“The only wetness I have is for you,” I said honestly.
An indulgent grin joined the fire in his gaze. “You’re good at saving your ass, hellcat.”
Both men were attractive, there was no denying that. But it wasn’t their good looks that drew my focus. “I’m trying to figure out why the one on the left looks familiar.” Taking in the way that Grayson spoke to them, I surmised, “They must be agents.”
If that’s the case, why is Judge also all buddy-buddy with them?
“Not unless the Feds are employing mob bosses,” Rhys whispered back.
I turned my wide eyes to him. “What?”
“I’m guessing that’s the MayCo client Judge was telling me about. And since he said?—”
I reached up and covered his mouth. “You know what? I don’t want to know.”
I really didn’t. If MayCo worked with them, that meant they weren’t bad guys. Or not the baddest guys, at least. The fact I’d never heard a peep about them showed they weren’t pulling the same careless antics with unrestrained violence Butler was using. If that changed, I would care. But right then?
Meeting a possible mob boss wasn’t even in my top five notable occurrences of the night.
With a smile I felt under my palm, Rhys dislodged the covering and shifted his hold to an equally possessive one around my waist before we continued down the hall to meet the group.
Both men shook my hand first as the familiar-looking one said, “Theo Amato. This is Luca.”
That’s it.
Mr. Amato was an influential power player in Boston. His business, Amaric, was built on taking over struggling companies and turning them around. Beyond that, he and his wife donated a considerable amount of money and resources to various organizations around the city.
With everything he did for foster cares, community centers, and shelters in the area, it was a good thing that I’d already decided I didn’t want to know more beyond that. Especially since I knew in my detective gut that I would never find a shred of evidence or an ADA willing to charge Theo Amato with so much as an unpaid parking ticket.
He gave his focus to Rhys. “I’m sorry my offer of protection came too late. Was anyone hurt?”
“One of my cooks got some burns, but he’ll be okay,” Rhys said.
“Give him my contact info. I’d like to help.” He gestured to the scorch marks on the floor. “Here, too.”
My eyes narrowed, and my plan to bury my head in the sand shot out the window. An offer like that implied guilt. “Why?”
I didn’t think I would get an answer, but Theo’s lips curved into a small smile. Friendly, but with an edge. “Because I allowed word to get out that I knew what thosetesta di cazzoswere up to with the properties in areas where they don’t belong. I knew it would make them rash, but I didn’t know they would take such impulsive, stupid action.”
“Were you the one who started the fire at NashVille?” I asked, not wanting the answer but needing it anyway. Since people had died, I wouldn’t be able to look the other way.
He shook his head. “That was their own internal cleanup.”
I deflated again. “Okay.”
His smile grew. “Okay.”
“We’ll also assist in gathering evidence that will tie Butler and the rest of his cronies to the Irish,” Luca tossed in with his focus locked on me.
Expectant eyes went to me, including from my own brother. I knew what they were waiting for. They thought I would tell them to back off. To let the police handle it.
But I remained silent.
I didn’t have high expectations for what the department was capable of handling right then.
It was another motley crew, but we stood around and talked for a bit longer before everyone dispersed. Theo and Luca would be positioning extra security near Rye, Wicked, and a few other places in case something went awry.
I doubted it would.
