“Fuck that,” Hat said. “We’re three on one.”
“You make a move, your friend dies,” I said. “How much do you care about Todd?” I didn’t think very much, but I wasn’t interested in actually finding out.
“Stay here,” Jersey said, creeping to the door. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
Hat glared at me, but he didn’t try to argue. Jersey left the room and ran up the steps. I stood in a stare-down with Hat while Todd kept praying quietly to himself, probably convinced that he was about to die. Fact was, he didn’t have a very good shot at surviving this, unfortunately. Hat seemed like he was ready for a fight, which meant Todd was going to take a few bullets in the process.
Fortunately though, nobody made any moves, and Jersey came back with Cullen in tow.
I’d recognize Cullen anywhere. I was stalking him for weeks through Healy territory. I practically had the guy’s picture hung up in my bathroom, I was so obsessed with the bastard. He had short, choppy hair, a broken nose, a scowl like the Grand Canyon, and an athletic build. He wore jeans and a Flyers t-shirt, and he looked like he wanted to murder everyone.
Cullen, that motherfucker.
“Who the fuck are you?” he barked, pushing past Jersey.
“Matteo,” I said. “From the Valentino family. God, Cullen, you don’t know how happy I am to see you.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Can’t say the same.”
“I’ve been looking for you. Remember that night, at that orgy party? You fucked some girl upstairs? She was ugly as hell, but hey, willing at least, right?”
Cullen looked off-balance. He shook his head, bewildered. “Don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“That was the night I met Sam,” I said. “Got her pregnant in the room next to yours. When I was done with the first round, I went looking for you, but I guess you pumped and dumped nice and quick, because you were gone. Shame that I took my time, but Sam’s not the kind of girl you rush. She’s the savoring type.”
“What the fuck are you talking about?” Cullen said, throwing his hands up.
“I’ve got a message for your boss,” I said. “Tell Colm that Matteo and Don Valentino have Sam. Tell Colm that we want to talk to him before anything gets worse.”
“Valentino scum,” Hat barked. “What are we waiting for? Let’s kill him and be done with this.”
“Todd’s in the way,” Jersey said. “Shut up, okay?”
“Go tell Colm I was here,” I said. “Tell Colm I want to talk.”
“That’s all?” Cullen asked. “You break in here and that’s all you want? You could’ve come to any bar in the city, found one of our guys, and passed along the message. Why the theatrics?”
I grinned over Todd’s shoulder. Cullen wasn’t as dumb as he seemed. “Because I want you people to know that I can hit you anytime, anywhere. I know your family, and I’m going to know even more. So Colm needs to talk, and he needs to do it soon.”
“Fuck this,” Hat said, and pointed the gun at my face.
Dumb asshole. I ducked down behind Todd as Hat pulled the trigger. Todd screamed as I raised my own weapon up next to his head and shot Hat in the skull, cracking his brains out all over the table. Jersey shouted something and started shooting, and I tackled Todd to the side, knocking him out of the way as I hit the floor and skidded, firing three rounds into Jersey. He staggered back, blood blooming all over his chest, and hit the floor.
Cullen hadn’t moved the whole time. He stood there, jaw clenched, and stared at his two dead guys.
Todd, for his part, was still alive. Good old Todd.
I got up and patted him on the arm for good measure. He was a lovely human shield.
“Tell Colm I was here,” I said.
Cullen only stared at me as I backed out, gun raised. I stepped out into the night, then sprinted to the wall, jumped it, and ran down the block to my truck.
I got inside and sped back toward the mansion.
That message would reach Colm, no doubt in my mind. The best way to make sure the boss heard was to spill some blood, and although that hadn’t been my intention, those stupid goons made it easy for me.
And hey, Todd made it out all right, which was a bonus. For him, anyway.
10
Sam
I woke up the next morning to at least twenty texts and ten missed phone calls.
I stared at my phone then set it aside. I squeezed my eyes shut, not ready to deal with that shit. My family would be worried, or at least my extended family, when my dad finally told them that I was with the Valentinos. For now though, I wanted to enjoy myself.
I burrowed deep into a pile of soft blankets and pillows. The bed was like a cloud caressing my body. I sighed and looked at the strange room, at the fireplace and the little sitting area, at the attached bathroom and the huge, antique vanity, and I wondered if all the rooms in this place were like this. I guessed they were—when Bea gave me the tour, I realized that the manor was more like a hotel. Don Valentino wasn’t joking about living in the same place and never seeing each other.