Fearless Sinner (Empire of Sinners #3)

Chapter 3

Chloe

Chapter Three

My body goes rigid. Solid as a rock.My legs will me to run but I'm anchored to the spot, my feet rooted into the ground as ice spreads through my veins.

My God, what the hell is this?

Fear races through my veins, numbing my mind with ice and heat all at the same time.

After what I’ve been through with Nate I’m well versed in the full spectrum of bad guys who exist in this world.

These are mafia men.

“Hello, Miss Chloe Ricci,” the man with the haunting blue eyes says. Hearing him call my name in his Irish accent snaps my attention back to him.

He knows me. Knows who I am.

But who is he?

He seems to be in charge, but the beast-like Jason Momoa lookalike carries that vibe of authority, too.

“Hello.” Thank God I found my voice. The worst thing I could do in this situation is freak out. For a moment I allowed myself a fleeting second to wonder if maybe Mom moved and I got the house wrong. But then Irish guy said my name. “Is there something I can do for you?”

“Is your mother awake yet?”

He knows about Mom. I swallow hard, past the slab sealing off my lungs. “No.”

“Then you’ll have to help us.” He gives me a mirthless grin, amplifying my fear.

“What am I supposed to help you with?” I try to keep the quiver out of my voice but fail miserably.

“Tell me where your stepfather is.”

My eyes narrow to slits and I stare at him. “Stepfather? I don’t have a stepfather.”

The men exchange curious glances.

“Look around you, lass. Isn’t that your mam right there?” Irish guy points to the pictures on the wall across from us. “They’ve been married for two years.”

The pictures are of Mom and a blond-haired man on their wedding day.

My mother… got married?

My mother got married two years ago. And I wasn’t there.

Slowly I turn back to the man, who intensifies his stare.

“I need to speak to Harlan right now. Your mother, his wife, is in the hospital. You must have seen him.”

“No. I haven’t. I was at the hospital for five hours and it’s just been me. What is this about?”

He considers my question for a moment, then his eyes roam over me from head to toe, taking me in in a way that spreads inappropriate heat coursing through me.

“I’m the guy your mother and stepfather owe a ton of money. And your stepfather took something from me that I want back.”

Jesus. What the hell is this?

And Mom owes money? I've never even known her to have a credit card.

I bring my hands together to stop myself from shaking. “How much money?”

The man tilts his head and continues to regard me with that sexy edge I wish I didn’t find sexy.“A quarter million dollars.”

My eyes nearly pop out of my head. “A quarter… million dollars?”

“You heard me. So, one more time: Where is your stepfather?”

Panic steals my senses, but I think on my feet to save myself. “Until just now, I didn’t even know I had a stepfather. I’ve been living in L.A. My mother and I fell out. I came back to New York this morning after I got the call from the hospital. If you don’t believe me, just look up the Nathan Ferrera case.”

He looks even more curious after my outburst of desperation.

His gaze lingers on me for a moment too long, then the tension leaves his face.

He stands, showing how tall and muscular he is. I peg him to be at least six feet six. He says something in what sounds like Russian to the other guy, who frowns.

He looks back at me, then marches over, making my five feet and four inches feel like an ant next to him. Having him so close to me makes my skin crawl and my entire body reverberate with unease.

He pulls out a business card and hands it to me. This is the second one I’ve received in the space of an hour. One good. One bad.

“My name is Cillian. Or Kill, for short.” He gives me a clipped smile and I don’t miss the intended pun in his words. “If you see your stepfather, you call me straight away. As for the money, your mother and stepfather have until next Friday to pay it back. If they don’t, I’m taking the house and the restaurant as agreed. Do you hear me?”

I feel like I just landed on a battlefield and several bombs have detonated around me. Still, I nod my understanding. “Yes. I hear you.”

“Good. If I were you, I wouldn’t run back to L.A. We’ll be watching you from now on, Chloe.” His gaze clings to mine for what seems like an eternity, then he moves.

He steps back and leads the way out. The rest of the men follow.

I watch them go and don’t release the breath I’m holding until I hear the front door click shut.

All the air flows out of my body and I slump against the wall, holding my heart in so it doesn’t leap out of my chest.

What madness have I landed myself in?

Mom married some guy and now she’s not just in a coma, she’s also in trouble.

I’ve already run away from trouble but got myself caught in its net once more.

What the hell am I going to do?