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“Zhang.” He shrugs. “Done.”
I push back. “Or maybe I’m too close to your father’s killer and someone hired him to follow me.”
His eyes narrow, and he grows still.
“Seems like a reach.” Lorcan guides his hand around my waist. It’s the first hint of softening since I entered. Malik’s blood is probably smeared across my waistband.
“You don’t know if you can’t ask.” Pursing my lips, I glance at Malik and then wish I hadn’t.
He’s almost unrecognizable. One eye is swollen shut. Amongst the blood on the floor are fragments of teeth. The sea of red makes it hard to decipher what else is wrong with him. Unconscious, his chin rests on his chest. My throat is in a vise, and I’m not sure I’ll be able to speak again. I’ll never forgive Lorcan if he kills him, but that argument is impossible to make.
He turns to his brother, and there must be something on his face because Finn drops the instrument he found with a clang.
“I knew you didn’t have the stomach for it, Kimmy.” He takes two quick strides toward me and Lorcan comes between us. Finn points his finger at me. “You know that tarnish I was talking about? It’s all over you right now. What the fuck do you care what we do to this guy?”
“It’s not good business,” I fire back. “If anyone looks suspicious here, it’s you. Why not question him? Why not find out why he was following me? Huh? Or maybe you already know, Finn. Maybe he’s been following me because you organized it.”
He chuckles, but tension is leaking out of him. “Why would I do that?”
“You knew this guy was driven by money. It’s why he went to work for Zhang. You weresupposedlyinvestigating him. Then, suddenly he shows up somewhere only Lorcan and I know about? I mean, come on.” I throw up my arms. “Maybe he wasn’t even following me. Maybe he was following you, Lorcan.” I stare at Lorcan, letting my anger flow out of me.
His hazel eyes seek the truth in my face. I’ve played this game before, and it’s never mattered more than now. I can navigate this.
“You think I hired this guy to follow my brother?” His voice is full of contempt.
Clenching my jaw, I refuse to back down. “It’s possible. Why would you be so keen to off this guy without even questioning him?”
He takes another step forward, and Lorcan tenses in front of me. “I got every man in this organization in my back pocket. Everyone is a spy. I have no use for people with questionable loyalty.”
Lorcan’s fist clenches, and he leans into his brother. “I better be reading this wrong,deartháir mor. You don’t threaten her. You got me, guy?”
With a chuckle, Finn rocks back on his heels. “That’s all it took? One drunken fuck and you’re choosing her over me?”
Lorcan’s fist slams into his face with enough force for Finn to stumble back a couple of steps. He laughs as he wipes his nose, a trickle of blood running to his lips. “You get one,deartháir beag. One. You hit me again, and brother or not, I’ll fuck you up.”
“From now on”—Lorcan secures my hand with his—“you stay away from Kim.”
Finn puts his arms out, palms to the ceiling. “But you brought her here for me. I think it’s only fair I get a turn.”
He releases my hand, and his other latches onto Finn’s neck, backing him up against the wall.
“One, brother,” Finn says, the words squeezing out around Lorcan’s hand. He holds up a finger. “You hit me again, and the gloves are off.”
“You don’t talk to her like that. You don’t think about her like that. Even if you didn’t kill our father, I’ll never forgive you if you touch her.”
Finn’s gaze finds mine across the room. “What if she touches me?”
Lorcan gives Finn a violent shove, and his body thuds against the wall.
“Lorcan, let’s go.” I run my hand down his arm until I can link our fingers together again. “This isn’t worth it.”
“You’re right.” Finn yanks his shirt back into place. “It’s not worth it.” His gaze connects with mine, and Lorcan tries to escape my death grip on his arm again.
“Come on,” I murmur. “Let’s get you clean. Grab something to eat.” Everything about this conversation is unnatural with Malik unconscious in the room. I have to find Dai Qing, but I can’t trust Lorcan to keep a lid on his temper.
Never taking his focus off his brother, Lorcan opens the door.
“You’re staying here?” I ask Finn.