Page 142 of Mafia Angel

“He’s as big as you.”

Sinead clearly didn’t realize how big Aleksei was in the video because I told her the four Kutsenko brothers could be identical quadruplets. There’s less than a year in between each one. Bogdan is the youngest and my age. Nikolai is thirty-two, Aleksei is thirty-three, and Maksim is thirty-four.

“Should we go over now?”

“We can. Are you okay with this,piccolina?”

“Yes, Daddy. I feel a little badly that we’re dragging Laura into this. She was always nice to me, and we got along. But we aren’t friends, and her brother-in-law fucked us over.”

We’ve done nothing to them, letting them think we don’t know about their involvement in the shit show at the construction site. I rest my hand at her lower back.

“Do you want me to strike up the conversation?”

“No. You and Maksim can’t stand each other. It’s better if I start it with Laura.”

We’re a few feet away, so I wrap my arm around her waist, and we walk directly to them.

“Laura?”

“Sinead? Hi. It’s been ages.”

Laura gives Sinead a loose hug before she looks at me. Her eyes narrow, and dislike radiates from her. That’s fine. I can’t fault her for not liking me. Her sister-in-law got hurt because of me. I didn’t mean for it to happen, but it did. If she never forgives me, I can’t blame her.

“Laura, you know my boyfriend, Gabriele.”

“Hello, Laura, Maks.”

“Gabe.”

Maksim practically spits my name at me. But Sinead shifts the attention back to her and Laura.

“Laura, I heard you left your firm to work with your husband. Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

“I also heard you have twins. That’s so exciting.”

“Konstantin and Mila are almost two and running in different directions. Exciting is one way to put it.”

We all laugh, and I admit Maks beams when his wife talks about their kids. But that smile falters when Sinead plunges in.

“It’s a small world that you and I should end up with such similar men after going to law school together. I actually thought I saw you, Maks, in a video the other day.”

His expression hardens, and I draw Sinead closer to my side. He smirks at me, but it doesn’t last.

“Yeah. Turns out it was one of your brothers. Aleks was talking to two guys right before they died in the explosion the cops accused Gabe of setting. It was that explosion that connected me with Gabe. Everything that went along with it was horrible, but I’m glad I met Gabe. It was further into the video that really made me think of you, Laura. It was when Aleks spoke to Detective Morris and mentioned me by name.”

She pauses for a moment, her gaze shifting from Laura to Maks and hardening. This is the woman who would have defended me in the courtroom and brought that fuck face Tyler to his knees.

“Gabe swore up and down that your family never targets women. That’s why it was so confusing to hear Aleks suggest the detective learn all about me then pass that information on to Aleks and I suppose your husband, too. That detective tampered with evidence that showed your brother-in-law’s guilt and Gabe’s innocence. Considering Aleks suggested Morris spy on me, it makes me wonder what else your family suggested. Gabe found bugs in my apartment and the hotel room I was supposed to occupy for my safety.”

Sinead raises her chin as she looks back at Laura, who opens her mouth, but Sinead continues.

“I know Bartlomiej and Jacek are close acquaintances of yours, Maks. They tried to blow me up. If Gabe hadn’t noticed the dome light didn’t turn on, we’d both be dead. Just think, Laura. We thought we didn’t have that much in common way back when. You pursuing corporate law and me choosing criminal law. But turns out, we aren’t so different in our taste in men.”

I watch Laura as she watches Sinead. She’s biting her tongue when I know she wants to lash out and defend her family. She’s reining in her temper, but it’s a struggle. Thepièce de résistanceis yet to come. Sinead reaches into her clutch and pulls out a thumb drive, which she holds up.

“After you put the kids to bed, you should curl up and watch this movie. The men in your family are very photogenic. Aleks looks great during his close up.”

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