Page 63 of Sullivan

I interrupted him. “Or he may be waiting. She’s coming back in two weeks to close out her life there. I need the syndicate on board. We need to find him and take care of him.”

“We’re trying. Calling in some favors. The others are on alert.” He paused. “What do you want done if we find him?”

“Eliminate the problem.”

“Do you want to do it?”

“Feck yes. I’d like to remove his hands for touching her. Torture him for scaring her. Make him pay for what he’s done to others. But I canna. I need to stay here. But I need it done. I need him wiped off the earth so he can’t hurt her or anyone else. I’ll owe the syndicate whatever needed to get it done.”

Another sound hit me, and I whirled around. Autumn stood in the doorway, her hand covering her mouth. Her eyes were wide with shock, her face ashen.

Everything I didn’t want to happen had just happened. Autumn overheard me, and now she knew. I’d spilled my own secret without meaning to, and now I had to try to explain.

If she would let me.

“I have to go,” I said calmly to Niall. “Autumn is home.”

He swore under his breath. “And she heard.”

I didn’t take my eyes off her. “Yes.”

“If she needs to talk to Anna or Una, give her their numbers.”

“Thanks.”

“We’ll handle the problem on our end. If not, she’ll be protected when she’s here.”

I hung up, staring at Autumn. “I wasn’t expecting you.”

“My meeting was canceled. I came home to surprise you and see you off.” She swallowed, her voice trembling. “I guess I’m the one surprised.”

I began to move toward her, and she backed up, looking terrified.

“No, mo fhiadh beag. I know what you just heard alarmed and confused you, but don’t be afraid of me. I would never hurt you. Ever.”

“But you would hurt someone else.”

“If they were a threat to you, absolutely.”

She swallowed again, a sign of her anxiety. “What is the syndicate?”

She had been standing there longer than I’d known.

“Will you let me explain?”

“Can you?” she asked. “Can you explain this so I understand who the man in front of me is? The one telling his cousin to eliminate the problem? I know you weren’t telling him to go to the police.”

“Yes, I can. If you’ll listen.”

She furrowed her brow in worry, then nodded.

“All right.”

I followed her to the living room. She sat on the edge of the sofa, her fingers gripping her knees in agitation. I wanted to reach out and hold her hands, tell her everything would be fine, but I knew she didn’t want my touch at the moment.

She surprised me with a question. “Are your cousins mafia?”

I blinked. “Sorry?”