Page 66 of Weaponized

“I—”

“No! She did sound like maybe she was just telling him what he wanted to hear. She sounded kind of like a soldier.” Anthony seems excited by Matt’s new perspective.

“Like a soldier,” I repeat, “who did what her father wanted.”

Again, Matteo shrugs. “Maybe.”

“Maybe?” Anthony asks him. “You don’t find it weird she had a file of guys? I mean, that’s creepy.”

Matt suddenly looks guilty. “I, uh, already knew about the guys. Not the file.”

I stand, and Matteo holds his hand up. “Sit the fuck down. I just meant that she told me her dad sent her here with a list of four guys she could potentially marry. The names she gave me match each guy in that file.”

“Shetoldyou this?” I hiss at the same time Anthony says, “When?”

“A few weeks ago. We had started talking to the Greeks. I found out Theo had her number. I was pissed so I asked her about it. She told me about the four guys. Said she planned to hang out with me, and maybe McGuiness, so her dad would have evidence that she was obeying him. Kinda like fake dating. Being seen in public.”

“So she planned to fuck you too?” I snarl.

My brother has the audacity to laugh. “Uh, no.”

“So you literally mean like just getting coffee and stuff like that? She just wanted people to see you together? That was her plan?” Anthony asks, confused.

“Yeah.” Matteo chuckles. “I do. She told me she had no intention of hopping on my overused dick. Shesaysshe literally planned to just be seen with us enough to be left the hell alone by her dad because she did not come here wanting to get married.”

“She said you have an overused dick?” Anthony asks with glee. “Nowthatsounds like my Lucky Charms.”

“She’s not your anything,” I growl. “Get back to why the fuck Theo had her number.”

“Yeah, right. She said something about some coffee dateyoutook her on the first week? She said she tried to flirt with you, you ignored her, so she went and flirted with Theo, since he was on the list.”

I remember the coffee. I didn’t ignore her. I was in awe of her. That’s when she was giving out her number? “They’ve been together since the first week?” I ask weakly. Had she been fucking him the whole time?

“Jesus. What is thematterwith you? That’s not what I said. When the hell do you think she was sneaking around on you? You were with herall the fucking time.”

“Truth,” Anthony adds unhelpfully.

“Not always. I was at The Underground sometimes with you guys.”

“Yeah? Well, so was Gianni, so if he saw them together, it wasn’t then. Where did he say he saw them?”

“He didn’t say,” Anthony murmurs, lost in thought.

“She said she gave Theo her numbermonths ago, and you guys got together later that same weekend. Told me other than saying hello in some class, she didn’t talk to him. Was pissed as hell at me for even asking her about it.”

“You had this conversationa few weeksago? You didn’t think to mention it?” I cannot believe this. Was no one honest with me?

“I didn’t want you to go after Theo, or go after Cormac and get killed. I think Gráinne had the same reasons for not telling you.”

“She thought I’d go after her dad? Because he wants her to get married?” Unlikely.

“I get the impression she’s afraid of him.”

My body goes cold and I feel sick. Nothing makes sense.

“Look, Luca. I’m not saying Gráinne isn’t a lying whore like you said. Shemayhave been playing you this whole time. What’s off is that I can’t figure out how. Shehelpedus. You think she snuck into Tiny’s and planted evidence?Because if she or someone in the clan did, the Russians sure as fuck showed up exactly where they were supposed to. We caught them stealing from us, and no one benefited from that but us. And I just flat don’t believe she was with Theo. She was always with you, or calling, or texting… Frankly, you guys were a bit nauseating.”

I make some sound. Maybe a growl?

---