Liam left, and Sully fell silent. I chewed on my cookie, giving him the time to think about it. I didn’t want to push. It would mean so much to me if he realized on his own how much of an asset I was to him. I didn’t want to have to convince him to use me.
“You really want to do this?” Sully asked.
“To help you wipe out the bastard who tried to kill you? Of course.”
“This is more dangerous than any of the other jobs you’ve done for me, Kit.”
“I figured, but will you tell me who this Grimaldo guy is?”
“You’re right. Before you decide anything, you should know what this is about.”
Sully told me everything. Well, the important parts anyway. I tried not to react when he mentioned he worked as a contract killer for the Pinellis. I didn’t know the family personally, but everyone around the city knew their wealth was based on criminal activities. He explained the feud between the Pinellis and the Grimaldos and how he got caught in the crosshairs because he’d been the one who killed Papa Grimaldo.
“With the truce in place, no one’s going to make a move on the other,” he said. “So it makes sense that the Grimaldos would turn their attention to me.”
“How did you start working for the Pinellis?” I asked him.
“It started with my father. He worked in this same capacity until he betrayed Don Luigi Pinelli. The mob favors an eye for an eye. They were well within their rights to attack my family for what my father did, but I offered myself up to work for them for my family’s safety. I was fresh out of the army at the time and was placed on a trial period, but it wasn’t long before Pinelli was pleased and proposed a full contract for five years. When that was up, I signed on for another five.”
“That’s…” I shook my head, at a loss for words. He took my hand in his.
“You know you don’t have to do this. I can find another way.”
“But this will be much easier. Let’s do it.”
“Are you sure, Kit? You can still walk away from all this…from me, but if your part in this is revealed, there’s no one who can keep you safe but me.”
“Will you stop trying to freak me out? I’m sure.”
Seconds ticked by. Then Sully got up from around the table and lifted me to my feet. “Let’s go.”
“Where are we going?”
“You heard Liam. We have to limit the risks to you, and there are a few things you should know how to do before you face Grimaldo.”