AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Daniel
“You need to get rid of her Ty.”
I don’t mean kill her,I thought, my head throbbing.I mean, get her out of the house. Get her out of our lives. Sara was right. This can never work.
Mobsters don’t get love—or happy endings.
“Explain,” Ty said in a voice that I’d never heard out of my cousin, low and hoarse, breaking at the edges.
I stared through the windshield and forced myself to say, “She’s been off since I brought her to visit Mickey Weiss in the hospital. I knew something was wrong. She talked to the cop, she threw up in the bathroom, and then... She said she wanted to go visit Sara, only she never fucking went.” I felt a flash of rage, helpless pity for this confused, and heartbroken young woman. I knewshe loved Ty—and Hendrix had gone straight for her heart. For my cousin’s heart.I’ll kill him.“She hooked up with Hendrix. They had a meeting downtown. And Flora found a phone charger in your bedroom for a burner.” I paused, waiting for Ty to speak, and the silence stretched on, until I couldn’t bear it. “I'm sorry, Ty.”
My cousin didn’t answer, simply hung up on me, and I gripped the steering wheel, pressing my forehead against the top of it. Hendrix had ruined everything. He’d stolen my cousin’s happiness—and I’d fucking kill him. I reached over to the glove compartment and flicked up the secret spot, where a gun was stashed.
Maybe I’ll take care of this tonight.My heart pounded. But no, Kir was trying to infiltrateThe Cathouse.I couldn’t risk exposing him.
With a growl, I suddenly recalled that I’d sent Sara straight to my apartment. She was there. A dizzy sensation went through me, a throb of need so strong that I found myself driving toward the Seaport. But as I got closer, I checked myself. I was in no mood to be around her.
Instead, I pulled into the club, sent Mickey’s voice recording to Ty, and got out. Going inside, I managed to avoid everyone, find a bottle of whiskey, and then go back out and climb onto the roof. By then, Ty had sent me a terse text.Handling it. Lia was confused.
No shit,I texted back.I tried to warn you.
I know. But you also know what happened with her mom. Don’t ever fucking suggest getting rid of her again, or we’ll have a problem, cousin.A pause as I swallowed hard.But I know you said it because you have my back and I appreciate that.
I’m sorry I said that. You know I didn’t mean it—I was concerned. I only meant maybe she can’t handle this life. That she was an easy mark.
She was also strong enough to do the right thing,Ty wrote back, and I raised an eyebrow.And now we have an in with Hendrix. Get some rest. We’re taking him down tomorrow.
I took a deep swig of the whiskey and looked toward my apartment building, thinking about Sara up there. I blew out a breath and sent a quick text,Wanted to let you know that Lia is okay.
Thanks,came the response.Are you coming home tonight? I don’t mind—I can take the guest bedroom.
I groaned and shook my head.No. Thanks for inviting me to my own home, though.
You’re welcome.
Then three dots appeared and vanished and appeared again. I held my breath, but then they vanished and didn’t come back. I drank until I was almost too drunk to get down the ladder. Stumbling through the club, I made it to my office, where Icrashed on the couch, and fell into dreams about a brunette snuggling into the couch with me, whispering that my bed at home was so much more comfortable…
Buzzing woke me up and I rolled over, nearly falling off the couch. Groaning, I fished around for my phone, and winced at the taste in my mouth. Never mind the headache from the drinking. What had I been thinking?
Sara had texted me information—proof that Hendrix had killed Volksov. She’d gone through some new footage that Weiss had gotten a hold of, along with hacked footage from various security cameras showing that Hendrix had been the last person to be around Ivan. There was one shot of him with his arm around the old man, smirking, and his recently deceased cousin Jock keeping an eye out.
She’d also found footage of them alone later the same night, laughing and celebrating, clearly drunk and hanging around the loading dock behindThe Cathouse.My stomach clenched as I watched Hendrix don a flat cap that Ivan used to wear before throwing it in the harbor.
Still working on Marina,came the follow-up.
Thanks,I texted back, and found myself tempted to call Ty when he did. “Hey,” I said. “We good?”
“Yeah,” Ty said. He sounded calmer and a little different. “I’m sorry, Danny.”
I blinked. “Wait, what?”
“If I had listened to you about Lia, then maybe we could’ve saved her a lot of heartache. You were right to be careful about letting her see Weiss. And you knew something was up.” He let out a rough laugh. “Man, I really am getting soft.”
“That’s what you have me for,” I said.
“Are we good? I know I’ve been kind of a prick.”
“I’m used to it,” I said with a laugh, my heart lighter. “And yeah. Is Lia—I mean… How’d that go?”
