Ardan tilted his head and stared for a moment, as if he was contemplating something, though I didn’t know what. Finally, he nodded sharply. “The plane leaves tomorrow. You’ll be back in time for Rowen’s birthday.”
I frowned. I knew Rowen’s birthday was in April, but I didn’t know how Ardan did.
As though hearing my thoughts, he smirked. “I make it my business to know everything about everyone. It’s my job.”
“Ah.”In case Sloan sends me to kill you allwas left unspoken between us. I pushed to my feet and went over to a poolside chair to grab the towel one of the house staff had left for me, then wiped myself as dry as I could. “Is Mr. Killough happy with our work?”
“Hard to say.” Ardan focused on the rippling water. It was funny how it was raining and windy yesterday but sunny as usual today. “Killing Joaquin will have consequences. Thiago Reyes will come for blood. The boss worries about his pet. And Fionn, too. They are the most important people in his life, and Thiago will know that.”
That was the cost of war. After each of our attacks came retaliation until one of us—not the Killough Company—waved the white flag.
“You’ll need to take precautions for Vail and Fallon. While I believe baby boy Maher canmostlytake care of himself, I don’t think your college professor can. When Thiago finds out it was you and Cillian who killed his cousin, he’ll come for your family and loved ones.”
The thought had crossed my mind and I already didn’t like the idea. Putting Vail and Fallon in danger hadn’t been something we had to worry about in the past, but the battle between us and the Reyes Cartel was heating up. They’d made a mistake by trying to kill Conall and Sloan.
“I’m glad we’re going home then.” I finished drying off and wrapped the towel around my waist. “What time are we leaving?”
“Nine in the morning.” Ardan pressed his lips together. “And Aspen?”
“Hm?”
“I don’t know if you know yet or not, but Aodhan Reardon is back in town.”
I stiffened. Aodhan,pronounced Aidenas he constantly reminded people, was the older brother of Daire, Sloan’s second-in-command. Sloan had never liked him because Aodhan wasn’t someone he could control. We considered him a rogue, and he never took orders well. Once upon a time, Aodhan, Cillian, and I were good friends, but as the years went by and he grew more rebellious, our loyalty to Sloan won out. He was only still alive because he was Daire’s brother, but Sloan had banned him from the East Coast. The fact that he’d returned to New York City was strange... and dangerous.
“How long has he been there?” I asked.
Ardan’s smile was evil. “Since about the start of January. Daire did not tell Sloan about the situation.”
“Fuck. I bet the boss is pissed.” The sun beat down on my shoulders, so I began to walk inside. Ardan followed.
“He’s not happy to say the least.” Ardan grunted out a laugh. “But Daire’s the boss’s best friend, and you know how it is. He’s been loyal to Sloan. As far as we know, Aodhan hasn’t caused any issues. Yet.”
Yet. That was the keyword. Aodhan was trouble and he wouldn’t be too happy to see me and Cillian, since we’d told the boss about him disobeying orders, which had led to him being banned from this side of the country. But we’d always had a feeling there was more to the story. Sloan had never divulged what had happened and it wasn’t our place to ask.
“So, Mr. Killough is letting him stay?” I stopped near the glass doors and turned to look at him.
“I wouldn’t exactly sayletting himis the right words, but the boss has enough going on without worrying about Aodhan, unless Aodhan fucks up and does something thatwillget him killed. I’m waiting for the order to take him out.” His mouth quirked, but there wasn’t any real emotion there, rather a coldness. Aodhan and Ardan had their own history.
“Aodhan’s careful. He knows when not to push boundaries.” He’d always been a great assassin. Quiet as a mouse and lethal, he was a combination of me, Cillian, and Ardan. He was one of the best killers in the world and enjoyed death more than any sane man should. If he knew about the situation with Cillian and me, he would laugh his ass off. He’d always told us to get over our hang-ups and fuck, and we’d ignored him most of the time. He was a man who stuck his dick in anyone who moved, and he spent more time having sex than we did, and that said something, especially back in those days.
Ardan nodded. “Tell Cillian we leave tomorrow at around nine. Be prepared to go by seven o’clock sharp.”
I hesitated, but by the time I was ready to tell him to inform Cillian himself, Ardan had turned and strode through the glass doors again. I didn’t know where he was heading and didn’t want to know, either. Instead of worrying about anything, I went upstairs to take a shower. After I was done, I got dressed and checked in Cillian’s room, only to find he wasn’t there. Frowning, I went to the kitchen, dining room, and living room, but I still couldn’t find him. I ended up running into Jamie in the hallway near the stairs, though.
“Ya looking for lover boy?” Jamie asked, winking. I stared at him and earned a laugh. “He’s downstairs, beatin’ the shite out of Cunningham again. Caught him doing the same with a punching bag last night. I think he needed someone real to take the punches, ya know?”
I rolled my eyes and swept past him, ignoring the witchlike cackles as I headed toward the stairs to the basement, which were behind a door near the kitchen. I took the steps two at a time and the sounds of grunts and whines of pain hit my ears from the moment I opened the door. As I reached the bottom, the stench of shit and piss met my nose, and I scrunched it in disgust. Blood I could handle, but I always hated when guys pissed themselves as we tortured them.
Cillian had his shirt off, sweat gleaming on his back and muscles rippling. Even from behind, he was a hell of a sight, brutal and built to physical perfection. It was hard to keep my eyes off the way his body moved as he landed punch after punch to Cunningham’s abdomen, anger I’d never seen from him driving every attack. The yelling came from Cillian, pure rage causing an intense scream to rip from his throat, while Cunningham whimpered in pain. Exhaustion had our captive hanging loosely from his arms, his legs no longer keeping him standing. He looked like a living corpse with fresh and dried blood smeared across his face and neck.
Corbin sat in a chair to the side, and for once, he didn’t have a newspaper in his hands. He studied Cillian with curiosity, eyes narrowed, but when his attention settled on me, he stood and climbed the stairs without a word. I watched him go, and when the door closed behind him, I sighed.
I wasn’t ready to forgive Cillian.
He stilled, his shoulders heaving in time with his chest, then glanced over his shoulder. “What are ye doing here?”
“Ardan confirmed Joaquin was found in the salon. Dead.” I crossed my arms, if only to keep from reaching out to him.
