Page 37 of Crown of Smoke

"I know, I know. Run and hide."

"No." His grip tightens slightly. "At the first sign of trouble, you find me."

I nod. “Okay.”

His blue gaze studies me like he’s trying to assess whether I’m being sincere. I hope that he can see that I am.

He steps back. “Get a new lock, Lucy.” He walks out my door.

I sink on my couch, feeling wobbly like usual after an encounter with Flynn. The man is like a roller coaster ride, scary as hell but thrilling and invigorating as well. I might as well enjoy the ride while I can. I just pray that it doesn’t kill me.

14

FLINT

Ihad fully intended to seduce Lucy, but her words comparing my family to the Keans echo in an endless loop.

“They all act like they’re reputable businessmen when in fact they were murderers and fraudsters just like the Keans.”

The words offended me. Hurt me. We’re nothing like the Keans. Sure, we break the law. But we’re not in it for the cruelty like the Keans are. My father was all about the money. Did people get hurt along the way? Yes. But not for the joy of causing pain. It was to protect the family. I’m fully convinced that O’Brian brought Lucy to the alley not to threaten her about asking questions, but simply to assault and murder her. His buddies planned to join in as well. If they knew who she was or were concerned about her asking questions, they’d have killed her by now. It would be easy to do, considering her lock is a piece of shit.

Maybe I’m defensive. Maybe I’m off the mark. But I know my family has some scruples, especially around the use of violence, unlike the Keans. Okay, so I’ll kill anyone who tries to hurt Lucy or my family, but who wouldn’t?

Oh, how I wanted to defend the Ifrinns to her, but how could I without revealing who I really am? The thought of her looking at me with that same judgment in her eyes pisses me off. She sees the world in black and white, good guys and bad guys. Right now, she thinks I'm some noble undercover cop working to take down criminals. I’m the same fucking man, but in her eyes, noble Flynn Tine and criminal Flint Infrinn are worlds apart, the latter not worth a second thought.

Lucy’s comment reminds me of the dangerous game I’m playing with her. It’s clear once she figures out who I am, she’ll see me in the same light as the Keans. It won’t matter that I’ve saved her life. That I’ve been gentle. All she’ll focus on is that I’m Flint Ifrinn, missing son of the former head of Boston’s organized crime.

So I’d left her apartment and did my damnedest over the next few days to focus on my job, which tonight is to fight. I give my head a shake to clear it of Lucy, but it’s not easy. It’s not just her words that continue to rattle in my brain. It’s knowing that she’s here. I don't know if I can focus with her in the crowd. If she doesn’t faint, she could end up saying something that puts a target on her. She’s a walking trouble magnet.

I roll my shoulders, working out the tension as I scan the area fighters use to warm up before their match. A dozen other fighters prep for tonight, many of them Kean muscle looking to prove themselves. Perfect breeding ground for loose lips.

"Hey, nice work last week." A burly redhead nods my way. "Thompson, right?"

"Tine. Flynn Tine." I keep my tone casual as I stretch. "You fighting tonight?"

"Nah, just watching. Name's Murphy. Been with the Keans about ten years now." He puffs up with pride. Like that's something to brag about.

"Nice. You must've come on right when they took over, then." I test the waters. "Must've been wild times."

Murphy scoffs. "I was just a grunt back then. All the good stuff happened before my time. But my cousin Eddie? He was there for the big takeover. Says it was something else."

“Really? How so?”

“It all went down so fast,” Eddie said. Mr. Kean… he’s a smart, strategic man.”

He’s a fucking psychopath, but I keep that to myself.

Another fighter chimes in from the bench. "My old man talks about that night. Said no one saw it coming. They took out that other family in a single move.Poof." He makes an explosion gesture with his hands.

“That is an amazing feat. Seems like they’d have needed someone on the inside to help pull that off, right?” I keep my voice nonchalant. Just making conversation. Giving them a chance to gloat.

“That's the story." Murphy shrugs. "Above my pay grade, though. Only the inner circle knows who actually did the deed. Smart move keeping that quiet. Loyalty's worth more than gold in this business."

“Still, would be fun to know, don’t you think? I mean, someone must have been well rewarded to give access to old man Ifrinn.”

“You seem to know a lot about it,” the other fighter says.

“Nah. Just the rumors, you know.”

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