Page 31 of Demanding Mob Boss

"Isn't it obvious?"

"No."

"They're in love."

"Doubtful." Ronan is cleaning up the area, but clearly still listening.

"Her father has more power than mine in Colombia." Carmen's dusky complexion takes on a green cast. She hadn't meant to say that.

Colombia. Whoever is backing the Kicks Bandidos is based in South America and I doubtEl Fantasmais ultimately calling the shots. They're here on the orders of someone else.

Carmen has more questions to answer, but they'll wait. Interrogation is as much about mental manipulation as physical torture. Ronan will feed her and let her stew before taking another crack at her. Eventually she's going to realize that it isn't just her cousin that sees her as expendable. Whoever sent her here doesn't care if they get her back, either.

If she doesn't draw that conclusion, Ronan will point it out to her. For her sake, I hope that's enough to flip her loyalties. Waterboarding isn't fun, but neither are the other torture techniques Ronan can use without doing permanent damage. And unless he plans to kill her, he'll stick to them. Still, while fingernails grow back, it hurts like a bitch getting them pulled.

Chapter 10

ANNA

Ini and Mrs. Hart like the steel doors the Doyle Construction crew installed in our apartments. I really like having water pressure in the shower. They fixed that too. And the lights have stopped flickering in Mrs. Hart's place.

I don't know why Cian had his people put in the new doors, or fix the problems in our apartment, but it makes me feel taken care of. Like someone is watching out for me. I haven't had that sense of security since my parents died.

I know that Ini will always be there for me, just like she can count on me. And Mrs. Hart too. But none of us has the resources to truly protect the others. We do our best though.

Which is why my friends were worried about me. I'm glad Cian convinced them I am safe working at Doyle & Byrne.

They both ask a lot more questions about my day now. It means more talking than I'm used to, but I'll deal. As long as neither of them tries to make me quit my job, I can put up with the extra interest.

~ ~ ~

A few days after I find out Cian is a mob boss, I'm working in Jimmy's office again with Shea. Things have been tense in Cian's office with a lot of men coming and going. I don't mind being away from that, but I miss seeing Cian.

"What are you doing tonight?" Shea asks me when we're working on a project.

"I'm going to the bookstore after dinner." I go once a week. The people who run the bookstore aren’t nosy. They don't try to talk to me, or get me to buy books. I like to browse and sometimes, when I've saved enough I get to buy a book.

I have enough money to get the new book in one of my favorite series tonight. I'm looking forward to it.

"Do you want to go to a party with me?" Shea asks.

My entire body goes rigid in horror at the idea. "No."

Shea laughs. "Wow, okay. Not your thing, huh?"

"I don't like people."

"You like us. You really like Cian," she says teasingly.

"There are lots of people at parties. They bump into you. They touch you." Memories of my aunt and uncle's holiday parties make me nauseated. As a member of the family, I had no choice but to go.

Unfortunately, no matter how hard I tried to hide in a corner and stay out of the way, something always happened with me that embarrassed my aunt or infuriated my uncle.

"I hate parties."

Shea pats my arm. "It's okay. I guess you're a better match for my brother than anyone thinks because he doesn't like them either."

"You talk to people about me and your brother dating?"

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