Chapter 40
A FEW DAYS LATER
Cillian’s Aston Martin hums beneath us as we drive down the FDR. Rain smears across the windshield in light streaks, and Fall Out Boy blares through the speakers as Cillian weaves through traffic—water sprays from the tires whenever he ventures too close to the shoulder.
We’ve just finished dumping two bodies into the East River—two more men who thought it wouldn’t be a death sentence to cross The Kings—and need to put a little distance between us and our disposal.
I lean back in the passenger seat, my thumb flicking across the phone screen out of habit.
Or boredom. My text messages load slowly.
Probably shitty service because of the weather.
The thread with Nikolai glitches when I open it, then loads a handful of old messages at once. Weird… Maybe it’s time for an upgrade.
You get back okay?
NIKOLAI
Still alive. Just walking through the door.
I’ve also just been instructed to order Chinese food for dinner.
I chuckle softly to myself. She is pretty fucking persistent when she wants something.
Jesus. She’s circled enough fucking entrées on the menu that we’re apparently going to have a buffet.
And be eating leftovers for the next week.
I glance at Cillian. “Your sister has decided we’re having Chinese for dinner.”
“Dumplings,” he blurts, abruptly changing lanes. “Make sure it’s the steamed ones, not the fried.”
I shoot Cillian’s request to Nikolai. Then add in a request for crab rangoons. Apparently, it is going to be a buffet.
Jesus. She’s circled enough fucking entrées on the menu that we’re apparently going to have a buffet.
And be eating leftovers for the next week.
Really, Nik? The same messages? Because that’s not an obnoxious way to get a response at all.
I got it! Way too much food.
Cillian pulls to a stop at the gate for the parking garage, and my phone buzzes again.
You okay?
I shake my head and grumble, “Apparently, this is what having a little brother would’ve been like.”
Yeah. All Good.
Just parked.
Hawk called.
Same black SUV has circled the block twice in the past ten minutes
Same one he saw yesterday
I grind my teeth and squeeze my phone a little too hard. It was only a matter of time.
Sargsyan?
The plates are for a rental. So, definitely not one of our guys.
Make sure he gets eyes on the nearby buildings.
And keep Eavan off the terrace.
Already on it.
His response comes as Cillian and I are walking past Gunnar and into the apartment. Eavan pads across the living room toward me, damp-haired and wearing a tiny pair of pajama shorts with one of my T-shirts. “Everything okay?” she asks, her eyes scanning over my face.
“Yeah,” I lie too fast, not wanting to worry her.
Based on her suspicious expression, I’m certain she catches the slight edge in my tone.
I lean in and kiss her temple. “Just some work stuff, princess,” I skirt the truth, wanting to confirm the threat before unsettling her.
“I’m gonna go change before dinner gets here. I’ll be back down in a second.”
She smiles, small and guarded, her lips momentarily parting like she wants to argue. But she doesn’t. But worry flickers in her eyes as she offers to get me a glass of wine while I change.
Nikolai follows up the stairs behind me. His voice low, so Eavan doesn’t overhear, he shares what I already know. “If they’re circling enough to concern Hawk… they’re not scouting. They’re waiting.”
They know what they want and where to find her. They’re just waiting for us to give them the opportunity. “I know,” I groan on exhale as we reach the top of the stairs .
When I reach my room, I sit on the edge of the bed and stare blindly at the dark windows. I drag my hands down my face, thinking about all the ways things could go wrong, all the ways we could fail her… And worse, all the ways I could lose her.