Page 163 of Handsome Devil

The video came to an end.

I sighed, “Is she always so poetic?”

“What do you want?” Tiernan asked after a pause, resigned.

“You know what I want. I want my wife,” I said simply. “Unscathed. And a promise this thing between us is put to bed. This time, your word won’t be enough, though. I’d want a third party to ensure both sides keep their end of the bargain.”

“The Ferrant—” Tiernan began as I kicked the vehicle into drive.

Luca was quick to interject. “Are fucking pissed. You killed Filippo. He was our family. You don’treallythink we’ll ever work with you again, do you?”

“Of course you will. Greed is a potent stimulus. Besides, it was nothing personal.” Tiernan yawned offhandedly. “Merely business. I do believe you were the ones who pointed Blackthorn to the whereabouts of my soldiers, and I don’t remember holding it against you. Nolan was Fintan’s godfather, I’ll have you know.”

“You’re not powerful enough to hold grudges,” Achilles said. “We decide who lives and who dies in this city.”

“And what’s the verdict?” Tiernan sounded more amused than concerned.

“Undecided,” Luca lied. There was no other way to lure him in. “How about we exchange hostages and sleep on it?”

“Sure.”

For the first time since Gia was kidnapped, I took a deep breath. Oxygen hit my lungs, and I became almost lightheaded.

“How about we go somewhere picturesque?” Tiernan suggested. “Set the mood.”

“Not gonna fuck you either way, but knock yourself out,” Achilles muttered as we drove out of my building’s garage and toward the place where they were holding Tierney. It was guarded to the teeth, so we weren’t worried about being followed. “What do you have in mind?”

“The Palisades.”

I shared a quick look with Luca, who jerked his chin in a nod. “We’ll spread our men evenly around the place. I know it well.”

“Sounds good,” I said into the phone.

“Excellent.” Tiernan clapped his hands together. “Tell my sister I’m fixing everything. And forget about water. Give her champagne.”

“Don’t push it, asshole. Oh, and, Callaghan?”

“Yes, Blackthorn?”

“If I find out you as much as sneezed in Gia’s direction, you will be grateful I can only kill you once.”

Ihit the red button on my phone for the millionth time, focusing on the road ahead.

“Dr. Patel better be your fucking mistress, or you’ll have some explaining to do about all the phone calls you refuse to answer.” Achilles lit himself a cigarette in the seat next to me.

Dr. Patel wasn’t happy I skipped my therapy visit today. Well, he’d have to deal. I had more pressing matters to tend to.

The growing list of assholes blowing up my phone also included Dylan, Calla, Sadie, and Alix. They all presumably tried to get ahold of Gia with no success.

“He’s far too obsessed with his wife for a mistress.” Tierney had the audacity to chip in to the conversation from her place wedged between Enzo and Luca in the back seat. She examined her long fingernails with her hands perched in her lap, wristszip-tied tightly. “It’s probably his shrink. I’m guessing he has at least two on the payroll.”

She was good.

I regarded her coolly through the rearview mirror. She’d been running her mouth like it was training for a marathon since she got into my vehicle. Just like Gia, she didn’t let big men in expensive suits intimidate her, even those with a habit of killing people.

Tierney pouted, stretching her long legs and crossing her ankles. “Or maybe you’re in search of a mistress? I could use a sugar daddy.”

“No, thanks,” I hissed out. “Your idea of sugar is probably rat poison.”