Page 194 of Beautiful Scars

It’s not me who answers.

“You don’t think we’d be a little crowded, Ma’?”

My mother goes stiff. Doesn’t move. Her chest heaves as she hauls in a deep breath. “There’s a warrant out for your arrest,” she says.

“Is there?” Kill asks as he sinks down in an empty chair. I can see he’s trying his best to fight his smile and I want to kick him under the table to help him remember.

Mom bristles, her hands going into her lap. She scans Kill’s face, her lips thinning more and more. “It was you, yesterday,” she says.

“Aye,” Kill says. He unbuttons his suit jacket, glances away, and beckons the nearest waiter with a flick of his hand. The table closest to us stops talking, both ladies staring at Cillian like they’d rather have him for the main course than whatever they’d ordered.

I’m not the only woman in the restaurant eating up the sight of him. He’s even gone as far as to slick back his hair. Pair that with a Canali suit, a thick watch, and gleaming cufflinks, and I’m surprised I don’t hear suppressed panting.

When Kill’s attention goes back to Mom, she stiffens again. “Nice place,” he says. “Perfect for a chat. Busy. Public.”

“I could have the police here in a minute,” Mom says, reaching for her handbag. “You’ll be in custody in five.”

“Mom, please.” I reach across the table, laying my hand flat on the tablecloth. “For once, just listen.”

“To him? To a criminal? A violentthug?” The word comes out soft but sharp, my mother lowering her voice so no one else can hear. “He’s not worth a lick, Meisie. If he had a brain he’d be even more dangerous than he already is.”

“I am...eh...sitting right here you know.”

Mom glances at him, fire flashing in her eyes. “And?”

Kill shrugs his shoulders. “And now we should both be pleased we’re in public. Because if we were anywhere else...”

“Cillian,” I warn.

He looks down at the table, a smirk playing beneath his straight expression.

Best behavior. He promised. I guess this was never going to be easy for a man who was born taking whatever he wants. But this is the way my mom is. And she holds the cards.

“This is exactly what I was talking about. The man can’t even control himself for—”

“There are two ways we can do this, Helen.”

My mouth drops open and I stare at him aghast. He is goingcompletelyoff-script now. This wasn’t the part of any plan.

Mom sits up straighter, eyes narrowing. “Oh really?” She sounds completely unconvinced.

Cillian laughs. “That’s what we do, is it not? I have something on you, you have something on me. Back and forth. You like to think we’re different because it helps you sleep at night, but you play the same game I do.”

“The game is finished now.”

He shakes his head slowly. “One last roll of the dice, Ma’. For old time’s sake.”

I stare at him blankly.

“You don’t know when to give up,” Mom says, looking almost as smug as he does. “You have nothing.”

Anyone would think they actually enjoyed this.

Maybe they do?

The next twenty Christmas dinners flash before my eyes in quick succession, Cillian and my mother staring each other down across the table while I try not to burn the turkey.

He lifts a finger. “I have an alibi. A reliable one, who’ll confirm I collected mylegal stepdaughterfor a day trip at the exact time I was supposed to be,” he glances at the table beside us. “With Alex. We also stopped at a shop on the other side of the city, myself, Maddie, and my good friend captured on CCTV. Could be me, could be Cole, but the person with me is happy to confirm it was indeed, me. Oh, and I have a witness who’ll swear on the bible that her boyfriend admitted to thedeed.The same boyfriend who’s about to be committed to an institution.” He leans back in his chair. “I’m trying to remember if there’s anything else…”