In the light from the dash, I saw that he’d turned to flash me a glance, but he didn’t have to bother because I wasn’t looking at him.
I was piecing together the roots of what made humans human.
Lena had killed Aoife’s mother.
Yet Lena lived.
Aidan Sr. had been shot by Aoife’s uncle.
A, B… C.
"I know that he sacrificed himself for her," I whispered. "But this is unprecedented."
The tangled web was so knotted that I couldn’t figure out if he was right or not—was Star involved in Senior’s death like I suspected?
There were too many ways in which a woman like Star could dig her own grave.
"Why haven’t you repaid the favor?" It was all I could think to ask.
"Because I found out his location through sheer luck, and if he uncovers my source, she’s in danger."
"She?"
"Remember I told you that Da had a stake in a club? Well, it’s a brothel. Aoife’s uncle, Eamonn Keegan, is a client."
"That’s why you left in the early hours the other night, isn’t it?" I demanded, every possessive bone in my body not appreciating that he’d gone to a brothel—for business or not.
"Partially. A Five Pointer had killed one of her girls, and she wanted me to make him pay."
I blinked. "MacMurray?"
"Yes."
"He’s the one involved with the Russians—"
"Yes. I learned Jonesy is with the ECD too."
"God, heis—?" I broke off. "Who the fuck can we trust, Aidan?"
"Family, Savannah. Family. That’s who we trust." His hand tightened around mine. "It’ll be all right, little one."
"I don’t need you to coddle me, Aidan," I retorted calmly, but I clutched at his hand so he’d know I wasn’t being contrary. "What’s the plan?" When he stayed silent, I tugged on his fingers. "Aidan, talk to me."
"What was your gut instinct when I told you that Keegan had killed Da?"
"I asked why he was still alive."
"Da sacrificed himself, but the blood of Keegan’s sister rests on the hands of my family. My father, for all his fucking sins, believed in an eye for an eye. That’s why he accepted his fate and was even pleased to have found a way out.
"We’re talking Aoife’s mom, Savannah. Not just Keegan’s sister."
"Where does an eye for an eye end?" I whispered, seeing where he was going with this.
"Exactly. I kill Keegan, so Finn has the right to kill me on his wife’s behalf? And then Brennan takes out Finn for coming after me?"
"That’d never happen."
"I’m not saying it would, but it could. That’s how revenge works."