“Apologies, sir,” I said, closing the office door behind me. He was sitting inmychair, turned away from me to look out the window. My eyes scanned the room, noting the three guards roaming throughout the space. The man to my left raised his hand to touch a painting on the wall. It was the original, and he was going to touch it with his filthy fingers.
In a flash, one of my blades was sailing through the tense air, landing in the man’s hand. He screamed in agony as he fell to his knees. Mr. Romano spun the chair around, his face masked with annoyance as he looked down at his muscle. It was a smart move not to come here alone; I wasn’t in a cheery mood. But he could have done a better job at picking protection. He sighed just before bringing his gun out and shooting the man between the eyes.
He cared so little about his men.
His victim fell forward, blood seeping into the rug. Bella would have to clean that up—maybe I would give her a raise.
“I don’t even know why I bother anymore,” Romano grumbled as he stood, buttoning his suit jacket over his blood red shirt. His dark eyes looked down at the reports on my desk, and my spine stiffened.
Those were the reports he told me to drop days ago.
I stopped listening to what Ray Romano wanted weeks ago.
“Still investigating, I see.”
I swallowed, my jaw aching as I bit down hard, needing to keep up appearances. “Sir—”
He held his hand up as he shifted the papers with the other.
“You killed the boy, yes?”
Aiden Connors.Why was he pressing me about this? More importantly, why was it pissing me off so much?
Yes, he was just a boy, but the ache in my chest that bloomed every single time I heard his name was starting to become a problem.
“Yes.”
“Where is the body?”
“I burned it.”
“Where?”
“St. Louis.”
He made a noise. He was displeased. As far as he knew, he got his revenge.
A son for a son.
Everything was always a test for him. Nothing I did was ever good enough for him. As much as I wanted to—
No. Focus. Stay the course, Collin.
“If he looked anything like his father, he would have been useful,” he drawled.
My spine stiffened.
There wasthe confirmationI needed.
My gut tightened as my throat dried.
“I thought I told you to drop this, boy.”
I remained silent, my mind telling me to keep my emotions in check.
Not here. Not now.
He tsked. “You are good for nothing. I don’t know why Cal ever brought you on,” he hissed, throwing the papers onto the ground. His dark eyes were wild as he looked at me.
