Page 57 of Dearly Betrayed

“Overreact?” Jayson’s voice is rage-fueled gravel. “My wife was nearly assassinated in our own casino. What the fuck do you mean, don’t overreact?”

“We don’t know?—”

“She said it herself. He was Irish.”

Adler takes a long breath and lets it out. “That doesn’t necessarily mean?—”

“It was the fucking Grady family,” Jayson roars, trembling with rage. “You know it as well as I do. There aren’t any Irish killers, none that have an accent at least.”

“You don’t know everyone in town.” But even Adler doesn’t sound convinced.

“Who else would want to hurt her?”

“The better question is, why the fuck would her own family want her dead?” Adler’s jaw works until he shakes his head. “Everyone out. Jayson and Fallon, stay.”

The men clear the room. I remain in my corner on a couch, my knees pulled to my chest. Jayson doesn’t look at me, he’s too busy glaring at his brother like they’re about to kill each other. Adler seems more resigned than anything else.

Once we’re alone, Adler turns in my direction. “Fallon. Tell me everything that happened.”

I give him the full story from the moment the guy said my real name to the moment Jayson saved my life. “That’s everything as best I can remember it.”

“And you’re sure he said Grady? You’re sure he had an accent?”

“Dublin accent. I’m positive.”

“Like I said, they tried to kill their own sister,” Jayson says with a look of disgust.

But I speak up. I can’t stay quiet forever. “It wasn’t Rian.”

Both men stare at me. I shiver under the combined weight of their glares.

“Explain,” Adler commands.

“Before Rian left, he told me something. He said he’s having trouble holding the clan together ever since my father died. He said there are people in the Grady family that don’t want me marrying a Costa. But he didn’t say that they’d try to kill me.”

Adler and Jayson exchange a look. “Why didn’t you mention this?” Jayson asks.

“Rian didn’t want me to. He doesn’t want to seem weak.” I stare down at my hands. “I’m sorry. Maybe I should have, I just?—”

“You’re loyal to your brother and your family,” Jayson says.

I look up. He doesn’t seem upset about it. If anything, he nods his head in approval, like he wouldn’t expect anything less.

“This complicates things,” Adler says. “I need to speak with your brother to confirm what you just told me and find out exactly how much danger you’re in.”

“Please don’t let this ruin the truce,” I say, looking between the brothers in a panic. “It isn’t Rian’s fault. He’s doing all this in good faith. He’s never tried to hurt me.”

“We’ll see.” Adler nods at Jayson. “Take your wife home. Make sure she’s okay.”

“I want to talk to her brother.”

“Later, once you’ve calmed down. For now, let me do it.”

Jayson wants to argue. I can tell he wants to threaten my brother, but that won’t help anything.

“Alright,” Jayson says after a long pause. “Fallon. Come on.” He helps me to my feet, but he doesn’t release my hand once I’m standing. His grip is firm. “Stay close.”

“I’m fine,” I whisper as we leave the office together. In the hall, the gangsters are waiting. They stare as we walk past. Jayson nods to them but says nothing, only guides me to the elevator.

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