Page 11 of Mafia Secrets

“I don’t know where Mike is.” My stomach curls. That’s why he is here. To find my uncle. I don’t ask what he did. I don’t want to know.

“Get out of my home,” I say.

Daniel rises from the bed but sits on the edge before running his hands through his hair. “This isn’t some fucking game, Lily.”

“Get! Out! Of! My! Home!” Looking at him is setting every nerve ending on fire. I loved him, love him, and he’s here to torture me again. I can’t do this.

He rises like I didn’t just roar the house down. “You are going to help me find him.” As he buttons up his shirt, I want to punch him so badly, but I am not a violent person.When he finishes buttoning his shirt, he glances at me. “Because if you don’t, I will do what your brother always wanted me to do and give him a job.”

I clear the space and raise my hand to land a slap on his smug face. He catches my hand mid-air, fingers tightening around my wrist.

“That's not happening; you will leave my brother out of this.”

He releases my wrist, and I rub the tender flesh.

“Of course I will. Once you help me find Mike.”

My heart drums rapidly. I want to tell him I hate him. But if I did, this wouldn’t hurt so much.

“I swear, Daniel, I don’t know where he is.”

“You are a resourceful girl; I’m sure you will find a way.” He walks past me and out of my room. It takes me a moment to kick into gear, and I follow him into the living space. He shrugs into his suit jacket.

“I’ll ask my mother tomorrow at Sunday dinner,” I finally say. Knowing she will know where her brother is.

Daniel stops and glances at me. “See how resourceful you are.”

I grit my teeth, refusing to answer.

“Does your mother still live in the same house?” he asks.

I’m tempted not to answer, but there is no point. “Yes, why?”

“I’ll see you for dinner at your mother’s tomorrow.”

I’m shaking my head. “That’s not happening.”

He smirks. “I’m not asking your permission. See you tomorrow.” Daniel stops at the door, and before leaving, he pauses. “That door downstairs needs to be kept closed. You never know who’s around.”

I snort. “Yeah, like you.”

I can’t see his face, and I don’t know why, but I picture him grinning.

The door closes, and all I want to do is scream.

CHAPTER NINE

DANIEL

Thetwo-storytownhouseispretty much the same as I remember it. I had spent many nights here with Lily; each memory is fresh and accompanied by a stab of pain that makes me more determined to get the information I seek.

I park on the quiet street. In the distance, I hear an electric lawn edger, but that’s the only sound that greets me. My car beeps as I lock it and make my way to the front of the house. Sun reflects off the recently cleaned windows. That’s one thing about Lily’s mother; she kept a spotless home. She took great pride in her home. Every window is open, and as I raise my hand to knock on the door, I pause; it’s been left ajar.

“Hello.” I call as I step into the hallway. Not much has changed here, either. She still has the black and gray striped wallpaper. The flooring might be different, but I don’t have time to inspect the space as Lily’s mother smiles at me from the kitchen door. A snow-white apron is wrapped around her small waist. Cigarette smoke rises from in-between her fingers.

She holds out her free arm. “You might be big, but I can still get a hug.” Her gaze stays on me as I walk to her. Sorcha may appear like a regular housewife, but I know how deeply she has fallen into a life of crime. I’m sure her house is used to stash weapons that have ended many lives. I’m sure she knows secrets that would be worth a lot to a man like me.

I step into her one-armed embrace. The smell of her favorite perfume, Charlie, engulfs me, and just like that, another wave of memories hits me, ones I had forgotten about. Mostly of being in this kitchen as we ate pancakes, and she watched us as she leaned against the counter, always with a lit cigarette in her hand and a smile on her face.

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