Page 120 of No Promises, No Lies

The Italian Capo lets out a shout, caught off guard, reaching for his gun, but I knock his hand away like Niko showed me this morning.

Spinning, I cock the small handgun, locking in on my target. My father’s hand is already on the door, on his way to murdermyhusband. I can feel Cole’s arms closing around me, my window of opportunity down to nanoseconds.

My father spots the gun in my hand, but it’s too late.

I return his cold smile, “Das vi danya, Papa.” And I squeeze the trigger.Goodbye.

The recoil of the gun jolts me back hard into Cole’s chest with a grunt.He catches me, wrenching the gun out of my hand before wrapping an arm around me, pinning my arms to my sides.

Both of us stare down at my father’s lifeless body. A trickle of blood spills out of a single wound, right in the center of his forehead.

The Russian Pakhan dead… at my hands.

70

HOME GAME

RORY

“You better start talking,” Cole growls in my ear.

“He deserved it,” I whisper, still in shock.He was going to kill Aidan.

Cole spins me slowly, turning me from the sight of my father’s body. His gun is in his hand, but he doesn’t point it at me. Not yet…

“I killed him.”Is this shock?The sound of the gunshot is still reverberating in my ear. Emotionally, I’m cut off and my head is spinning.

“You did.”

Cole’s gaze is as cold as an icy tundra, but there is a hint of indecision in his eyes as he carefully studies my face. Probably deciding whether or not to kill me.Get in line, DeLuca.

His hand holding the gun raises and, like pulling a trigger, words erupt out of me in an endless string of panic, everything Matteo did, everything he said. “They were expanding the skin trade in the city… It was only a matter of time before they betrayed you…” Cole DeLuca was one of the most dangerous men in Boston, but they say he drew a hard line on selling bodies.

Cole’s eyes narrow on me, his dark eyes suspicious. I keep mine trained on his gun, the one he still hasn’t put away… “That’s not possible.”

My cheeks heat, supercharged emotions flooding in, and so I snap at him, “Don’t be an idiot, DeLuca.” Not the best sense of self-preservation, but it is what it is at this point…

The Italian’s brow raises at my audacity.

“You knew something was up. I saw the way you were watching him. Adrik betrayed the O’Rourkes, had Declan killed when he discovered what Adrik and Matteo were up to.”

If Cole’s surprised, he doesn’t show it, his face stony and cold—but still listening.

“Adrik betrayed me. He betrayed mymother.”My voice breaks when the puzzle pieces finally click together and I know without a doubt that Adrik had had a hand in her death.She’d been trying to save me from him.“What makes you think he wouldn’t betrayyou?”

Cole’s quiet, his gaze impossible to read.

“And why should I believe you?”

My face falls, seeing the doubt in his eyes.

“How do I know you’re not making this up just to save your own skin?” His gun clicks, but I meet his eyes, holding his gaze despite every instinct screaming at me to run. I wouldn’t make it two steps…

I let out a breath, an eerie sense of calm filling me. “That’s easy. I’m standing here, unarmed, telling you the truth, because you should know. Certainly, Matteo wasn’t the only one in your circle involved,”I hedge.

There’s a dangerous glint in Cole’s eyes, a warning, but I press on.

“I don’t care if you kill me, Cole. I’m just asking you not to kill Aidan. He killed Matteofor me. To protectme. I’m the reason your cousin is dead. And I’m not sorry.” I lift my chin defiantly,“Blood pays for blood. And this debt ismine.” My eyes darken, threatening to haunt the Italian capo’s ass from the grave should he not listen, “This is between you and me. Leave the Irish out of this.”

---