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Tony turns from the church and towards me when I don’t respond to Leo, and more worry blooms in his eyes when he realises I’m about to spiral. “Leo, take them. Get them out of he—”
A loudboomechoes throughout the church, silencing the chorus of angry voices.
Tony and Leo throw themselves in front of Daisy and me. What was that noise? Why was it so loud? More importantly, why did it scare Tony and Leo?
I lean around Leo’s body, getting a glance between their shoulders. The sight silences my roaring panic and blind fear like a cooling balm, turning me completely and indescribably numb.
Joseph stands in the aisle, a gun pointed to the ceiling, and behind him stand twenty to thirty men, all casually holding various weapons.
“Anyone here who has nothing to do with the Hasting’s Hounds is going to very slowly leave the church. Hasting’s Hounds, you’re all going to sit down and be quiet so myself and your gaffer can have a little chat. Whatever feud just got started by that broad can wait until Walter Goodry has gotten back what Mr. Tony has stolen.”
“Walter Goodry…as in…”
The breath stutters out of me.
“London’s crime boss.”
Motherfucker.
CHAPTER4
JOSEPH
“I don’t knowwhat you think I’ve done”—Tony steps forward, unfazed by the multiple guns pointed in his direction—“but you’re wrong.”
“I’m never wrong.” I need to stay focused on him and doing what I came in here for, but my eyes are drawn behind him.
Alice’s sweet smile for me is gone. The panic I saw beginning to shake her body has ceased. Replacing it is ice, her gaze on me so sharp I should be bleeding on this church floor. I knew it was coming, but I’m surprised by the pain her hatred causes. She hates me now.
Tony’s gaze is wary when he catches me watching Alice. He’s going to want my head for bringing her into this. “What is this about?”
“The shipment that was meant to be traded at the pier. It went missing, and we know you took it. You’ve dropped off the grid recently. Covering up your assets…doing all the things that a man does when he’s getting ready to run. After this wedding….” I wince dramatically. “Well…if it had gone through…if your little affair and love child hadn’t crashed it, you would have disappeared, funded by our gaffer.” I step forward, matching his stance. “To start with, we want it back, and then maybe, just maybe, you walk from this alive.”
“There’s a room.” Tony gestures to a door on our left. “Let’s take this in there and sit down and talk. I didn’t take your shipment, but I can help you find who did, and I’m willing to do anything to prove that.” He doesn’t appear to be lying, but a man like him would be very good at it.
“How cooperative of you.” With a nod to Jerald, who has the briefcase with all our surveillance and evidence, I gesture for Tony to lead the way. I pause halfway to the door, my gaze swivelling to Alice. Horror paints her face, and hate fires behind her eyes. “Come along, Alice.” I don’t want to involve her in this more than she already is, but if Tony’s men start getting ideas out here while we are talking, I can’t have her getting caught in the crossfire.
“No.” The groomsman standing near moves in front of her. “No chance.”
“It wasn’t a question.” I raise my gun, aiming for his chest.
“No!” My little angel leaps around him, hands outstretched. “No! I’ll come.”
“Ali—”
“I’m going!” She shuts him up, squaring her little shoulders as she walks forward, past me and into the room Tony and Jerald have disappeared into.
“Thank you, Missy.” I shadow behind her, nearly colliding when she spins on her heels to glare at me.
“Don’t youever darecall me that again.” Her voice is poisonous, her gaze disarmingly defiant.
It’s wrong, but her bravery to face down with me turns me on. My sweet little angel has a savage side.
“Sweet and savage,” I murmur, loud enough for only her to hear.
It surprises the hate out of her eyes for just a moment, before she forces a scoff and stomps into the room.
My eyes are drawn to her perfectly peachy arse, knowing the red-lace thong underneath the black dress hugs it perfectly. I’m not going to get the chance to see it again.
