Page 17 of Mob Saint

“I was supposed to drive down to Trenton the next day.”

The day after the incident.

“But you didn’t?”

“I told him I had too much work.”

“It’s been two weeks. How have you avoided him?”

“I told him I was sick, and that it was contagious. That I was too doped up to stay awake long enough to talk about anything.”

“And he bought that?”

“Sure.”

“Tiera?”

“Let me look up your claim.”

“No, that can wait. What did you mean by sure? What did he do?”

“I really don’t want to get into this. It’s none of your business.”

“Oh, yes, it is. I told you I would find out who hurt you, and I would find out why you’re protecting them. Who’d he send?”

“No one.”

“I don’t believe that or you.”

“I don’t care if you believe me. It’s not your concern.”

“You are so very wrong about that.” I catch myself before I call her cailín.

“Seamus, stop. You’ll only make whatever he’s planning worse. Please, let me look up your claim. I’ll see where things stand. Go to Gareth about that, but don’t mention me.”

I can’t push any harder right now. It’s not my place, and it’ll only ruin any tenuous friendship we might have.

“Only because you’re telling me to. But I’ll only relent so many times before I intervene.”

“Why?”

Because you’re mine.

“Because he’s a douche who needs reminding he can’t treat everyone like they’re one of his men. You don’t answer to him, so he doesn’t get to mistreat you.”

“We both know I do. That’s why I was in that courtroom.”

“Not like his men. You know that.”

“Thank you for coming to my defense and even my rescue. But I can manage Gareth. I have been since we were kids.”

“That doesn’t make it better.”

“It looks like your adjustor needs to send through the last paperwork to the bank. Everything’s been approved. I don’t know why they haven’t since that was four days ago.”

“We both know why. What does he have on this adjustor?”

“I don’t know. I truly had no idea they were connected at all. I didn’t know the woman had anything to blackmail her with.”

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