Page 126 of Handsome Devil

“Yes,” Tiernan tsked gravely. “You know, a lot of bystanders took pictures. It’s a very fine thing, watching a superyacht burning to ash inside a large body of water.” He flicked his phone, thumbing his screen alive and boomeranging the device across the table to me. “Here. I kept this picture as a souvenir.”

Bastard.

And a bastard who cost me fucking two hundred million dollars.

“Blackthorn,” Tyrone piped up. “You’ve killed five of our men.”

“Boo-fucking-hoo.” I sat back, folding my arms over my chest. “Couldn’t have done it without the help of the Ferrante family.”

Tiernan speared Luca and Achilles with a bloodcurdling glare.

Achilles shrugged. “Hey, business is business. For the right price, I’d make meatballs out of you. Eat them too, by the way.” He reached for his cigarette pack, pulling one out with his lips and lighting it. He pointed at Tierney with the hand that held the lit cigarette. “I always wanted to know, banshee. Does the carpet match the drapes?”

Gia choked on her saliva next to me.

Tierney, however, smiled serenely. “Seeing as you’ll never be invited to the house, I’m afraid you’ll have to take that mystery to your grave.”

Achilles beamed, elated with the challenge. “Never say never. And I’m not planning on dying just yet.”

“You sure?” Tierney raised an eyebrow. “Because I’m happy to lend a helping hand.”

“I have a good idea where I want that han—”

“Let me know when you’re done flirting.” I rolled my tongue along my upper teeth. “No pressure, though. I’ll wait.”

“Look, Blackthorn, we have no use for you as a rival.” Tyrone cleared his throat, sticking to the subject. “No territorial or financial disputes. At the same time, letting you walk away from this unharmed would send a terrible message to our enemies.”

Vello nodded in agreement.

“With that in mind, what have you got to offer us?” Tyrone asked.

After they burned down my yacht?

“I can offer afuck off.” I lit up a cigarette Even that was generous. “See, the three men I set out to kill murdered my father in prison and deserved the slow, violent death I granted them. The second two were collateral for going after my wife, and I’m here to tell you, you’ll be out of soldiers if you keep sending people to harm her. You don’t want me to start striking back and going after your precious gem.” I cast my eyes on Tierney. To her credit, she didn’t budge.

Tiernan stood to his impressive height, smashed his tumbler of whiskey on the edge of the table while dripping nonchalance, and pointed a shard at my throat, looming over the table between us. Despite the violent act, he was calm and collected. “You best watch your fucking mouth when you speak about my sister. I’d hate to gut you like a fish in front of your wife.”

No, he wouldn’t. He’d probably take extreme pleasure in it.

I glared at him dispassionately. “The rumors are true then. You’re an angry, useless drunk. What a cliché.”

“Sit the fuck down before I put a bullet in your skull.” Achilles pointed at Tiernan with his cigarette. “I’m the only one here with a loaded weapon, and I don’t take kindly to people threatening my guests on my property, with the shards of a tumbler that cost me two hundred bucks, no less.”

Tiernan sank back to his seat slowly, tauntingly, never breaking eye contact.

I caught Gia glaring at me with alarm. This wasn’t going how she’d hoped for.

“Blackthorn.” Vello turned to me. “Stop wasting everyone’s time. You killed five of their soldiers in less than five months. It’s understandable they’d want compensation.”

“They burned my yacht.”

“You’re insured through your ass,” Luca deadpanned. “Give them something to work with.”

“The best I can do is pay for this asshole over here to get his dick wet in a low-grade whorehouse.” I pointed at Tiernan with my cigarette. “Maybe that’ll loosen him up.”

“Who knew all Tate needed to find his sense of humor was a megalomaniacal Irish mobster?” Enzo gleefully carved a skull into the table with his knife. “He’s a hoot tonight.”

Tiernan played with the shard of glass in his hand, a small smile on his lips.