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And that was it. He had her and he knew it. Her respected family name would be dragged through the mud. Everything would be brought into question. Her attitude as a reporter. Her celebrated and praised exposé on the Manzanis would be slandered and dismissed. She’d be a joke. But that was nothing; that was deserved for her stupidity. Her family didn’t deserve it.
Her grandfather loved the city he’d dedicated his life to serving. Growing older, he didn’t talk about slowing down, but his career wouldn’t have time to recover. What would he do but wither?
And her father. What about him? If he lost his job and the media hounded him as cases he’d overseen got reopened, he’d be ruined. His professional identity was what he valued most. Over his family, over everything else. Some part of him still wanted to earn his own father’s esteem while he demanded it of his children.
And though it was her father’s judgement that beat in the back of her head, it was her brother who squeezed her heart. Her brother was good. Better than any other man in the world. Pure of heart, honorable, filled with an unparalleled integrity that just wouldn’t allow him to consider ever doing anything illicit.
What choice did she have?
“I do this and that’s it,” she said, marching over to snatch the envelope. “You destroy that recording and we’re done. And get your guys to back off. I don’t want them anywhere near me.”
She didn’t give him the chance to argue. Walking in there had not been her choice, and she resented the shit out of him for manipulating her. But this was it, a final act that would sever her life from the McDades forever.
NINE
DELIVER AN ENVELOPE. That wasn’t difficult, was it? No. So why was she so nervous? She tried to tell herself it wasn’t illegal. Could one of the country’s strongest and most notorious crime bosses send someone on an errand that wasn’t illegal? Instead of taking a bus or a cab, she walked the twelve blocks to City Hall.
Was she covering her tracks? Could she? Was he setting her up?
Daly and the McDade protectors hadn’t been on her tail all day. What did that suggest? That he was respecting her wishes? Unlikely. Yet she couldn’t test him, couldn’t take the risk—
“Se—Sersha?”
Someone grabbed her arm.
She blinked around and took a second to process. “Dad,” she said, clutching her purse closer. “Hi.”
“What are you doing here?”
What was she doing there? Nothing she could tell her father. That meant thinking fast. “I haven’t seen Grandpapa for weeks—”
“He’s across town today,” he said, frowning. “Giving a speech.”
“Right,” she said, though hadn’t known that.
“I had a public safety meeting,” he said, checking his watch. “Have you eaten?”
“No.”
“No, because you never eat lunch,” he said, taking her shoulder to turn her around. “Been the same since you were a kid. Come on, I’ll buy you something.”
This had to be Opposite Day. “You want to have lunch with me?”
“Sure,” he said, taking his phone from his pocket. “I’ll call Lach.”
Of course he would. Because God forbid he spent any time alone with her. Lachlan, her brother, could be anywhere doing anything, and he’d come running. He responded to their father more like a superior officer than a parent. Just like he’d been raised.
Her brother was strong. Smart. Keener than her, sharper than their father, more likeable than their grandfather, he had it all. Yet, often, he was left explaining himself. It wasn’t fair. He deserved a better family. She didn’t know how he’d turned out so good when everything else was screwed up.
“He’s on his way,” her father said when he hung up and started walking. “We’ll go to that Vyne restaurant you like.”
Confused, her brow lowered. “I like? You mean the Italian place?” she asked and he nodded. “Imogen likes Vyne, Dad.” Not that she didn’t. “Lach’sex-girlfriend. You know they broke up, right?”
“It won’t last. He’ll fix it.”
“How do you know he wants to?” she asked. “Sometimes relationships run their course.”
“They’ve been together for years. They’re going to get married.”
