Page 79 of Bartered Innocence

Tossing the extra chip in,I glance at my cards one more time before nodding to signal the end of my turn.

“Hm. Do we think he’s bluffing?” Sebastian’s jovial voice grates against my nerves.

Nico sighs, just as annoyed at his boss. “Don’t start shit.” Sebastian may be the son of an Outfit enforcer, and Nico is pseudo-second, but neither are Made Men, so at least one is trying to keep the other from overstepping their boundaries.

“Should listen to him. Boy gives good advice,” Cormac says, a feral grin on his lips.

Nico stiffens at the taunt, and I’m impressed when he doesn’t rise to the bait. I glance at Cormac, surprised at his teasing. He shrugs at me, twisting one of the braids hanging down the side of his face before he turns his attention to his phone.

“Declan incoming.”

Sebastian sits up straighter, rubbing his palms together. “Finally.”

I scoff. “Just because we agreed to get you some information doesn’t mean we’ll hand it over freely. We have some questions.”

“Sure, everyone’s entitled to questions. Doesn’t mean I’ll answer them.”

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I shake my head. “Your business is your business. But I have to know I’m not condemning an innocent girl to death.”

Sebastian’s face grows cold, his dead eyes staring at me in such a way that makes my soul feel unsettled. Cormac shifts in his seat, angling his body closer to me as if he feels it too.

“Tell me, Rian O’Callaghan. Has thebrotherhoodcommitted as many disgraceful acts as we’re led to believe? Or do you humor the idea so people feel too threatened to challenge you?” Sebastian asks. It’s rhetorical, a question I’d never answer and one he never expected me to.

But as we stare at each other, a mutual understanding of what he’s saying has me relenting. He doesn’t want me to judge him for his father’s actions, and perhaps there’s more to the story than we know like my father suggested.

Declan bursts through the door, holding his bag close to his chest. His gaze bounces between us before he moves to stand next to me at the table. Nico stands suddenly, making us all stiffen and glance at him. He holds up his hands, moving closer to Declan.

“Sebastian isn’t going to understand if it has anything to do with technology. I’ll watch for us,” Nico explains cautiously.

My eyes fall to Sebastian to confirm, and he nods with an amused shrug. “Pen and paper have never done me wrong.”

Declan clears his throat and sets his laptop on the table.

“It’s closed from any network. All folders are set to corrupt after even one false attempt to get in without the correct password, so you better watch your fingers,” he explains.

Nico frowns. “Seems a little heavy handed.”

Declan turns on the screen and unlocks it before turning it to face Nico. “They have eyes everywhere. They’re running facial recognition and wiping the traces milliseconds after. I’ve never seen anything like it. I had to delete every step I took because I didn’t want to chance them finding out we know.”

“That’s not possible. They don’t have the resources to do that,” Nico counters.

Declan’s face twists in a grimace, and then he pulls something up on the screen. I don’t understand exactly what he’s showing, but it causes Nico to curse and step away, shaking his head.

Sebastian and I exchange a glance, a sense of dread curling in my stomach that Luca may have more power than we thought.

“You think he’s working with the feds?” I ask.

Declan shrugs. “No way of knowing, but if he is…he condemns us all.”

“Did you find her?” Sebastian snaps, done with us talking about Luca.

Nico moves back to his chair with a grim look. Declan pauses, then seeks my approval to continue, which I give with a small nod.

“Given your description, I found two possible matches. One who frequents multiple places in Jersey and I believe lives there. I haven’t been able to pull a name from any transactions because she uses cash. The rent is paid by an offshore account that I can’t trace back and even the utilities are paid for by a security company.”

“So she’s being shielded.” Sebastian says, leaning forward as he clicks through the blurry images of the side profile of a woman. “What’s the name of the security company?”

“VIXI Security.”

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