Page 27 of Mercy in Betrayal

I flatten my hands on the table and stare at Evie. “Evie, why don’t you tell Kristo what recently happened to your crew in Ireland?”

Evie sniffs but doesn’t reply.

I wonder how willing Kristo would be to jump ship if he knew the mess they made in Ireland. I won’t take my foot off their necks for one moment. That’s why Evie is here and not just Cassidy. They can try and soften me, but they are foolish; the years didn’t turn me soft, they only hardened me. I wouldn’t bend for my sister, never mind another woman.

I don’t care for Kristo’s response, and it’s clear that Evie is no longer speaking to me. I rise and Tom gets to his feet too.

“This is my playing field, and only I declare when a debt to me is cleared.” I give a final warning, and no one dares speak as I leave with Tom.

Evie and Cassidy walk out after me.

“Enzo, you could at least think about it,” Evie says the moment she falls into step beside me. I stop walking and turn to Cassidy, he’s the real person here pushing for this.

“I didn’t think you needed a woman to do your work for you.”

“I don’t.” Cassidy takes a step closer to me, and I grin, daring him to do something.

“Well, it looks like you let Evie do all the talking in there.”

“I respect her opinion,” Cassidy says, looking at Evie.

“That’s all it is, an opinion.” I remind him. “You’d do well to mind your own business before attempting to cut in on anyone else’s.” I stride quickly down the hall, distantly hearing Evie saying something to Cassidy before I exit the building.

I climb into the driver's side this time. They won't stop us on our way out. What an absolute waste of my time.

“What was that all about?” Arturo asks once the car starts to move.

“I’m not entirely sure,” I answer honestly. “I don’t know what Cassidy is up to, but he must think I’m thick. That was his first mistake,” I say as I drive out of the docks.

The second is in challenging me at all. He has no idea who he is playing with.

My phone rings as I pull beside Arturo’s and Tom’s vehicles.

“Elmo Salzano has been spotted leaving Bastoni e Pietre.” One of my spotters who has been waiting for Elmo to make his moves informs me.

I glance at the dashboard. I have time before meeting Rowan. I also have a lot of pent-up anger that needs to be unleashed.

Perfect. “Stay on him but don’t approach. I’ll take care of the rest.”

Chapter 10

Rowan

Confucius Square is noisy and smelly with traffic and pedestrians. It’s the cusp of evening, that perfect time of dusky afternoon when the sun is balancing on the horizon, loathe to slip completely over the edge, but nightfall hovers just beyond…waiting to share its every secret.

I cup my hand over the phone and peer up at the statue of Confucius, trying to hear Vivi on the other end of the call. I should go inside somewhere, but there’s something invigorating about standing here in the midst of the seething mass of humanity, none of them knowing or caring who I am, or that I’m away from my brother’s leash, even if just for a little while.

I still don’t know how I managed to do it. If he and Evie hadn’t had to leave for something themselves, there’s no way I’d have been able to slip away.

“…try…Alighieri…”

Her voice skips in and out, muffled by the din of everything around me. It sounds like she wants me to read Dante.

“I will. As long as you read some Robbie Burns.”

Her snort of frustration comes through loud and clear. “I told you! …already read…years ago.”

Ah. She did tell me that. I forgot. I like talking literature with Vivi. I like talking with Vivi, period. She’s fun and lively and intelligent and doesn’t treat me like I’m incapable of cogent thought. I decide to poke at her a bit.

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