Page 40 of Birthright (Sinners of New Orleans #4)

THIRTY-NINE

Sam

I lean back in my chair at Saints and Sinners, nursing my bourbon as John goes over the latest intelligence on the Serpents. The dimly lit bar buzzes with afternoon drinkers, none close enough to overhear us.

"Kade's still in the wind," John says, sliding a folder across the table. "Feds are looking, but he's got connections. My guess is, he's holed up somewhere outside of the city."

"And his men?" I tap my finger against the glass.

"Quiet. Too quiet." John's face tightens. "They're planning something. You don't go after a famiglia like ours and then just disappear."

I nod, trying to focus on the threat at hand, but my mind keeps drifting to Olivia. The way she looked this morning, hair spread across my pillow, peaceful in her sleep. How she kissed me before I left, like she meant it.

"Sam? You listening?" John snaps his fingers.

"Yeah, sorry. Go on."

"I'm saying, we should hit them first. Take out their distribution centers in the Ninth Ward. Knock them out at the knees and make sure they have no legs left to stand on. End this thing."

My phone vibrates on the table. Roman's name flashes on the screen, and my stomach drops before I even read the message.

Roman

Serpents are circling the bar. Spotted them out front. Snuck out the back, getting Olivia out now.

The glass nearly slips from my hand. My heart hammers against my ribs as I stand abruptly, chair scraping against the floor.

"What is it?" John asks, already on his feet.

"Serpents. At Gino's." My voice sounds distant to my own ears as I grab my jacket. "Olivia's there."

"Sam—"

"Don't tell me to calm down." I'm already moving toward the door, checking my piece. "Just get a crew and meet me there."

"I wasn't going to," John interrupts. "I'll get the guys. Don't do anything stupid until I get there."

The fear clawing at my chest is unfamiliar, raw. I've faced down death more times than I can count, but the thought of Olivia in danger makes my hands shake. When did she become so important? When did I start caring this much?

I slide into my car, tires squealing as I pull away from the curb. My knuckles turn white on the steering wheel.

"Hold on, Olivia," I mutter. "I'm coming."

I screech to a halt outside Gino's, barely remembering to put the car in park before I'm out the door.

My gun is already in my hand, tucked against my side as I approach the entrance.

The familiar neon sign casts an eerie glow across the sidewalk, but there's something wrong; the usual warmth of the place has been replaced by a heavy silence that makes my skin crawl.

When I push through the door, the scene inside freezes my blood. Four of my men stand with their backs to the wall, outnumbered by Serpents who've made themselves comfortable. Joey's behind the counter, face pale as he mechanically pours drinks.

One of my guys, Marco, steps forward. "Roman got her out the back door before they came in," he whispers.

Relief floods through me, but it's short-lived as I notice Axel Rousseau lounging at the center of the bar, his cut displaying the Iron Serpents patch. He raises his glass in mock salute.

"Costello! Just the man we were hoping to see." His smile doesn't reach his eyes. "Nice place you've got here."

I keep my expression neutral, though my trigger finger itches. "This isn't your territory, Rousseau."

"Funny thing about that." Axel takes a slow sip of bourbon and sets the glass down with deliberate care.

"We thought about what you said the other day, and we decided.

.." He gestures around the room. "We like this bar.

Atmosphere's good. Drinks are decent. Think this is where we'll be drinking from now on.

" He grins. "Since our clubhouse burned down and all. "

The challenge hangs in the air between us. My men are watching, waiting for my signal, but we're outnumbered, and I know John's still gathering reinforcements.

"Where's your boss?" I ask, keeping my voice level. "Kade too scared to face me himself?"

Axel's smile tightens. "President's got bigger things to handle than a bar dispute. But don't worry, he sends his regards."

I stare Axel down, calculating our odds. Four of my men against eight Serpents. Bad math, especially with Olivia’s bar caught in the middle. This isn't the time for pride.

"Enjoy your drinks," I say coolly, my voice betraying none of the rage churning inside me. "But understand something, this is temporary. Very temporary."

Axel's smile falters slightly, clearly expecting me to take the bait. I tuck my gun back into my holster, making sure he sees the movement.

"Joey," I call out, keeping my eyes on Axel. "Put their tab on my account. Serpents drink free tonight."

Understanding my play, Joey nods. Give them enough rope to hang themselves.

"That's mighty generous of you, Costello," Axel says, confusion flickering across his face.

"I'm a generous guy." I gesture to my men. "Let's go."

As we back toward the door, I add, "And Rousseau? Tell Kade I'm looking forward to our next conversation."

Outside, Marco falls in step beside me. "Boss, we just letting them take over like that?"

"No," I say, sliding into my car. "But I need to see Olivia first. Make sure she's safe. Then we handle this. Permanently."

With my thoughts racing, I drive to the house. The Serpents made their move, bold as brass. Taking Gino's is a direct challenge, one I can't ignore. But right now, all I care about is making sure Olivia is unharmed.

The house comes into view, Roman's car parked out front. I barely kill the engine before I'm out and striding toward the door.

Roman opens it before I knock, relief washing over his face. "She's in the kitchen. She's fine, boss."

I push past him, following the sound of voices until I see her. Olivia is pacing in the kitchen, the teakettle whistling on the stove, but she's ignoring the damn thing.

Making my way over, I remove it from the burner. Finally, she spins around and sees me, the tension visibly draining from her shoulders.

"Sam," she breathes, setting down her mug and crossing over to me.

I pull her into my arms, burying my face in her hair, inhaling her scent. For a moment, I just hold her, letting her presence calm the storm raging inside me.

"Are you okay?" I murmur against her temple.

"I'm fine. What's going on?" Now that she's felt me with her own hands, knows that I'm safe, her blue eyes flash with confusion. "Roman wouldn't tell me anything, just dragged me out mid-shift."

"You're not going back to work." The words come out harsher than intended, my fear masquerading as authority. "It's not safe."

Her eyes narrow. "Excuse me?"

"The Iron Serpents were watching the bar." I run a hand through my hair, trying to keep my composure and avoid telling her that her bar has now become the new hangout for a motorcycle gang. "You're staying here. End of discussion."

Something shifts between us. Anger marking her features, she takes a step back from me. "Like hell I am." She jabs a finger at my chest, fearless in a way that both infuriates and captivates me. "I have responsibilities. My grandfather?—"

"Kelly can handle him," I cut her off, unwilling to entertain any argument. This is for her safety. No argument she makes would convince me right now. As long as she's alive, it doesn't matter how angry she is.

"That's not the point." Her voice rises, filling the space between us. "You can't just decide things for me. I thought we were past this."

"I can when it comes to your safety."

"My safety?" She laughs, but there's no humor in it, just bitter recognition. "The same safety that had you keeping me prisoner here? The same safety that has your men following my every move?"

"Yes." I grab her shoulders, fighting the urge to shake some sense into her. "The same safety that keeps you alive ."

She shrugs out of my grip. "I'm not some porcelain doll you can lock away, Sam. The bar is my life. And I didn't ask for this." Shaking her head, she moves away from me like she's suddenly afraid of me. Like I'm the bad guy here. "You're the one who put me in danger."

My abdomen convulses as if someone's just sliced a knife through my gut.

You can't protect the people you love.

That little voice worms its way to the surface. Because she's right, I am the reason she's in danger.

"The bar won't matter if you're dead." The words tear from my throat, raw with emotion I can't contain. "I won't watch someone else I—" I cut myself off, but her eyes widen.

"Sam—"

I turn away, unable to face the intensity of her gaze, afraid of what she might see. "You're staying here. That's final."

"No." Her voice is steel, unyielding. "It's not."

But I don't stay to let her argue any more. I spin on my heel, walking out. She'll be safe in the mansion, surrounded by my men.

I need to focus on coming up with a plan.