Page 81 of Twisted Princess

A hunter thrives in the dark of night and the still morning hours. Watching, waiting for their prey to peek their head out and reveal their position.

Which is why I’m keeping a close eye on the Kelly establishments that I’m aware of Vinny frequenting.

I started at his house—the fancy mansion in Brookline where I dumped Miko’s body a few days ago. But it doesn’t take long to realize he’s there alone. Aside from a personal chef, that is, who whips up a healthy breakfast of scrambled eggs and avocado toast before leaving him in peace.

Next, I head to Pearl’s.

But all’s quiet on that front as well.

Eight a.m. is too early for anyone to be operating inside the burlesque lounge. Frustrated, I head to the housing where I know a number of my brothers live. It’s free accommodation right near Beacon Hill, which makes it appealing since half of them work shifts at Pearl’s when they’re not doing work directly for Keoghan.

Viktor studies me with cold disinterest as he stands at the threshold of his flat. His arms are crossed, his feet planted to barricade me from coming inside. “I haven’t seen your woman since she left Pearl’s that night… what was it, a month ago?” he states flatly. “Have you lost track of her already?”

“No,” I growl. “Don’t tell me you’re oblivious to the hit Vinny put out on me. I know he must be offering a tempting reward. And last night, someone dragged her back here on his orders, which means you know where she is.”

“Like fuck I do. That idiot’s more trouble than he’s worth. Always meddling. Drunk. High. Stirring up trouble. If he weren’t Mr. Kelly’s cousin, he’d be six feet underground by now.”

To my surprise, I believe Vik.

There’s no love lost between him and Vinny. Which sparks an idea in my mind.

Maybe, if I can’t find Mel on my own, approaching Keoghan could be a last resort.

“You haven’t heard any whispers about one of our brothers going to New York?” I press.

“I heard about Miko,” Vik says pointedly.

I keep my mouth shut. Because admitting to killing Miko could be as good as shooting myself in the foot.

After a loaded silence, Vik sighs. “I heard Leon and Mishka went south yesterday. They’re supposed to report in today, but as far as I’m aware, they’re not back yet. That being said, my shift doesn’t start until this evening.”

Not back in Boston? Then where the hell did they take Mel? Do they even have her? My stomach plummets when I think about her story of being chased through the New York subway. What if she’s on the streets somewhere, hiding, needing help, and I’m all the way down here looking for her?

But my intuition tells me I’m closing in. I can feel she’s nearby.

“Leon and Mishka, huh?” I don’t relish the thought of her in Leon’s hands. The prick’s rotten to the core. Why Mishka likes to work with him, I’ll never understand.

“Yeah, now fuck off,” Vik commands, and he slams his door in my face.

From what Sascha’s told me, Leon and Mishka mostly work for Keoghan—they’re not bouncers at Pearl’s. That means Vinny’s pulling out the big guns if he’s sending the cream of the crop from the Kelly army.

So, either Keoghan’s on board with his cousin marrying Mel—or Vinny’s taking advantage of his connection to get his way.

I think it’s time to take a chance.

Now, I just have to find the Irish mafia king.

Exiting the apartment complex, I study the flow of traffic moving up and down the sloping streets of Beacon Hill. The traffic’s picked up, the bustling energy far more familiar. The sun pounds down from the sky now. The few pillowy clouds hardly stand a chance against the brilliant golden light.

My eyes flit toward Fitzpatrick’s, the Irish pub where Lev tracked Vinny the last time we came down to deliver our warning. My stomach knots when I think of my right-hand man. My loyal brother. His lifeless eyes haunt my memory, reminding me of the price I’ve paid to follow my heart.

I don’t know that I deserve happiness if that’s what it costs.

But I still can’t call it quits on Mel.

Not when I think of her trapped in a life with Vinny. That psycho needs to be collared. And if Keoghan’s not willing to do it, I’ll put the bastard down.

I don’t honestly know where my best bet for finding Keoghan Kelly is. But Pearl’s is one of his most popular clubs, the one I’ve heard about for years. So logic would dictate that he uses it as his headquarters.

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