Shane takes another nail.
“The McCarthys,” he wails.
I step back and shake my head. “The crime family in Boston?”
“Irish mafia,” Carmine mutters.
“I’m just an errand-runner. I don’t ask questions, and they don’t tell me dick.”
“Not a good place to be in, MacDonald,” Nadia says. “Why Annika?”
“Like I said—” This time, Shane just breaks a finger. “Goddamn it! I don’t know! I was told to deliver stuff to her.”
“What were you doing inside her house tonight?” I ask. “Trying to deliver something in person?”
“No.” He’s weeping now. “I was supposed to take her.”
“Take. Her. Where?” My face is inches from his now. His haunted eyes meet mine.
“To Boston. I overheard something about sex trafficking. They thought they could get more for her because she’s willing to do…things.” The last word is whispered. “That’s all I know. I can take you to the boss. To Connor McCarthy. He’s behind it all. Maybe you don’t have to kill me if I help you out, right?”
“Wrong.”
Shane pulls the wire from under his palm and wraps it around MacDonald’s neck, then pulls until the life leaves the man’s body before letting go.
“I’ll call for cleanup,” Carmine says, reaching for his phone.
“I’ll make sure the jet is ready to go,” I add.
“You’re not going without me,” Annika announces. We all turn to her. Her chest is heaving, and she looks like she wants to throw up.
She’s not used to this. She’s worked hard to make sure that this isn’t part of her life.
“Every time one of these girls says that, it never turns out well,” I say, shaking my head.
“If I stay here like some coward, you’ll have to stay with me. To protect me,” she points out. “Are you going to stand there and say that that idea is okay with you? That you’re content to sit here with me while these four run off and kill the assholes responsible for this?”
I blow out a breath. “No. I can’t say I’d be okay with it. But if that’s what I have to do, then so be it.”
“No.” She’s pacing now, absolutely pissed off. It’s a sight to behold with her fiery blue eyes and mussed blond hair. “Absolutely not. If what he said is true, these fuckers thought they could use me. For sex. And why? Because they think I was a willing participant in anything that happened in those photos? Jesus, people saw me cry and beg. And no one did anything.”
“Then that wasn’t a reputable club, and was likely part of the sex trafficking epidemic, as well,” Carmine says, fire shooting from his eyes. “Because real lifestyle clubs would never permit that. Ever.”
“They’re all going to pay,” Annika says and turns back to me. Her mind is made up. I’ve never seen her this…fierce.
It’s a fucking turn-on.
“I want to look them in the eyes and know that it’s because they ever fucked with me that they’re going to die. That they hurt any woman, or anyone at all for that matter, and made them do things against their will. It’s going to stop. Right now.”
“Looks like we’re all going to Boston,” Ivie says with a grin. “And we’re going to kick some ass.”
We’ve cleared out of the office where the body is, and are sitting in the living room when the call comes in from Nadia’s father.
“Papa?” Nadia frowns over at Annika. “Is everything okay? What? Wait, hold on, I’m putting you on speaker.”
She taps her screen.
“Okay, you’re on speaker. I’m here with everyone, including Annika. There was just an…issue at her place. But it’s been handled.”
“Firefly? Are you safe?”
“Yes, Uncle,” Annika replies. “We’re all okay. What’s going on with you?”
“I just got off the phone with Carlo. We just got word that Thomas Luccio, the Chicago boss, and his family were found dead late last night.”
“In their home?” I ask.
“No. At the bottom of the river. Luccio, his wife, and both grown children all had cement shoes on. We don’t know what the motive was or who did it, but when these things happen, we all pay attention. I want you all to keep your eyes open.”
“Pop’s calling me,” Carmine says and leaves the room to take the call. “Yeah, we’re speaking to Igor now.”
“We’re headed to Boston,” Nadia tells her father. “We have some business to see to there. I need you to know that we’ll be leaving some blood behind, Papa. The McCarthys have been fucking around with Annika, and we’re going to make them pay.”
He’s quiet for a long moment.
“Why wasn’t I apprised of this situation?”
“Because we didn’t know until about twenty minutes ago that it was them. Now that it’s been confirmed, we’re going in.”
“Understood. Do what you need to do. But get in and out quickly. The McCarthys aren’t particularly powerful, but we don’t need a war.”
“Agreed. It’ll be quiet. No mess. I love you, Papa.”
“I love you, too. All of you, stay safe.”
He ends the call, and Nadia tucks her phone away.
“I’m going up to get dressed. I’ll be ready in thirty,” Annika says. I follow her up the stairs to her room. “You don’t have to babysit me while I get dressed, Rafe.”
“Do you understand what’s about to happen?”
“Perfectly.”
“Killing a man—”
“Look. I know that I’ve always stayed out of the family business, and I prefer it that way. And I also know that I haven’t been the strongest of the group the past few days. But, damn it, Rafe, I’m pissed. And I have Tarenkov blood running through my veins. I know exactly what this means, what I’m getting myself into, and what I’ll see when we get there. I’m going all the same.”
I blow out a breath as she lets the robe fall to the floor, and with her blue eyes on mine, slips out of her nightgown, unashamed of her nudity. I’ve seen her naked more times than I can count. I know her body better than I know mine.
But I think, in this moment, I’m seeing more than just her body. She’s naked in every way possible.
And she’s trusting me to keep her safe and to help her see this through.
I’ll be damned if I fail her.
Chapter 6
~Annika~
“We go in quietly,” Shane says as he briefs us all on the plane, just minutes from touching down in Boston. “There’s going to be security. Rocco and I will take care of them before we go into the house.”
“Why don’t we go to the office?” I ask.
“Because we can’t guarantee that McCarthy will be there,” Carmine adds.
“It’ll be the middle of the day with the time difference by the time we get there,” Nadia says. “We can’t guarantee that he’ll be home, either.”