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I ponder this for a long moment. I know Crow trusts Dante, so it won’t be an issue if I take the lead on this and agree. Knowing we’re up against a fucking criminal organization like the Russian mafia, we will need all the help we can get.
“That sounds good,” I tell him. “We have men who can step up, but this is personal, and if we can double up our force, I’m hoping we can put an end to all of them easily, and quickly.”
“Our past is littered with men like this, men who think they can exert their power over young children, over anyone they deem weaker, so we will definitely be there. You don’t have to doubt us,” he assures me, and I settle back as my office door opens and Crow stalks in.
I hang up once we’re confirmed and open up a new email to get the address to Dante. Both Savage brothers will be here to help, along with their teams. It will give us the upper hand when it comes to dealing with Mahoney and his boss.
“Who was that?” Crow settles into the armchair across from my desk. His stare tethered with mine.
“Dante says he and his brother can be here tomorrow with back up. I agreed,” I tell him. “If we’re taking on the mafia, we may as well have reinforcements should we need it.”
Crow nods slowly, his focus turning to the window before flicking back to mine. “What about this job we were hired for? We haven’t heard back from him yet?”
“I have a feeling it was a distraction. I looked into him, Simmonds is a banker, straight-laced, nothing on him which didn’t make sense until I saw where he worked.”
“Where?” Crow leans forward, elbows on his thighs, those metallic orbs, holding mine hostage.
“Bank of Switzerland, offshore accounts,” I explain. When I saw this on his profile, I knew there was more to the man than needing a hitman for his wife cheating, or something similar. This is someone connected to the job, to Mahoney. I’m sure of it.
“Get him on the phone,” Crow says. “Let’s either bring him in for questioning, or we get the answers from him on a call. But make sure it’s recorded, I want evidence.”
“I think bringing him in might be the best idea.”
“Why? You want to play torturer again?” Crow’s dark brow arches as he watches me, the corner of his mouth tipping into a smirk.
“You know it,” I tell him, leaning back in my chair. He keeps his focus on me, “What’s wrong with you?”
“We need to tell her,” he admits slowly. He is right. I know he is, but I honestly don’t want to talk about the past. As much as I know I should, especially to Lucille, I can’t bring myself to confess the memories still hold me hostage.
“Now?”
Crow is silent for a moment. “Maybe. If she’s going to stay here, be a part of our family, she needs to know the truth. If she decides she wants to leave—”
“She won’t.”
“How can you be so sure?” he challenges as he regards me. An arched brow lifting in question. “Because what we’ve all been through isn’t easy to listen to, and it’s not easy to accept.”
“She’s not like that, she won’t run when things get tough.”
The corner of his mouth quirks. “You have a lot of confidence in her,” he tells me.
“And you don’t?” I throw back, but he only grins. He can’t deny it. She’s stronger than we all expected. She’s innocent. The actions of her father don’t mimic who she is. Crow cannot debate that.
“She is ours now,” I tell him.
“She is,” he agrees with a nod.
I look up at him before saying, “She can’t leave us.” The fear Lucille will walk away is present in my mind. I’ve thought about it far too much. We were determined to make her pay, to ensure her father pays, but she’s not guilty of wrongdoing. You can’t change who your family is, and you certainly can’t change who your parents are.
Crow pulls out his phone as he flops onto the sofa. I watch him with a smile as he takes a selfie, then hits send on what I can only imagine is a message to Lucille. We gave her a phone to use while in the house, but it’s locked, and we control who she contacts.
His dark hair flops into his eyes making him look like a goddamned Adonis. I’ve always thought he was good looking, but when Crow is doing something for attention, he’s breathtakingly handsome.
It doesn’t take long for Lucille to appear at the door to my office. She’s dressed in a pair of shorts which show off her long, lean legs. Her body encased in an oversized hoodie hides the rest of her curvaceous figure, but I know what lies under the material.
