Page 100 of Dirty Legacy

“But he went behind my family’s back. Him and your cousin. They’ve been working together for years, haven’t they?”

“I think so. All those payments. You know who really figured it out? My wife.”

“I’m glad you married well.” She doesn’t sound like it at all. “We need to talk about the future.”

“What can you possibly say?”

“That I can save your miserable life and spare the rest of my family in the process. Meet with me in an hour at Central Park. I’ll text you the exact location. Somewhere busy and public. Come alone.”

“Why would I trust you?”

“Because we have aligned incentives.”

She hangs up before I can question it. I linger in the quiet after and look up sharply when there’s movement nearby.

Angie’s standing a few feet away. “That was Sinead, wasn’t it?”

I think about telling her not to worry but confirm with a nod instead. “She wants to meet.”

“Are you going?”

“I don’t think there’s much of a choice.”

“How bad are things, Connor?” She comes to my side and touches my arm gently. “Tell me the truth.”

I steady myself with a breath before tugging her closer. I can’t help it. Whenever she’s near, it’s like I have to remind myself that she’s safe.

“Marcus is fighting rolling battles on the street. I’m helping where I can, but we’re barely holding onto our territory. The cops are getting involved and that means political pressure is next. This fight can’t go on for much longer. Someone’s going to break.”

She looks like she wants to ask the obvious, but instead she gets on her toes and kisses me. “If anyone can fix this, it’s going to be you.”

“Can I trust her? After what I did to her brother?”

“I don’t know, but you should hear her out.”

I breathe Angie’s smell and drop to my knees. I pull her belly to my lips and kiss her, turning to listen. I imagine I can hear my baby moving around, kicking, laughing, crying, living. I hold her tight as her fingers curl through my hair.

“Whatever it takes,” I whisper, heart thudding rapidly. “I’ll kill them all if I have to.”

“Try a conversation first.”

“You are my light. You are my future.”

“Connor—“

“I love you, Angie. I love this baby you’re carrying. It breaks me, thinking I might lose you, thinking I came this close to finally having you after all this time only to ruin it now. I won’t let it happen.”

She falls to her knees with me, hands cradling my face. “I love you too, and I promise, you won’t lose me. You won’t.”

I kiss her hard, tasting her, lingering against her mouth, thinking, maybe she’s right, maybe this won’t all go away, but it’s all I can do to keep kissing her. I hold my forehead close to hers and we remain like that on our knees in the darkness of the hallway, our world tipping on the edge around us, but I’ve never felt more stable.

There’s a warm glow in my heart. A brightness in my chest.

Because she loves me, and I love her, and we’ll have this baby together.

First, I have a meeting to attend.

Central Park is crowded. It’s a beautiful afternoon. Buskers play music and couples walk together through the wandering tourists. I take my time, scanning every face I find for any sign of Gallaghers, but there’s nothing.