Page 33 of Blood in the Water

“Hewasmad when I broke up with him. That’s probably why,” she chuckled as she swiveled in her chair. Was she mad? Amused? What the hell was going on?

Cas scratched the edge of his jaw. “Actually, I broke up with you.”

I stared in disbelief as he awkwardly shifted on his feet, and Fallon drank in his discomfort. The two guards on the couch shifted slightly forward, their hands flicking up their leather jackets, while the guard behind Fallon crossed his arms over his chest.

All the airwhooshedout of the room.

“Um. What’s going on?” I asked. Should we be running or fighting?

Something unspoken passed between Fallon and Cas.

“Oh, aye, that’s right,” she said with a grin. “If I remember correctly, ya seemed to have feelings for someone else.” Her amused gaze trailed over me.

“The past is in the past,” Cas said with a grimace. “We dated. We broke up. I saved your life. You owed me a life debt, and now it’s been repaid. Looks like you had no trouble moving on though, did you, Fallon?”

My whole body went taut. Since when did Casdate? And why did that seem to make me irrationally angry? Was I feeling… jealous?

Fallon crossed her leg over the other and rested her arm on the desk. “You’re right about that. I found threemuchbetter partners. They keep me very well satisfied.”

I gaped as Cas dared to fucking blush. Oh my God. What was even happening here?

“Leona, these are my men,” Fallon said as she pointed between the guards. “Conor, Finn, and Ronan.”

“Nice to meet you,” I nodded at each of them. “I don’t mean to be rude, but I don’t think we came here so you could show Cashow much better you have it now. Poor Cas has been through enough.”

She burst out laughing as Colin did the same from beside the door. Even her three men chuckled. Was she romantic partners with all of them? How did that even work?

“I like ya,” she said with a grin. “And you’re right. He has his hands full, trying to keep ya safe. Which is why you’re here, isn’t it?”

I nodded. I might as well get right to it. Anything would be better than talking about Cas’s romantic past with this woman. “I’m looking for you to arrange contact with the Shadows.”

“What do you want with them?” she asked as she pursed her lips. “They can be more trouble than they’re worth.”

“I have enemies. I need help taking them out.”

She drummed her fingers on the desk. “Are ya sure the Shadows are the help ya want?”

Cas tensed, hands clasping into a fist in front of him.

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“Ye were born into the mafia, but that doesn’t mean ya have to stay in it.” She pulled a knife from her sleeve and started flipping it around in her hand. “You have the chance to escape. Get as far away from this life as possible. Are ya sure ya want to dig your heels in?”

“My father didn’t deserve to be murdered,” I said as I kept careful watch on her knife. It flashed in the dim light. “I didn’t deserve to have everything I’ve ever known ripped from me. But what my fatherdoesdeserve is vengeance.”

“The Italians are ruthless. From what I hear, Volpe is brutal. It won’t be easy,” she warned. “You’re just a girl.”

“You’re a girl,” I scoffed.

She caught the knife hilt and slammed the blade into the desk. “I’ve lived my entire life on the streets. I’ve killed with me bare hands. I’ve seen more violence and bloodshed than everysingle man in this room, and that’s not an exaggeration. I’ve more than earned my position.”

I held my head high. “Just because I was sheltered doesn’t mean I can’t handle the road I’ve chosen.”

“Caspian won’t always be there to save ya.”

“Abso-fucking-lutely I will,” Cas grumbled from behind me.

“I know he won’t,” I responded, ignoring him. “I want to get stronger, but I need help. I refuse to run away. I refuse to stay weak.”