Page 26 of Finn

“Yup,” I answer, taking a sip from the water bottle in my hand. I never drink before a fight. Afterward, on the other hand, is an entirely different story.

“I heard you got married. Congratulations,” my cousin offers.

I tilt my head from side to side, trying to alleviate the tension in my neck. Luca must sense the dip in my mood, and his mouth quirks up in a knowing smile.

“Ah, not the happy union everyone seems to believe, then.” His gaze swings to the ring then back to me. “Good luck.” The way his eyes dance with laughter tells me it’s not the fight he’s referring to.

When Luca turns and melts back into the crowd, I go in search of my brother. Naturally, I find him chatting up a tall blonde at the little bar we have down here.

He sees me approach and excuses himself from the woman.

“You’re in luck. The Russian wanted a fight, but I didn’t have anyone in his weight class willing to go up against him. You game?”

Once upon a time, I entertained the idea of doing a little business with one of the Russian families from New York. It would have caused some issues with the Italians out that way, but they assured me they would be able to handle anything the Italians threw at us. I didn’t get a good feeling from them, though, and I’ve put those plans on the back burner. Of course, once they found out my brother ran the illegal fight nights in Boston, they wanted in. I guess New York had enough of the shit they’d inevitably start after the fights had been called. So far, we’ve had no such problems, but any time they come in for a fight, we bring in extra men, just in case.

“I’m up for it,” I reply.

“Was that one of Cataldi’s men you were talking to earlier?” my brother asks nonchalantly, but I see the question in his gaze.

“He’s just here for the fight. Wanted me to know that he doesn’t want any problems.”

“Hmm.” Eoghan doesn’t say anything else about Luca being here on his own. I’m grateful for that. It’s not that I relish the idea of keeping secrets from my brother, but Luca and I decided when we started this little operation that the fewer people who know, the better. If he was ever found out, no one would be able to get any information from my brother because he doesn’t know anything. We’ve gone to great lengths to ensure no one in my family or the Cataldis were aware of his true identity, except Cillian, but that was just in case anything happened to me—which isn’t a far-fetched notion—he would have someone to warn him and get him out if need be. Plus, my brother is a bit of a hothead and a mama’s boy. I don’t know if it would be possible for him to keep the fact that her only sister’s son isn’t actually dead like we were all led to believe. It’s a long, convoluted story even I had a hard time wrapping my head around—not to mention believing—when Luca contacted me all those years ago.

“Go get ready, and I’ll call you out when it’s time.”

I head to the makeshift locker room and change before Cillian meets me inside.

“Blowing off steam?” he asks as I’m taping up my knuckles.

“Something like that.” I flex my hands, testing the tape. Hell yes, I’m blowing off steam. He’s not married to one of the most tempting and infuriating women on the planet. “I thought you were at the casino tonight?” Without a casino host, Cillian has been filling in.

“I have one of my guys covering for a few hours. When Eoghan told me you were fighting the Russian, I couldn’t very well not show up.”

Cillian has always been at my side when I’ve had dealings with the Russians. His laid-back demeanor seems to relax just about everyone, but the man has a keen eye and shrewd instincts. He can sniff bullshit from half a mile away and has a sixth sense for when shit’s about to hit the fan.

“The Russians have been here a few times. They’ve kept level heads.”

“You say that like it’s not my job to make sure we get ahead of any shit they might start.”

“Fair,” I acknowledge.

“Last time you needed a fight to blow off steam, it was because you were getting married the next day. Am I correct in assuming the reason for the fight tonight is because of your wife?”

“Living with Alessia has been…quiet.”

Confusion knits his brow. “That’s a good thing, right?”

I tilt my head back and forth and flex my hands once again in the tape. “I thought it would be, but these last couple weeks, she’s mostly kept to herself. I don’t know. It’s a little weird, to be honest. I was ready for a fight, for her to come in and try to take over my space, but we hardly see each other.”

“Most men would kill for that,” Cillian jokes.

“We had a…moment the night we got married, but since then, it’s as though she’s been avoiding me.”

“Maybe your touch with the ladies is wearing off.” Cillian shrugs, and I have the distinct urge to punch him in his smug face.

“Asshole.”

My brother opens the door before I can list all the reasons Cillian is wrong about me losing anything.

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