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This is bad. Very, very bad. If those men work for the Italians—which they most likely do, considering we’re in their club—then I would be in deep trouble. I abruptly set my glass on the table, a bit too hard. My friends turn to me in surprise.
“Uh,” I wrack my brain for an excuse, “it’s getting really late. And I just remembered I have to help my father tomorrow morning with the books.”
They stare at me. Kimmy doesn’t look the least bit surprised. Sadie just looks disappointed. Something in my stomach drops. I know I haven’t been hanging out with them as much as I used to, but life happens. And, right now, this is a very life or death type of thing.
It doesn’t matter if I’m a woman. The Italians were known for their ruthlessness once. I’m not sure if anything has changed under Dante and Sienna’s new rule, but I can’t count on that to keep me alive. I came into enemy territory knowingly. And that alone puts me in danger. It definitely doesn’t help that I’m the Captain’s daughter.
“Okay,” Sadie said slowly. “I guess we’ll see you soon then?” Kimmy just scoffs, turning away. Pouting.
“I love you guys.” I pull them into a hug, forcing Kimmy into my arms. “I promise, I’ll make it up to both of you.”
Without waiting for their reply, I weave through the crowd, heading straight for the exit. I have to pass the bar to get there, but I’m hoping I can just…slip by. Those men definitely don’t want to make a scene, not if another club of theirs had been attacked just a few days before. It would bring too much scrutiny down on them.
My first mistake was coming here in the first place. My second, eavesdropping on the enemy.
I’m almost to the stairs when I make my third mistake.
My eyes catch his across the bar, a stormy, endless sea threatening to drown me. He hasn’t moved since his men had gone to tell him that I was probably a spy. Instead, he studies me. There’s no smirk on his lips now. Only careful calculation.
Shivering, I turn away and dart up the stairs. I should never have come here tonight.
3
KILLIAN
I’m still thinking of her the next morning. I couldn’t get her out of my head. The minute she tossed back that glossy raven hair and ordered an Irish beer at The Salamander, I knew she was trouble. It’s not uncommon for a woman to catch my eye. But it is when she’s stuck in my head the next day.
It didn’t help when my men came to report that they thought she was eavesdropping on their conversation. That she seemed a little too interested in the Rosania-Scarano family. Pair that with the lager choice, and I couldn’t help but assume she was Irish.
Her skin was as pale as the moon, with eyes darker than onyx. Red lips that needed no lipstick, just begging to be kissed. A body that was made for that tight dress she’d been wearing that night. A haughty look dared any man to try and break her. Everything about her was tantalizing. Tempting.
And dangerous.
Very, very dangerous.
I know I should tell Dante that a possible Irish spy was in The Salamander last night. She was most likely digging for information about the attack the other day. But then again, that’s my problem. Dante had other issues to deal with—being a new father, for one. He’s tasked me to sort out the little issue of the attack on my own, and that’s something I’m not willing to fail at.
Besides, I have no actual proof that she was there to spy. Only my men’s word, and honestly, they were a little drunk. She might have told them off for leering at her, as she had with me, and they probably took it a little too personally. Who knows.
We still didn’t know who was behind the attack. Cain and the others are currently combing through our staff list—anyone recently hired was under suspicion. But that would take time. We had to run background checks, find out if anyone had ties to any criminal organization that might want to harm us…and that was many. Our staff wasn’t exactly college kids with clean records. Almost everyone there had a past.
But Dante and Sienna were counting on me to deal with this, and I couldn’t let them down. I’ve been itching to prove myself more than just capable of reining in our associates and doling out punishment. I’d mostly been overseeing grunt work, and I’ve been ready for more.
Luckily for us, no one had died from the bombing. The kitchens had been cleared out moments before, though no one can tell me who exactly tipped off the workers to get out of there, and my men had taken care of the dumb fuck who’d tried to hustle us. The cameras and footage had been destroyed in the fire, although we hadn’t backed it up for a few days. There hasn’t been a single clue as to who was behind the attack. Though I doubted it was a smaller gang or even the cartels.
For starters, the police found the device. It was imported from Europe. Which means it could either be the Irish or the Russians. They were our biggest enemies at the moment, challenging us almost daily ever since the Snake tried to decimate our families. I’m sure they were both hoping we’d be wiped out completely. Which clearly hadn’t happened. And it never would.
I readjust the tie at my throat as I step into the elevator. It’s tight and uncomfortable, but Dante insists that everyone dress the part when coming to the office. Something about keeping up appearances. So, here I am, in this damn suit that’s too hot and too itchy rather than my leather jacket and jeans. As I step from the lift and head towards the boss’s office, my Manolo Blahnik dress shoes squeak across the linoleum.
They’re both waiting for me. Sienna sits behind the desk, snapping upright as I open the door. Dante’s perched at the corner, his long legs stretched out, arms crossed. He barely glances at me as I come in.
“Killian, it’s so good to see you,” Sienna says, smiling. Despite being a new mother, she looks great. I don’t think anything can phase her anymore. “Come. Sit.” I slink into the closest chair, settling in.
“Any updates?” Dante asks, getting straight to the point.
Crossing my legs, I lean back, debating my next words. “Not many. We know for sure it was just one pipe bomb. They set it off in the back, close to the kitchens. The second explosion was due to the gas leaks. The fire was clearly fueled by the alcohol.”
“And do we have any suspects so far?” Sienna asks warily. I can tell she’s hoping I don’t say the Russians. Or the Irish. If it’s a small crime family or gang coming after us, it would be easy to deal with them. But if it was one of the larger organizations…
