Page 56 of Old Flame

“You knew her as Salem Gray. She married an Eamon Murphy fourteen years ago and took his last name. That was probably the only real thing she knew about the man she was married to,” Liam said and held the papers out to me.

I grabbed them as my heart began to hammer in my chest. What the fuck did he mean by that?

“Blaise doesn’t believe the DEA knows any of this, but he is almost certain the CIA does. He can’t be sure that they aren’t keeping tabs on her even though her husband is dead. Her decision to move to Miami was unfortunate since the port of Miami is known for smuggling drugs.”

I dropped my eyes to the papers, impatient.

“What the fuck was her husband involved in?” I snapped.

“Eamon Murphy—believed to also be known as Rí—controlled the smuggling of hash and cocaine into Ireland from luxury yachts coming directly from Morrocco. His family runs the operation and then distributes the drugs throughout Europe.The CIA got involved when the same batches that had been seized in Europe were showing up in drug raids all over the US.”

I stared at the papers in my hand as the words began to blur. Fucking hell.

“Okay, wait,” Micah said. “Are you saying we are housing an Irish drug lord’s wife? And my sister befriended this woman? How could she not know what her husband was?”

My hackles rose, and a burning along my skin began as I cut my eyes to Micah.

“Easy, Tex,” Liam commanded, but I ignored it.

“What?” Micah asked, looking at me incredulously. “It’s a legit question.”

Blood roared in my ears as I started to stand, but a hand slammed against my chest, holding me back. My eyes snapped to Liam, who had shot out of his seat and was shoving me away from Micah.

“Calm the fuck down!” he snarled at me. “It is a question that we need the answer to. If she did know, then she can lead that shit to our door. We need answers, and you need to calm down and listen.”

“She didn’t know,” I sneered.

“And you know that how?” Liam demanded.

Because I knew Salem. She’d never get involved in that world. But that wasn’t the answer he was looking for. He wanted proof. Blaise Hughes wanted proof.

“The DEA is going to be here for statements on what went down in Pepper’s bar in less than an hour. Pepper is prepping her on what to say to clear all of us from any charges. Not that they want to charge any of us. The DEA is as fucking high as Snoop Dogg over the fact that they seized what they needed from the gallery and Kendrix’s things to put Lord Landiago behind bars.

“Hatter Landiago’s death isn’t one they care to avenge. Tothem, it is one less Landiago to deal with. Once that is behind us, we have been advised that Pepper and Salem need to stay here until they believe it is safe for them to return to their lives. Otherwise, they will have to put them in the witness protection program.”

“They do not realize Salem’s connection. But the DEA and CIA often share information and work together on situations like the one Eamon Murphy organized. If they link that, then I don’t know what they’ll do with Salem. He might be dead, but his father is not. Neither is his brother, who lives in Ireland and handles the trafficking from that end.”

Panic overruled some of the fury that had rushed over me. “She didn’t know,” I tell him with full conviction because I need that to be true. I wasn’t sure how I would protect her if she had known.

“That’s what we need to find out. I was going to have Lick continue getting close to her and see if he could charm the truth from her while we have her here. But after your reaction…”

“Like hell is Lick getting close to her,” I said through clenched teeth.

Liam nodded his head once. “Fine. Then you do it. But you’re gonna have to fuck her. Get her in your bed. She has to trust you. That’s the quickest way for us to figure out just what she knows.”

I shook my head. “I don’t need to fuck her,” I said. I didn’t trust myself if I did.

“Then Lick can—”

“I SAID, NO.” My words came out in a roar as rage erupted inside me at the thought of his hands on her.

Liam grabbed the front of my shirt in his fist as he got in my face. Anger flared bright in his eyes. It wasn’t the first time I’d seen him look this way, but it was the first time it was directed at me.

“I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that she’s more thansomeone he used to know,” Micah drawled.

“You don’t get a fucking option,” Liam growled. “You either get close to her and fuck her or Lick does it.”

“I don’t see how this is an issue,” Micah added. “You got something for her. I’ve never seen you act like this over a female. You’re getting orders to fuck a woman you want anyway.”

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