I tell Riley about the Sam job. I tell her about what we found and what it means for him if Arsen gets it. I talk about my plans, about my dream of getting out of the life once and for all, and how I was going to use the ledgers against the Sarkissians, to buy my own freedom.
It hurts to say it all. Riley’s a part of them. Her person is Alexan Sarkissian, and that’s about as deep in the Brotherhood as it gets. She has every reason to despise me, to turn me in, to curse me out and tell me never to contact her again. I’ve done nothing but cause her trouble from the start.
“If all that’s true, why are you here right now?” she asks it softly. I expected anger and instead she’s giving me curiosity. “If you have the ledgers, why aren’t you long gone?”
“Because if I run, Sam’s finished. Arsen will go scorched-earth.”
“Why do you care?”
“Because—“ I take a breath and level my gaze so she knows I’m not messing around. “Because I love her, that’s why.”
Riley lifts her cup to her lips and takes a sip. She’s grinning when she puts it back down. “You really do, don’t you?”
“I need your help. I have copies of the ledger with an old lawyer associate of mine and he’s got instructions to mail them to the DA if I die in the next few months, but that’s not enough. I want you to hold on to copies too.”
“Why would I do that? You realize Arsen is my brother in law, right?”
“I know, and I hate putting you in this position, but he’ll listen to you.”
“This is my husband’s business too.”
“I’m sorry, Riles, I really am, but I’d do anything for Tallie.”
She sighs, leaning back like that’s the most satisfying thing she’s ever heard. “You can’t even imagine how happy I am right now.”
“Don’t make me regret this.”
“Seriously, Brenden, this is incredible. You’re in love! And you’re married to her!” She drums her fingers on the table. “I mean, it’s a problem that you’re going to blackmail my brother-in-law, but still, this is incredible.”
“I have a plan. I don’t know if it’s going to work, but I’ll need you to do one more thing for me.”
Riley shifts her weight and nods sharply. “Anything.”
“Even if it might get you in trouble?”
She waves that off. “They love me. I can do no wrong.”
“Then in three days, I need you to open a door for me.”
CHAPTER 27
TALIN
Iresist the urge to sneeze and wave a hand in the air, warding off more spiderwebs. They’re in my hair and all over my clothes, but I’m doing my best to stay presentable as I shuffle through the narrow passage between walls.
Brenden’s a silent shadow at my back. We only got this far because his sister let us in through a side door. She hugged me so hard my shoulders are still hurting, which was a surprise, but it was also nice.
My family has never been very affectionate. I get the feeling Riley and Brenden aren’t, especially when he barely gave her a single nod in thanks, but that hug meant a lot to me. It makes me think I might have a good relationship with my sister-in-law one day.
First though, we have to survive the next half hour.
Instead of heading toward the private residence area of the mansion, I angle to the right. Riley told us where Arsen’s currently working and fortunately I know the way. It takes a lot of silent shuffling and more than a few curses as nails and othersplinters snag on my clothes, but eventually we find ourselves in a wider junction.
Brenden touches my hand. He slips past and leans into me, his mouth finding my cheek before moving to my ear. “Follow my lead. And if anything goes wrong, you run. Riley will help.”
“We’ll run together.”
He’s already moving away toward a makeshift door cut into the wood ahead of us.
