“Fuck, yeah,” Leo snapped. “You stole from the family.”
Matteo finished his sip of beer and placed the bottle on the table. “It wasn’t right, Lottie. Dad wasn’t right after you left.”
She felt her lip curl. “Well, I wasn’t the same after I watched my mother get shot in the head, so I’d say we’re even.” Lottie reached for her glass of wine, taking a sip.Stay calm.Her gaze fell to Hunt once, the only time she’d allow so her brothers wouldn’t notice him. He sat on the stool with his back to her, but she found his eyes locked on to hers, in the mirror.
Leo spun his bottle between his thumb and finger, arching an eyebrow. “Doesn’t change the fact that you should have never stolen the money.”
“Is that why you’re here?” she asked breezily. “I have the money. Do you want it back?”
Leo’s nostrils flared. “I have more money than I need.” Slowly, he leaned forward and snarled, “You think you can just walk away from the family?”
Suddenly it occurred to her how quiet the restaurant had become. They were drawing attention from the people closest to their table.
“Ididwalk away,” she said. “It’s done. I haven’t seen any of you in seven years. Why dig this back up?”
Leo got closer in her face. “Where is your honor, Marissa? What the fuck happened to you?”
Lottie refused to flinch. She leaned in closer, her hands beginning to shake. “I watched a bullet shatter my mother’s face, Leo. That’s what fucking happened.” She tried to control the fury burning up her blood but failed miserably. “I don’t want any part of what you’re all involved in. It’s what got her killed.”
Matteo slowly shook his head, placing his beer back on the table. “That’s enough,” he ground out. “Leo, ask what you want to ask her and let’s go.”
Leo glared at his younger brother, a vein protruding in the middle of his forehead, looking a moment away from bursting.
Matteo held firm, his posture easy and lax. He’d always been the one with common sense. He didn’t harbor the anger that Leo seemed born with. Anger from growing up in a world of violence and crime. A world that he probably protected Matteo from ever having to face himself.
Leo said, “Dad said you have something of his. I want it.”
“That’s why you broke into my house?” she asked through gritted teeth. “Why didn’t you just ask me? Instead of destroying my place.”
Leo arched an eyebrow. “You have no loyalty. You can’t be trusted.”
She snorted a laugh. “That’s rich coming from a criminal.”
Leo’s hand shot out, grasping her arm,tight.She flinched at the pain shooting up to her shoulder. “Before Dad took his last breath, he told me you have evidence that could ruin our family.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Lottie gasped, breathing past the agony. “The only thing I got was a wooden memory box from Dad when he died. It came from his lawyer. It’s a memory box and a note from him talking about how he regrets losing me. That’s it.”
Leo bared his teeth. His fingers squeezing until tears rose to her eyes. He growled, “Don’t fucking lie to me.”
“Just tell him, Marissa,” Matteo added gently. “Tell him what you have and where we can find it. Then we’ll leave New York City and never come back. It’s that simple.”
“My name isn’t Marissa anymore, and I already told you I don’t have anything,” she shot back, cringing as Leo’s hold somehow tightened further. “I haven’t seen any of you since I left home. Why do you think I would have anything?”
Spittle formed in the corner of Leo’s mouth. “Because Dad told me that you will be the end to our family.”
“I don’t know why he’d say that.” She flinched, recoiling from the bite of his hold. “I know nothing. I haven’t been home since Mom died. I hadn’t even spoken to him before he died.”
“Bullshit,” Leo snarled.
She tried to get away, but his fingers tightened and tightened, until a whimper escaped her lips.
“Remove. Your. Fucking. Hand.”
Lottie nearly cried out in relief as the punishing hold vanished. She rubbed her arm, easing the throbbing, quickly glancing up at Hunt, finding him glaring at her brother. Looking at him now, it occurred to her she’d never seen this side of Hunt—the hard, take-no-shit cop.
Far too calmly, Hunt placed his badge on the table and said, “It’s time for you to go.”
The only thingstopping Hunt from reaching across the table and slamming Lottie’s brother’s face into the wood was his oath to his badge.
