Page 69 of Retribution

It’s years ago I’m interested in, but I can’t very well correct her. Doing that makes me appear suspicious or far too involved with Finn. Given she slept with him, it’s not a great idea to appear as though I’m going in for the kill.

“Different hot-shot fighter every night.” Antonio accelerates onto the highway headed for the airport.

I cock my head to the side. “Until the hot-shot fighter loses.”

“Basically. You live and die in the ring. When you’re fighting and winning, the O’Malley family treats you like a god.”

“Money?”

“Anything you want. Carys is right though. They don’t let women fight. Not that Lorcan or Finn would let you do it anyway.”

“I got news for them.” I focus on the scenery whizzing by the window.

He laughs. “There’s a big fight in a week or two. Huge promotion going on right now. A couple of the weekend big shots going head-to-head. It’s rare. The O’Malley family doesn’t like to double down on their best fighters. Maybe only once or twice a year.”

“You going?” I meet his gaze in the mirror.

“Me? Nah. I ain’t got that kinda cash lying around. I got kids.”

“And an ex-wife.”

Antonio frowns. “Yeah, her too.”

Carys takes her eyes off her phone to glance at me. “I can get you a ticket. I’m sure Lorcan or Finn would take you.”

“I don’t know. We might be at war with the Zhangs.”

She raises her eyebrows. “Lorcan knows they came after you?”

“He knows someone did.” I’m still not convinced it was the Zhangs. Malik was so certain it wasn’t, and he’s good at his job. If there’d been an order after I left, he’d have heard something. A whisper. A word. An undercurrent that wasn’t right.

“You’re not so sure.” She tries to coax me to make eye contact. “Your instincts are usually good.”

“Keeping an open mind.”

“It was the Zhangs.” His faith is unwavering. “I told Lorcan it was the Zhangs.”

I focus on Carys. “You can get me a ticket?”

Her lips twist into an almost smile. “I can. You got a thing for hot, sweaty men beating the shit out of each other too? Wouldn’t have thought that’d be your thing.” She raises her phone. “Leave it with me.”

“It’s not the hot, sweaty men.” I’m lost in thought as I watch the blur of scenery out the window. I know myself well.

“Oh, no?”

“It’s the danger. A life balanced on the edge of a knife. One wrong move, and they’re done.”

She grins and points her phone at me. “Now that, I believe.”

From the front seat, Antonio chuckles.

I’m not home long when there’s a knock on my door. At the intercom, I press the button wondering which brother is visiting me.

“Yes?” Sometimes I wish they gave me a camera.

“Housekeeping.”

I frown. It is the day the house is cleaned, and the voice sounds familiar but out of place. For a moment, I stare at the door trying to decide if I should grab my gun. “Hold on.” Their father was killed in the house. Better safe than dead.

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