly dead.”
Sidorov rested his hands flat on the table and glanced between our faces. “Is that why you look all fucked-up?”
Sloan narrowed his eyes again. “Get up and walk with me to my car. Now. Or I kill everyone in this place and everyone you’re related to, even your grandmother.”
Sidorov’s face ran red. “We are allies, Killough.” His breath picked up. I bet he regretted eating breakfast here without more of his men.
“We’ll see if that’s true. Get up. Now.” Sloan stood.
At first I didn’t think Sidorov was going to let Sloan bully him like this. Maybe he was confident in what he was saying because he ended up shrugging. “Fine, but you put that gun near my nutsack again and I’ll make you eat it.”
Sloan laughed and tucked his gun away under his coat. “Fair.”
I relaxed a bit because it was seeming less likely there would be a gunfight.
Sidorov stood and tugged on a long wool coat he’d had stuffed in the corner of the booth. “I would’ve been out of the country if I was trying to have you killed, for future reference.”
“Noted,” Sloan said while he shook his head. I wasn’t ready for it when the boss pointed at me and Aspen. “Go back. See if you can spot the girls being taken away in ambulances. Anything to corroborate this story. Keep an eye out. You better pray they find something, Sidorov.”
The Russian adjusted his coat collar. “I’m certain I did nothing to violate our agreement.”
“Cillian, Rowen, go in the back. I believe his grandmother has a tearoom there where the little old Russian ladies gather and play cards, among other things. Get her and bring her out to the BMW.” Sloan nodded at me as if it had been my idea, and my heart froze.Hadit been my idea to include a little old lady?
Sidorov glared. “Why?”
