Page 103 of Forbidden Romeo

“Is that so?”

“I’m taking very good care of her,” I say, making sure to imply just how well with my tone. Even though right now, I’m not sure Aimee would even talk to me….

I shove the thought down and focus on the conversation at hand.

“I suppose it’s a good job. He has another sister.” Arnie takes a casual swig of beer. “Although I hear she may already have had a taste of this life and decided it didn’t agree with her. But I dolovea challenge.”

My knuckles go white, gripping my glass. “Aimee isn’t in New York.”

Arnie examines me closely. “Isn’t she?”

“No,” I say firmly. “I suppose that means Connor won’t be able to hold your interest much longer.”

“Perhaps,” Arnie replies with a smirk. “But as much as I admire your commitment to getting under his skin, it’s going to take a little more than a botched engagement to get me to leave him for Padraic.”

I can’t help but grin. Even though it wasn’t my intention, if making Connor suffer is a side effect of my actions, it makes for a nice little bonus. “Be sure to tell him how comfortable Roisin is with me, won’t you?”

Arnie laughs, shaking his head. “You, on the other hand….”

“What do you mean?”

He pulls out his wallet and shakes his head, placing two crisp twenty-dollar bills on the table. “Let’s stay in touch, shall we?”

“I’m not sure how happy Connor would be with that.” I don’t bother pointing out that Arnie has just drastically overpaid for our beers.

“What Connor doesn’t know won’t hurt him.” Arnie parrots my earlier words back to me, and I smirk.

When he offers me his hand, I don’t hesitate when I shake it. Wild card or not, Arnie’s intriguing. He has this ability to talk so much without saying anything at all, playing the game to a standard I can’t help but appreciate.

“Until next time,” I say as I let go and move out of our booth. I’m not entirely satisfied what I’ve learned, but I’m curious about the opportunities a man like Arnold Knight could present.

I’ve already turned my back when Arnie calls out again.

“Oh, and Jack?”

I look over my shoulder to see Arnie’s brow furrowed as if contemplating something. I wait patiently for him to find the words.

“It’s not my alliance with Connor you should be worried about,” he finally says before finishing his drink. Helpfully cryptic.

“Two drinks, and you’re already spilling secrets?”

He shrugs, “Just wanted to give you a heads-up.”

It doesn’t look like he’s willing to share any more, so I don’t push it. Instead, I bow my head fractionally and continue on my way.

***

I ruminate on the last part of our exchange the entire drive home. Could Connor somehow have other support out there? If so, who haven’t we considered yet?

The other Irish mobs are smaller and have sided with the Duffys for years. None of them feel like they could pose a threat to us on their own. Unless Connor somehow managed to convince multiple groups. But even then, they wouldn’t have the money needed to go up against us.

Unless Arnie was alluding to a gang outside the mob. But would he have bothered warning me if he’d used his own connections to get the Italians involved? Besides, it’s not like the Novas were getting picked first for the Italian Mafia dodgeball team. I’d be surprised if any of them would want to be associated with Tony Nova willingly. Even if it is only his nephew.

I’m still scouring my head for clues as I enter the mansion, and it takes me a moment to realize what’s different about the place.

The whole entrance is decorated to the nines - flowers, ribbons, string lights, and even a water feature is partially installed in the gap under the twin staircases. There’s only one time a year the house looks like this outside of Christmas. I just didn’t think it would ever happen without Graham here.

The sting of pain at his loss still rattles me as Padraic appears from one of the side doors. Two attendants follow behind him.

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