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“No, but it’s the truth.”
“Well, I prefer honesty over sweet talk. But if your idea of that involves scarin’ people, I might need a bigger drink.”
He chuckled, a rich sound that made my face too hot. I took a sip of my gin and tonic, the sharp tang grounding me to reality.
“So,” Achille leaned in, his voice a low hum that shivered over my skin, “what’s your story? Besides being a talented singer and an aunt?”
I hesitated. I couldn’t reveal anything more to him. Achille Costa was a puzzle, charming yet unnerving, and I wasn’t sure where the lines were drawn.
He raised an eyebrow. “Cat got your tongue?”
I forced a laugh. “I’m not used to someone taking an interest, I guess. There’s not much to me. I’m a girl from a small town, making it in the big city. What about you? You can’t be about frightenin’ people all day.”
“It’s what I’m best at.”
I frowned. “You don’t seem thrilled.”
He shrugged. “I learned to embrace the darkness because it was the only way to survive.”
“What exactly do you do?”
He paused. “I work for the Costas.”
I know all about that. “Doesn’t ring a bell.”
“The Costas are a powerful family who you don’t want to offend. They make things happen. They keep their hands in many pies. Some savory, some not so much.”
“So, they’re a business?”
“They have interests in various enterprises. Some more legitimate than others. Like this bar. You want them as friends, not enemies.”
My stomach knotted. “Why are you bringin’ that up?”
He studied me for a long beat. “I hear you’ve been asking all kinds of questions about me.”
The bar hummed with subdued chatter, the clinking of dishes creating a false sense of normalcy. The background noise seemed to fade as I lifted my chin.
“I’m not lookin’ to start any trouble.”
“Sometimes it finds you.”
“Well, I’m not sure what you hope to achieve, but I have a right to ask about my sister.”
“I’d advise you to stop.”
He knows something. “Who killed her?”
He leaned in closer, and I pushed myself against the wall. “I don’t appreciate you bringing up my name in connection to her murder.”
“Yours is the only one that comes up when I ask about her.”
His glare drilled into me. “Listen, Bumpkin. You’re obviously a long way from your backwater town, but you need to back off.”
My hackles rose. “I’m livin’ my life. I haven’t done anything to you.”
“Just watch yourself. This city swallows up the naive.”
My lips pressed into a thin line as he moved out of the booth. I grabbed the guitar strap, pulled it on my shoulder, and followed him. “You don’t scare me.”
