AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Furious.” His deadpan has me believe it, despite the exhaustion on his face. “At you, at me. At Connor.”
“Why are you mad at yourself?”
There’s a moment when I think I see a glimmer of something in his eyes. But then it’s gone. Instead, he answers my question flatly. “What happened last night, Roisin. I shouldn’t have let things go that far.”
“That wasn’t only your call to make.”
Arnie points toward the window. “You literally ran into a storm to get away from me.”
“I’m not always the best at making decisions under pressure,” I blurt out and instantly regret it.
Arnie just retreats further into himself, crossing his legs and staring away at something I can’t see. For a moment, I don’t think he’s going to say another word to me.
But without blinking, he opens his mouth. “So what happens now?”
“Why are you asking me? I’myourcaptive.”
“You went about it the wrong way this morning, but again, you are free to leave whenever you want.”
I pause. Could that really be true? He said it himself: he works for Connor and that Connor was looking for me. Surely, he wouldn’t miss the opportunity to hand me over.
“…But I suspect you don’t know where else to go,” he finishes, and my heart sinks.
Right. Little lost Roisin has backed herself into a corner. I’d be angry at myself if it wasn’t so predictable.
“The choice is yours. You can go back to your old life and try to live like you planned,” Arnie says after a moment, pragmatism lacing his tone. “Or, you can stay here and find out the truth.”
“Those are my only two options?” I’m sure Arnie can practically taste my bitterness from over there.
“What doyouwant, Roisin?”
“I…”
I pause. What I want is for everything to go back to normal. But more than that, I don’t want to be alone anymore.
“I want to see my sister.”
Chapter Eleven
Arnie
The dive bar in Lenox Hill has always served me well for more discreet operations. The owners and patrons go about their day, oblivious to the fact that nefarious dealings are taking place in the corner, and I get to drink cold beer at a fraction of the price it would be at King Cole’s. Win-win.
It’s not the first time I’ve met Jack Duffy here. But last time, I came in with the upper hand: he needed information when all I wanted was to get the measure of him. Connor’s reports had been scathing at best, so I was curious to find out for myself how useful he might be.
Turns out, very useful. Jack’s insight into his father’s operations allowed us to make adjustments to our own. But I would rather die than tell Connor who came up with the ideas in the first place.
But this time,Ineed something fromhim.
He is my only lead to Roisin’s sister.
Jack might be Connor’s mortal enemy, but I owe this to Roisin. After I took advantage of her, pressured her like that.
“I’m not always the best at making decisions under pressure.”
I take a sip of my beer to try and distract myself from the mental image of Roisin shivering by the fireplace, glancing at my watch instead. Five minutes late.
There’s always the possibility that Jack may not show up at all. He’s been difficult to get eyes on since his dramatic departure from his father’s gang.
