Page 69 of Bartered Innocence

Pulling around the building, we park and climb out, gazing around the nearly empty parking lot. A few cars are scattered around, giving the appearance of customers, but I recognize every single one. I’ve been away too long, and like Declan said, the traditionalists are reluctant to change. Them crawling into bed with the Italians and starting new businesses never crossed my mind.

“What’s the plan? Go in guns blazing?” Cillian asks.

I shake my head. “No, I want information. Who is lending the money to launder? Who is finding the spots for them? Then we make a statement about what happens to traitors.”

Cormac moves to the trunk, grabbing the gallon of gasoline from it. He and Cillian usually keep their cars stocked with whatever we need to hide bodies.

As soon as we open the door and they spot me, the loud chatter ceases. Johnny’s chair thumps to the floor from where he was leaning against the wall, the joint dropping from his mouth as he stands.

“Rian,” he swallows. His eyes watch me warily.

I take in the rest of the men scattered around the room that’s supposed to resemble a dingy pub. They’re all cousins from my mother’s side, and none of them will meet my gaze. Suspicion makes my blood cool. “What is this?”

“You know the drill, man,” Johnny jokes, bending to pick up his discarded blunt. I thought his attitude at my wedding was drunken disrespect and held no malice in it, but maybe I’d been too trusting with my own family to do anything about it.

I nod, finally noticing the man I’m looking for. Ricky is tucked behind the bar, moving half-empty bottles of liquor. I had hoped that Declan was wrong, that Isabelle’s brother isn’t on the wrong side of Jersey. “I do. I am curious who is profiting from this place, though. Our family, Johnny? Or theirs?”

“What do you mean?”

I step farther in, allowing the door behind me to finally shut. “Only onesoldatoin sight, one very close to Luca. But plenty ofmo mhuintir. Something smells, Johnny. And it’s either you or the floor we’re standing on.”

His eyes narrow. “You accusing me of something?”

Walking toward the bar, Ricky finally catches what’s happening and meets me around the counter. He glances between Johnny and me and steps aside as I move to the bottles. Picking one up, I open it and sniff. It is real alcohol, at least they did that right. I swirl the amber liquid, holding the glass up and turning back to Johnny. “Whose money is being run?”

“Both.” He crosses his arms.

I throw the container, shattering it on the wall across the room. Glass and liquid spray all over my cousins sitting in the booth below. They barely flinch and move silently to stand near the door. “Peace was granted between our two families, I bear the burden of that union. Are you unhappy with that peace?”

Johnny’s unease bleeds into his face, his bravado losing steam. “No,deartháir.”

I grab a few more bottles, toss them, and drive more of the men toward the door. Cormac and Cillian have it blocked to prevent them from leaving. They all watch warily, apparently choosing to let Johnny fight this battle alone and speak for them.

“No,” I say, holding onto one last bottle. I push the rest of them to the floor near me and step over the glass. I walk till I’m in front of Johnny, staring directly at him. “No,” I repeat. “So what the fuck is this?”

“It’s—”

I strike him against the head with the glass bottle and he grunts, stumbling away from me. His hand comes up to touch the bleeding gash at his temple. Tossing my makeshift weapon to the floor, I turn to the men at the door.

“I may have been gone too long, but I am not weak. This family is not weak. We are changing. We cannot run the same business we have for decades. There is a reason we are reducing wash spots; they can’t be bought so easily.” I look at Johnny and the other men standing around the room. “Working with the Famiglia without my explicit approval is an act of treason. What’s the punishment for being a traitor, Cillian?”

Cillian grins maliciously. “Death.”

Johnny shakes his head, glaring at me with hateful eyes. “You kill me, and you will never win over the families that oppose you. We are Irish! We do not bow to the law!”

“I am the law! Everything we do is for the families, and if they are too stupid to realize that, then they can leave. This is my territory,” I seethe with tired conviction. I rub my hand down my face. “I am trying to keep us ahead. I didn’t waste my time, my brothers didn’t waste their time, crawling into every dark corner on this earth to grow our connections for you all to betray us.”

I grab Johnny, rummaging through his jacket pockets till I find what I’m looking for. Holding the lighter up, I wait till he meets me in the eyes. “Burn it.”

He glances at the men behind me and back to me. “The money. There’s about?—”

“You don’t need money where you’re going,” I sneer into his face.

“You’ll regret this,” he says, moving away to sit back down in the chair he’d been in when we came through the door.

I scoff. “We’ll see.”

Nodding at Cillian and Cormac, I leave them to do what they do best.

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