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CHAPTER 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’s ex-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.”
That was startling enough that she almost stopped dead. “They’re not engaged. When were they engaged? Did he ask you for Mom’s ring?”
Also known as their grandmother’s ring.
“No,” he said. “But why wouldn’t she want to marry him?”
“Dad, you better not say anything. Don’t upset him.”
“He doesn’t get upset.”
“Just because he doesn’t show you doesn’t mean he isn’t upset. Please don’t get on his case today.”
“The two of you always stand in front of each other.”
