Page 30 of The Mafia Enforcer's Temptation

I don’t think she’ll call the number. I bet she’ll throw it out. She doesn’t want protection or an alliance. She’s a mystery and a hot fuck I should leave alone.

But I can’t. Not now.

I need to find out more about Ava, and I think the crest is the best place to start.

Hours later, we’re getting ready to go out and do some business.

Cal’s pacing in the foyer. Lucie, Harry, and the pets are at the new place next door.

We’re going to eventually connect all three buildings. Right now, I live here in the original brownstone with Dec. He has the second floor and I’ve taken over the top. Tor and Harry live onthe bottom half of the new brownstone, which is connected but split into their own space.

Eventually this whole slice of real estate will be business and family space.

Cal lights a cigarette as we wait for Tor and Dec to appear.

I know Dec’s messing around with the cat and dog, and Tor’s getting the information we need for our meeting.

He smokes a little faster than usual, puffing hard.

“Something up?” I ask.

Cal flicks me a glance. “Mam.”

“Is she okay?” Panic hits me at the tense look on his face.

“She’s fine, she just kept something from us.”

That does nothing to ease the panic. His tone isn’t saying something’s wrong with her; it’s just saying something’s wrong. And my mind goes places. Da’s in prison, but they’re still together. They see each other. She holds out hope that even though he’s meant to be there for the rest of his days, and he’s more than safe in there, that something will give and he’ll get out.

She wouldn’t…

She wouldn’t step out on him.

“Not that.” He rolls his eyes, reading me. “A colleague of Da’s, someone Da protected, one of the fucking actual ringleaders?—”

“Da’s colleagues? Didn’t they either go in for misdemeanors or escape prison altogether?” I ask.

Cal takes a drag on his cigarette. “This guy went in for something else and now he’s out.”

Torin comes in holding a printout and hands it to Cal. “Which one? And does it matter?”

“Probably not,” Callahan says. “He’s in Scotland now, but Kier Hanlon was a true believer, and he might start stirring trouble. It could affect Da.”

“Is he likely to stir shit up?” I ask. “Because Da gave his freedom for Hanlon and others like him.”

“No,” Cal says. “Da gave that in exchange for our safety and freedom. For Mam’s. He’s looked after in there. I just… Fuck.”

I know what he means.

True believers. Da believed in money and told us the only people worthy of true belief were family. Like his wife, like us, and he meant for us to live by those rules. We have each other, we can trust each other. Find the right woman and she’s family, too. Everyone else?

Not worth it.

A little cynical perhaps, but there’s truth to it.

“Is he going to cause trouble for Da?” I ask quietly.

“Fuck no, but don’t rule out a visit to the Emerald Isle in the future.” Then Cal checks the paper Torin gave him. “Hatfield owes this much?”