Page 30 of Blood in the Water

“Absolutely not,” I interjected. “We don’t need to loop Fallon into this. Leona, this is a bad idea. I’ve heard horror stories about them. They’re not just mercenaries for hire. These are the deadliest assassins in theworld.They take jobs worthfortunes. We don’t have anywhere near that amount of money. I’m not on board with this.”

She looked back and forth between me and the Irishman. “You both mentioned Fallon before. Who is he?”

Colin opened his mouth, but I raised a hand. “Fallon is the Head of the Mob, and no one we need to meet. We’ll figure this out by ourselves.”

“I want to make contact, Colin,” she said, ignoring me. “Can you arrange it?”

“Aye, lass, I can,” he said, swiping on his phone. “Fallon wanted to see ya both anyway before ya left.”

I groaned and rolled my eyes. Was I suddenly fucking invisible?

“Christ, just wait a damn minute,” I interjected, exasperated. Colin paused. Fallon was second to the last person in the world I wanted to see right now. “Leona, just think about this.”

She rolled her eyes and turned to look at me. “I’ve had three full days of thinking. The Shadows were always going to be an option. It’s just convenient that the Irish have a contact, and I don’t have to track them down myself.”

“What are you talking about?”

“My father was trying to hire them the night he died. I overheard him talking about it, and I’ve been thinking of finding them ever since. I want to know what happened and why they wouldn’t work for him,” she replied, voice deadly calm. “I want them to work for me instead.”

I held her gaze. This was not simply Leona being stubborn about getting what she wanted. This was a decision driven by that need for revenge.

“Colin, can you give us a minute please?”

He looked between us for a second and then nodded. “I’ll wait to set up a meeting until ya tell me to.”

“What, Cas?” she asked when he left.

“I’ve been out for three days. I get that. You’ve had a lot of time to be in pain and plot your revenge. I also get that. But hiring the Shadows?” I exhaled while running my hand across my chin. Fuck, I needed a shave. “Individually, I might be able to take one at a time if things go wrong. But all four at once? I can’t protect you from that. And I can’t let you put yourself at that great of a risk.”

“You’re scared.”

“Fuck yeah, I am. Look at me,” I gestured to the bandages still covering my torso. “I’m not even close to my best. I already got shot. What’s going to happen if we can’t pay them? What’s going to happen if we get on their bad side?”

Her jaw clenched. “It’s a risk I have to take. They’re my best option for taking him down.”

“It’s a stupid risk. Let’s play this low and slow. Let’s build allies?—”

“They could be our allies.”

“Max has enemies,” I insisted. “Let’s find them and get them on our side. Anything other than the Shadows. It’s a recipe for disaster.”

“Cas. This is the best plan I have for now.” I opened my mouth, but she cut me off with another look. “The decision has been made. What’s it going to be? Are you with me, or are you out?”

I recoiled like she had punched me in the face. After all we had fucking been through, and she’s going to draw a line in the sand like that? “That’s not exactly fair.”

“You know what’s not fair? Watching my dad get shot in the head on my twenty-first birthday.”

“Fuck, Leona,” I grumbled. “You know what I mean.”

“No, Cas, I really don’t.” She paced the room. “Ineedthis. I need you to watch my back. But if you won’t help me with this, I will have to figure it out on my own.”

“What are you saying?” My heart raced so fast the machine started to beep again. I had worked so fucking hard to prove she could always count on me, that I was worthy of being by her side. Was she saying she would leavemebehind?

“I’m asking you to keep being my bodyguard. Stay beside me. Go through thiswithme.”

“I’m not going anywhere, princess.” I frowned. “And frankly, I’m pretty pissed off that you’d think I’d walk away.”

She shook her head. “No, I need to be clear. I can’t pay you. I can’t make you any promises. I can’t guarantee your safety. I know you were my bodyguard because my father told you to be. I know that you hated babysitting me every day. But I’m asking you to stay with me now. Help me take him down. Trust me and this plan.”