Page 42 of Sweet Revenge

“She called, frantic, and we went over there. She was pretty shaken up.”

“And that’s why Owen is sitting on her place at night,” Sean replied.

“Yes. She didn’t want someone 24/7, so we compromised.” Declan sipped his whiskey.

“And the flat tire?” Cait wondered.

“Evie got a flat tire on her way back from Center City the other week, and we don’t think that was an accident.”

“How do you know?”

“We don’t. Not really,” Evie said to Declan when he started to argue. “It could have been an accident, but considering everything else, it might not have been.”

“I’ll play along,” Aidan replied, leaning back in his chair. “Why would someone target the O’Brians? To what end? Especially when Evie hasn’t even lived here in ten years.”

“You already have someone in mind for this,” Finn said when Evie and Declan shared a look.

Declan circled his finger in the air when Evie paused, and her lips twitched.

“His name is Peter,” she began, “and I did a job for him in Morocco last year.”

Aidan’s eyes narrowed. “What kind of job?”

“He wanted something and I got it for him.”

“You stole it?” Cait’s voice was surprised.

Evie met her friend’s gaze across the table. “I did.”

“Been doing that a while?” Aidan wondered, tone sarcastic as he took a pull of his beer.

“Careful, Aidan,” Declan warned.

“I’m only asking a question.”

Evie sat up straighter in her chair. She needed their help if she didn’t want to have to burn her whole life to the ground and start over again. So she’d take Aidan’s snarky comments in stride if it meant getting out of this in one piece.

“About eight years or so.”

“So this Peter guy,” Brogan said, “he’s dangerous?”

“Very likely. I got a call from a contact the other day that someone who runs in my circles—”

“Another thief,” Aidan sneered.

“Is on the run and thinks Peter killed her brother and sister-in-law. The only family she has left.”

“So why is he after you?”

“I have no idea. The only one who almost got screwed over in Morocco was me. If it is him and he isn’t stopped, he could expose every identity I’ve ever used.”

“And then what?” Finn asked.

“And then it’s a race to see who catches and kills me first.”

Cait covered her mouth with her hand, and even Maura looked pale. Evie hadn’t meant to be so blunt about it, but it was the truth. Peter wasn’t playing games; he was playing God. And he didn’t strike her as the type of man who walked away until he got what he wanted.

“If Peter is the one who killed your parents, then he already knows your identity. Couldn’t he have exposed you already?”