Page 28 of Mob Bride

“I’m not talking that loud. Even if they hear my voice, they wouldn’t understand what I’m saying.”

“Oh, yes, they would.”

“That’s why I’m keeping my voice down.”

“Shane, please. You have got to stop approaching me. You know what I’m doing. You’re going to blow it all for me.”

“And that undercover work is exactly the kind that gathers information to put my family away. So, if you think for even a moment I’m going to ignore what I found out and let you go on your merry little way, you are so gravely mistaken you can’t even imagine the outcome.”

She stiffens, and I hope she hears the threat and the annoyance in my voice because I’m feeling it. We could have a quick conversation and be done with it.

“Are you threatening me?”

“Not at all,cailín. It’s more a promise, if you will.”

“A promise? Is that what you think that is?”

She scoffs at me, turns back to the box of cereal she reached for. She drops it in her cart and turns around, giving me her back. I push my cart out of the way and snag my arm around her waist, pulling her back against me, moving my hand to just rest on her waist.

“Don’t walk away from me,cailín. We still have a lot more to discuss. Whether it’s here or somewhere else, you are going to give me answers. Do people think you work from home?”

She nods. Immediately, her head turns to look behind me.

“Are you staying home so much because of your bruises? Or is that your natural routine?”

“I knew you were following me. Look, anything I could say that involves your family would directly involve my mom. I have no reason to do that. You will stay out of any reports I make. But you’re making it fucking difficult. If people keep seeing us together, you’re going to make Bartlomiej question me because it’s inevitable it’ll get back to him.

“Why is that? Why does he take such an interest in what you do or don’t do or who you do or don’t speak to?”

“Because I’m a woman living in his community. He knows everything about everybody. It’s how he remains in control.”

“Is he extorting you?”

My voice hardens, not liking the idea that anybody intimidates her. Well, doesn’t that make me the perfect hypocrite? I’m the pot calling the kettle black because I know part of what I’m doing is trying to intimidate her. It feels shitty to know it, but if she won’t give me an inch, I’m going to push her a mile.

“No, he’s not. I was new to the neighborhood when I moved in. Nobody there knew me, and I had no one to vouch for me. He got suspicious.”

“Obviously, rightly so. You’ve come to a grocery store that’s well out of his territory. Who do you think will see us and report it to him unless you’re being followed by his men, too? And if you are, why?”

“Shane, there are eyes and ears everywhere. There are no boundaries to where people connected to a syndicate live. If it’s not Bartlomiej, then it’ll be someone else. Someone could see us and report it to the Mexicans, the Italians, the Colombians, the Russians, anybody. This is not wise.”

I squeeze her waist and put my lips to her ears. “Then meet me somewhere. Meet me, explain what’s going on, and then I’ll leave you alone.”

She scoffs at that too, giving me a look as though I’m an idiot. Obviously, she doesn’t trust I’m telling the truth about leaving her alone. She’s not wrong. I probably won’t, but at least with some answers, I won’t feel so eager to chase her down.

“Carrie, the longer you stall, the more evasive you are, the more determined I will be.”

“As though I don’t know that, but that’s still... I’m not giving in to you. Shane, I told you the night we met I wouldn’t be bullied a second time.”

My fingers dig into her waist. “You really equate my words to his fist? Are you trying to imply you think I’ll beat you for not answering my questions?”

“No, I don’t think you’d ever lay a hand on me in violence. I never thought that. You could have more than once. All four times I put a gun to you, you could have. But I think you’re just as dangerous to me as Jacek or any other syndicate man. I think you’re just as capable and likely to get me killed as any of them. So, back off, Shane.”

She keeps looking around as though she expects somebody to see us. Why is that? I just wish I could get answers to even the simplest of questions.

“I get what your job is, but I also know you rarely work alone in situations like this. How often do you see your handlers?”

She tenses again and gives me a mutinous glare over her shoulder. Just as she turns back around, somebody else’s cart appears at the end of the aisle. She moves away from me, and I don’t stop her. I expect her to turn toward the shelf and continue our conversation of sorts. Anybody could believe we’re just a couple grocery shopping together. However, she immediately walks away. She doesn’t acknowledge the person she passesbeyond a flash of a smile. He looks familiar, but I don’t place him right away.

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