Page 67 of The Wages of Sin

“Honestly, I don’t know,” Matteo confessed. “But I find it very suspicious that he’s never shown the least bit of interest in visiting your apartment until the week you start calling numbers from Bonetti’s contact list.”

“That is strange,” Gabriel chimed in, leaning forward. “Has anyone talked?”

“Not to me.” I shook my head. “But it sounds like someone I spoke with ran straight to Sal.”

“Okay,” Matteo said, cocking his head to the side as he thought. “So, who did you call yesterday?”

“I was pretty busy, so only one guy,” I answered. “Vinnie Russo.”

Gabriel glanced over his shoulder at a hulking street soldier in a black suit standing guard at the edge of the VIP section. “Well, isn’t that a coincidence? Sal pulled Vinnie off his personal security detail to come out with us tonight.”

Bugging phones was bad enough, but now Sal was sending men out to keep tabs on his nephews in person. My gaze narrowed as the hairs on the back of my neck stood up in warning. That was the kind of move that went beyond paranoia and hinted at more sinister plans.

My eyes fixed on the man, I rose from my seat and straightened my suit. “I think another talk with Mr. Russo is in order.”

Before I took a step, though, Kiera tugged on my hand. Despite all her earlier objections, there was no denying the anxiety written across her face now that I was leaving her side.

“It’s okay,” I assured her. “I won’t be long. I’ll be back before you know it.”

She looked far from reassured.

“Please tell me you’re not going to…” Instead of finishing her sentence with words, she pointedly raised her eyebrows.

Out of my peripheral vision, I could see Matteo tactfully look away while Gabriel, clearly unamused, leaned back in his seat.

“I’m just going to talk to the man.” At least, that was the plan for now. Things might change depending on how Russo answered my questions. “Stay here. You’ll be safe with my brothers for a few minutes.”

She looked far from convinced. “Are you sure?”

“Positive,” I said. “You three are the only people in the whole world I trust.”

I’m not sure that fact calmed her fears much, but she reluctantly let her hand fall from mine.

As I was walking away from the private lounge and toward my brothers’ security detail, I heard Gabriel say, “Don’t worry, Kiera. Matteo and I were hoping we’d have a chance to get to know you better.”

And Kiera answer back, “Yeah, that’s what I was afraid of.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

KIERA

Even though I knew they were Dorian’s brothers, being left alone with two mobsters rattled my nerves more than I wanted to admit.

Usually, my backbone and resiliency were things I prided myself on. I wouldn’t have made it through med school or the last eighteen months on the run otherwise, but something about the D’Angelo twins turned me into a coward.

They had to be the most intimidating pair I’d ever met.

And the way both their expressions turned dead serious the moment Dorian stepped out of earshot didn’t help the situation.

“So…” Gabriel said after a few painfully long awkward seconds had passed. “Now that we have you alone, this seems like the perfect time to ask about your intentions with our brother.”

If I’d had a drink, I would have choked on it.

“Sorry—my intentions?” There was no way I could have heard him right.

“That’s what I said,” he answered.

“You’re kidding, right?”

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