Page 273 of Lodestar

Star had never mentioned slaughtering DeLaCroix, and it wasn’t like she didn’t have vengeance constantly on her mind…

Narrowing my eyes at my brother, I drawled, “I’ll speak with Eoghan.”

“Not to be devil’s advocate here, but how much longer do you think he has left to live anyway?”

“Not long, I’d imagine. He’s bound to have enemies.”

“I know he’s in protective custody because there have been some attempts on his life,” Finn mused.

“Where are you going with this?” I grumbled.

“I’m thinking we let nature take its course.” A gleam sparked in his eyes. “And, I’m thinking we make a bet.”

“On how long he lives?”

He grinned at me. “Yup. I bet you that Rolex your grandda gave you that he gets killed in jail soon.”

Studying him, I asked, “Daily brownies for life.”

He started playing with his wedding ring. “You can have that anyway.”

“Nah. I always buy ‘em. Butyouhave to pay Aoife in lieu.”

“You have weird priorities, Kid.”

“That comes as a surprise, why?”

He shrugged. “Okay.”

“How soon?”

“A week.”

“I think… five days.”

Finn tipped his glass at me. “Five days and Star, Dead To Me, and Troy can’t be behind the trigger. Eoghan either.”

I grumbled, “You’re no fun.”

“I’m plenty fun,” he retorted. “Anyway, why do I recognize that Troy chick?”

“She was in the news about twenty years ago. She’s Altin Çela’s daughter.”

His brows lifted. “The Kelmendi kidnapping?”

“Yeah.”

“I had a hundred thou on Kelmendi winning the Belmont Stakes,” he groused. “I was wicked pissed.”

“Happened the day before the race, didn’t it?”

“Yup. So, she’s the daughter?”

“Apparently.”

“Huh. You get around, Kid.”

My nose crinkled. “I do. But that’s it for me today. I need to crash.”

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