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Authors: Erica O'Rourke

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“Depends on what you’re saying, I guess.” I unbuckled my seat belt and slid across the bench seat until I was close enough to see the stubble along his jaw, glints of gold and caramel and auburn. His skin smelled like Ivory soap and pine shavings.
He slid a hand around the back of my neck, meeting my eyes. “I love you. I want you safe. I want you happy.”
“I’m very happy.” More so every minute. His words turned my blood effervescent.
“But you’re not safe.”
“I haven’t been safe since Verity died. You can’t stash me away somewhere. I’m not—”
I’m not Tess,
I’d almost said, but caught myself in time. I wasn’t ready to reveal I knew about Tess just yet. “I’m not going anywhere.”
He pulled me closer, onto his lap, his mouth crushing against mine. The steering wheel dug into my back and I didn’t notice, too intent on sliding my hands underneath his Carhartt, feeling the tension in the way his muscles bunched under my fingers, feeling it smooth away as we kissed. The awfulness of Anton rifling through my mind melted away, and when Colin’s hand slid underneath my sweater, his thumb rasping along the base of my spine, I forgot all about Anton and Arcs and anything except Colin. Here. Mine. Now.
And then someone tapped on the window, three sharp raps. I pulled back as Colin swore.
The figure behind the fogged glass was familiar, and I slid off Colin’s lap onto the seat, wincing at the cold vinyl through my polyester skirt.
I dragged a hand across my mouth as Colin rolled down the window, letting in cold air and frigid disapproval.
“Hey, Dad.”
C
HAPTER
6
“Y
ou’re late for work,” my father said, voice tight. “Get inside.”
I stared at the dash and refastened my coat, cheeks burning.
Colin touched my shoulder. “Let me go with you.”
My father was waiting on the curb, arms folded, and I deliberately turned my back on him. “No. I’ll deal with him.”
With a quick kiss for Colin, I slipped out of the truck and stalked past my dad into the bar. I liked Morgan’s better this time of day—dark and peaceful, ESPN turned low on the plasma TV while a few regulars offered their own commentary on last night’s basketball game. Charlie was puttering behind the bar, a smile splitting his face as I pulled off my coat and scarf.
“Hey, Mo! How about this girl of yours, Jack? She turned out to be something, huh?”
“Yeah.” He frowned at me. “She’s a piece of work.”
Charlie’s smile faltered, and he turned back to the bar while my dad guided me to a table—not Billy’s booth in back, but one near the front windows. The wooden blinds were opened, but the pale winter sunshine barely made it inside.
“What the hell was that?”
“Private,” I said, laying my coat on the table and dropping my bag on top. “None of your business.”
“You act like that in broad daylight, ten feet away from your mother’s restaurant? It damn well is my business. I don’t want to see it again.”
“Don’t look.” I wasn’t going to let him make me feel guilty.
“You’re worrying your mother, you know. And she has enough to worry about right now.”
“Mom adores Colin.”
“Your mom isn’t always the best judge of character.”
I eyed him. “No kidding.”
His face turned a deeper red than his hair. “I’m still your father. I made mistakes, but I’m trying to put them right. And I’m trying to keep you from making a mistake, too. You can do better than Colin Donnelly. He’s too old for you.”
“I’m almost eighteen.”
“It’s not about years, it’s about the life he’s lived. Steer clear of him.”
“Okay, first of all? He’s my bodyguard. It is physically impossible to steer clear of someone whose job is to watch me all the time. Second of all, I don’t want to steer clear of him. And third? You can’t stop me.”
“I absolutely can. I’m your father, and if I say—”
“You’ve been gone for
twelve years
. We’re way past the stage where you tell me what to do.” I glanced around the bar. “Why are you here?”
He sighed. “Working. Same as you, which is another thing I’m not happy about. I know about Ekomov. I don’t like this arrangement, Mo.”
“Welcome to the club.” I gathered my things. “I’m late.”
I headed for the back room as he shoved out the front door. Whatever job my dad was doing for Billy, he must have finished it. He’d head home soon enough, filling the house with the sound of cable news, taking back his old seat at the table, leaving his work boots on the back porch, where I kept tripping over them. But of all the changes since his return, my dad’s newfound interest in my life was the worst. It was like he wanted to cram twelve years of parenting into the few months I had left at home. My mom was overprotective, sure, but I’d learned how to defuse her worries, how to work around them. We had rules in place, about what things were left unsaid, areas where she gave me slack. Areas like Colin.
My dad didn’t know the rules. He was perfectly willing to ask why my hair was a mess when Colin dropped me off. And he wasn’t interested in cutting me any slack. Of course, I felt the same way about him.
I ducked into the tiny office to change clothes. When I came out, Billy was waiting for me. “Words with your father?”
I yanked my hair into a ponytail. “Like you care.”
“Don’t be unpleasant,” he said sharply. “I warned you there’d be consequences if you stuck with Donnelly. Just like you to choose the rockiest path you could find.”
“Charlie needs me,” I said.
“I’ve got a job for you first,” he replied. He pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and held it out to me.
I didn’t take it. “Another one?”
“If he asks, you saw it sitting under some other papers on my desk and made a copy with that fancy printer. It wouldn’t hurt for him to think you’re worried about getting caught.”
Him, of course, was Yuri Ekomov, a Russian crime boss. And I
was
afraid of getting caught. I’d been passing along information for months to lull him into a false sense of security, so he wouldn’t be prepared for my uncle to move against him.
“I am. What’s in there, anyway?” I asked, thinking of Jenny. Over the past few months, I’d slipped her the same information Billy had given me. Delivery routes. Addresses. I didn’t know how useful the stuff was, but every little bit helped, she assured me.
“Nothing you need to worry about. We’ve given him enough good information. He thinks he’s made inroads. He’s overconfident, and now it’s time to start slipping him the false bits. For a man in Yuri Ekomov’s position, mistakes at this stage are costly.”
Not good. The false information wouldn’t help Jenny and her people. I’d have nothing for them. “What if he blames me?”
“We’ll pull you out before he realizes what’s happened,” Billy said confidently. I wished I shared his optimism. He pointed to a neat stack of boxes already loaded in a grocery cart. “There’s the delivery.”
I didn’t move, and his nostrils flared. “Don’t tell me you’re having second thoughts, Mo. Donnelly walks the earth as a free man, but only if you keep your end of the bargain.”
“He’s not really free.” I took the folded-up paper. “Not while you hold Tess over his head.”
Billy shrugged. “I’ve told you, family comes before anything else. Donnelly’s a finer example of that than anyone I’ve met. Frankly, I’m amazed he ever risked Tess for you.”
“Thanks,” I said dryly, and grabbed the cart, wheeling it back through the restaurant.
But when I peeked through the front window, Colin and the truck—and my dad—were gone. Cold gathered in the pit of my stomach.
“That’s bound to be an interesting conversation,” said Billy, holding out my coat for me. I trusted his courtesy less than his coldness. “Can you handle going there yourself?”
“I think I can manage.” I stared at the spot where the truck should have been. What was my dad doing? Reading Colin the riot act? Threatening him? It took a lot of work to get a reaction out of Colin. He could stay silent and immovable as a boulder for a maddeningly long time, but when he finally broke, it was with the sweeping violence of an avalanche. And if my dad brought up Colin’s past, all bets were off.
My hands fisted at my sides. I didn’t know my dad’s style—was he like Billy, sly and manipulative and always three steps ahead? Or was he more blunt, laying his cards on the table? I had no idea what he was capable of or how far he’d go. It was possible I’d misjudged. It was possible that he was an even bigger threat than Billy, I realized, and my anger was suddenly laced with fear.
It was a short walk to Shady Acres, the senior apartments where Ekomov was hiding out. Edie, the manager, buzzed me into the building with a wave and a smile. I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and headed toward the kitchen. The magic nudged me reassuringly, but it didn’t change the fact I was on my own. And defenseless.
The kitchen was empty and echoing, my shoes squeaking on the linoleum. I slid the pies onto the long stainless steel counter, taking my time, listening for the sound of footsteps and a cane. A minute later, I heard them.
“What did you bring us today, Mo?” Yuri Ekomov thumped his way across the room and peered at the labels on the boxes. “Lemon squares! They might be the only sunshine we get this week. Your mother is too good to us. Any other treats?”
He was older than my uncle—shoulders drooping; face heavily creased; and dressed, as always, in a suit that seemed just a little too small for him.
I dug in my pocket for the folded paper. “I found a paper on my uncle’s desk. It’s not the original—I scanned it so he wouldn’t know I’d taken anything.”
Ekomov nodded and plucked it from my hand. “He doesn’t suspect?”
“He’s kind of busy right now.”
He looked over the paper, then folded it twice and tucked it inside his suit. “Yes, how is your father settling in? Back to his old ways?”
I twisted my hands together, uncomfortable with the suggestion. “I don’t know. We haven’t spent a lot of time together.”
“Understandable. It would be nice if his time away had instilled a sense of caution. I am fond of you, Mo. And your mother, though I only know her through her baking. But I’ve told you before that a war is coming, and if your father has gone back to his old lifestyle, there’s nothing I can do for him.”
I picked up the envelope on the counter—Shady Acres’ payment to my mom. The payment I got from Yuri Ekomov wasn’t cash. It was the promise of protection, a line of credit I’d built up. Of course, since the information I was passing along to him was false, it was a pretty empty promise. And if he found out what I was doing, I’d be the one paying up. “I know.”
“Good. All on your own today? I’d have thought your uncle wanted you better protected.”
“I think he figures this place is pretty safe.” He was wrong. Ekomov inspected me like a piece of fruit at the grocery store, trying to find any soft spots.
“Good. It’s better for everyone this way. You and Mr. Donnelly are still an item.” His smile held a touch of delight. “It must make your uncle deeply unhappy.”
“He’s not thrilled.”
“How did you manage it?”
I gave him the same story I’d given Colin, but I felt a lot less guilty about it. “I said I’d tell my mom the truth about the fire.”
He patted my hand. The magic pulled away briefly, the equivalent of a flinch, and the envelope in my free hand felt damp. “I knew you were an unusual girl. Perhaps we should consider a shift in your responsibilities,” he said. “The sooner you’re free of your uncle, the better. If we could hasten that process, we’d both benefit.”
“What kind of shift?”
“One of your uncle’s greatest strengths is the loyalty of people around him. It’s what cost you your father. If we knew more about his most trusted employees, we could offer them better terms. Inducements.”
A bribe, he meant. Or blackmail. It was exactly the sort of thing Billy would do, and I marveled at the similarity between the two men. If they weren’t so busy trying to destroy each other, they’d probably get along really well. “You want me to recruit people for you?”
“No, no. You leave that to us. But if you could get to know them better. Help us get to know them better.”
“I ... don’t know.” It was one thing to pass along information about shipments and deliveries, but names? It might stop Billy, but Ekomov would simply take his place. Swapping one evil for another wasn’t my intention. And what if he wasn’t interested in recruitment at all? What if he was just going to start eliminating Billy’s people?
“Think about it,” he said. “And before you choose, think about where your future truly lies.”
C
HAPTER
7
C
olin’s truck was back in front of Morgan’s. So was a black Ford sedan, crookedly parked, sporting municipal plates. An inspector from the building department, maybe. The health department.
Or the police.
Inside, the room felt watchful, like everyone was holding their breath. Charlie was somberly polishing glassware at the far end of the room. In the booths lining the wall, the customers kept their heads down and conversations low. Colin stood at the window, pivoting to follow my movements as I entered.
“Everything go okay?” he asked. I nodded, focused on the bar where my father stood with two men I didn’t recognize. Judging from their smug demeanor and lack of clipboards, I was pretty sure they weren’t the health department.
“You can look all you want,” my father said, leaning against his push broom. “Nothing to hide.”
“Really, Jack? You were in a hurry to come back here. Twelve years in Terre Haute and your first stop is your old job? Your old boss? Seems like maybe you haven’t changed.”
“I’ve changed,” he said evenly. “But I have a family to support. If a man wants to take care of his wife and child, you can’t hold that against him.”
The two men exchanged glances, and one of them scoffed. “You’re saying you’ve learned your lesson? That’s great to hear. A valuable contributor to society. We need more of those. You won’t mind if we come visit now and again, will you? Make sure you aren’t forgetting?”
The other cop called to Charlie. “I like my Scotch on the rocks. Two cubes. Might as well start remembering.”
Charlie sent him a look that would blister paint, and turned back to his polishing.
The second cop chuckled and turned around, catching sight of me. “This your girl, Jack? We’ve seen her around before. You knew Joseph Kowalski.”
Slowly, my father straightened, shifting his weight like he was about to pounce. He lifted the broom slightly, adjusting his grip on the wooden handle. But it was the look in his eyes—splintering rage and absolute determination—that had the two cops stepping back. I did, too, bumping up against Colin.
“Come on,” he said, mouth at my ear. With the slightest pressure, he nudged me toward the door, but I stood my ground, transfixed by the sight of my father’s transformation into something ruthless and deadly.
“No,” my father said simply.
“No?” The cops exchanged glances, part puzzlement, part nervous humor.
“No. Do not talk to my daughter. Do not go near my daughter. She does not exist for you.”
Just then, Billy stormed up. “What the sweet hell is this?” He raked a glance over the cops. “You have a warrant?”
“Came in for a talk. Nobody invited us to Friday’s party.”
“No one here wants to talk to you. Either show me a warrant or get out of my bar.”
“Sure. We’ll stop by another time, Jack, just to catch up. Make sure you’re adjusting to life outside.”
“Maybe a bunch of other times,” the other cop chimed in.
They walked, the shorter of the two men pausing to meet my eyes. Colin’s hand tightened on my arm, but we were all silent as they ambled out.
When the door had swung shut behind them, Colin spun me around to face him. “You okay?”
“I’m fine.” Confused, more than anything. I wondered if they worked with Jenny. If they knew about our arrangement.
Billy and my father were deep in conversation at the bar, glancing at me every few minutes. “What did they want?” I asked.
“They’re warning your dad. He’s the weak link in the chain, and everybody knows it.”
My father and Billy approached. The murderous look in my dad’s eyes was gone, replaced by a wearier, more familiar one. The sound of idle chatter and clinking glasses resumed.
“I didn’t mean for you to see that,” my dad said.
“Guess I should get used to it.” Yet another benefit of my dad’s homecoming.
“They’re trying to intimidate us,” Billy fumed. “Disrupting my business. I won’t have it.”
“Go ahead and tell them so,” I said, pulling the delivery cart toward the back room. “I’m sure they’ll listen.”
He followed me into the back room. “You gave him the papers?”
“Yeah. It was fine. But ...” I paused, trying to decide if I should tell him that Ekomov was targeting his employees. I couldn’t get those names on my own—the only information I had access to was what Billy gave me. I had to let him know. “He thinks he can recruit some of your guys.”
“Does he, now? And what was your answer?”
“I didn’t give him one. He said I should think about it.”
Billy smiled thinly. “He trusts you. We can use this, you know.”
“Use it how?” He was always looking for an angle, but I couldn’t imagine what this one would be.
“He’s not the only one who wants to know who they can trust.” He pushed open the door and barked, “Donnelly. Take her home.”
“I just got here.” I hated working at Morgan’s, but I still needed the tips. Whether I got into NYU or not, I needed to save as much cash as I could. I was determined not to rely on my family for money.
“You’ve done what was needed. We’ve business to discuss, and you’ll only be underfoot.” He shooed me out of the back room. “Off with you.”
My father glanced up. “Tell your mother I’ll be late for dinner.”
“Whatever,” I said, rebuttoning my coat. When we got into the truck, I twisted to face Colin. “Business. You know what he means.”
“Ease up a little,” he said.
It took a minute to get over my shock. “You’re taking his side?”
“No. But it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to cut your dad a little slack.”
“If he gets thrown back in prison, it
will
be the worst thing in the world. I can’t believe he’d do this to my mom again.”
“To her? Or to you?” He touched my hand, and I drew away.
“This is so not about me. I don’t want my mom to get her hopes up and think we’re going to be some happy family, and then he leaves again. That’s it. I don’t expect anything from him.”
Colin checked the mirrors instead of looking at me. “Good to know.”
“What did he say to you? Did he try to pull the overprotective dad act?”
“I don’t think it’s an act,” he said, and this time when he reached for me, I didn’t pull back. “He wants to know how you’re doing. For some reason, he thinks you’re not likely to open up. So he asked me about you.”
“And warned you off.”
He shrugged and laced his fingers with mine.
“He has no right to interfere. No right at all,” I said. “Let’s go back to your place.”
“Your mom’s expecting you.”
“Not till after work. She doesn’t know I left early. Besides, it’s not like I’m violating curfew or anything. I even have my bodyguard with me.”
We stopped for a light, and Colin tapped the wheel, considering. “My place?”
“Come on,” I wheedled. “My mom’s just going to nag me about school and my dad. And we haven’t had any time alone in ages.”
“We’re alone right now.”
“In a moving vehicle. That doesn’t count.” I paused, noting the way the corner of his mouth twitched, like he was biting back a smile. When I spoke again, my voice was innocent and mild as cream. “Unless you’re afraid to be alone with me.”
He kissed me, fast and hard. When I caught my breath again, I asked, “That’s a yes, I take it?”
“Yes and no. Yes, we can go to my place. No, I’m not afraid to be alone with you.”
I leaned into him, smiling as his arm wrapped around my shoulders. “Good.”
We didn’t talk much until we were back inside his apartment. The outer door was new, heavy steel with a reinforced frame. My uncle’s men had battered down the old one in the fall. Colin had installed this one as soon as his cracked ribs had healed. He could turn the building into a fortress, but the truth was, the only thing keeping us safe was the deal I’d cut with Billy.
At the time, I’d been convinced I could find a way out, hatch a plan that would set all three of us—Colin, his sister, and me—free. I was working every angle I could, but so far we were still stuck. The possibility we’d stay stuck was looking more likely.
“Coffee?” he asked, helping me out of my coat. “You make it, and I’ll get a fire going.”
“Sure.” In the past few months, I’d gotten familiar with Colin’s place—enough that I knew my way around the kitchen, and it felt right. Easy. I waited while he stowed his gun in the locked cabinet, then pulled him over for another kiss.
I loved these moments. Small and quiet, the two of us alone, hidden from the rest of the world. We didn’t get them nearly enough these days, with my mom working less and my job at Morgan’s. When Colin wrapped his arms around me, resting his chin on top of my head with a satisfied sigh, I could almost believe we were a normal couple. Almost.
He gave me a gentle push toward the coffeemaker and crossed the living room to the wood stove in the corner.
I watched him crouch in front of the open door and begin building the fire, and then busied myself with filters and beans.
“What else did you and my dad talk about?”
“He wanted to know about your college plans.” He made some minute adjustments to the layers of newspaper and kindling and cordwood. “Have you heard from NYU?”
“Not yet. Besides, I might not get in. Jill McAllister’s already got a spot, and they don’t usually take more than one girl from St. Brigid’s.”
He glanced over his shoulder at me. “Do you have safety schools?”
“Of course.” Acceptance letters and e-mails from my safeties had been trickling in—as well as some of my “reach” schools, but I’d stayed quiet, waiting for the right time to tell him. Hoping I could find a way out for both of us. But now was as good a time as any to lay the groundwork. I concentrated on pouring water into the coffeemaker, not meeting his eyes. “Maybe I’ll go to school in the city.”
I heard the rasp of a match and the whoosh of the newspaper catching fire. “You’re supposed to leave. That’s always been the plan.”
“Are you trying to get rid of me?” Worry began to gnaw at my rib cage, but I kept my voice light and punched the start button.
“The longer you stay, the more danger you’re in. When someone knows as much about the Forellis as you do, they figure you’re either an asset or a liability. You’re nothing more than a weapon to them, Mo. And if they can’t use you, they’ll get rid of you. The only safe thing to do is get out of town.”
A weapon. That’s what I’d be if Anton or the Quartoren found out about the magic, too. I was right to keep quiet. About everything.
“But you won’t come with me.”
“I can’t.”
“Then neither can I.” Sadness twisted sharply inside me, guilt welling up. I’d promised Verity that I’d go to New York. It had been our dream for so long, a goal I’d worked toward for years. But I had already lost one person I loved. I wasn’t interested in losing another. I tamped down on the unhappiness and perched on the arm of the couch. “We both stay.”
He slammed the stove door shut with a clang. “No.”
“You love me,” I said. “That should count for something.”
“Don’t make it leverage, Mo. Don’t use it to force my hand.” Something cold crossed his expression.
I’d heard girls at school say that to their boyfriends all the time.
If you loved me, you’d give me your class ring ... let me borrow your car ... blow off your friends.
It had always seemed whiny. Petulant, even, like a little kid throwing a tantrum. But the look on Colin’s face made it seem more insidious—like using someone’s love against them.
“I know you won’t leave. I’m not even asking you to. But ... you should let me stay. You should love me enough to let me choose.”
He sat down, taking my hand in his. “What if you choose wrong?”
“You have to trust that I won’t.” It shouldn’t be such a leap, trusting me. How could you love someone if you couldn’t trust them? I’d made my choice. Now I had to make it the right one. “If I stayed here, would it be so terrible?”
Before he could answer, I pressed my mouth to his, hungry for reassurance. Whatever he said was lost in the kiss, and then I was lost, too, and he was all I had to hold on to. His hands slid underneath my sweater, under my T-shirt, his fingers dipping to the waistband of my jeans, and I whimpered, not sure how to ask for more but wanting it all the same.
The coffeemaker beeped from across the room, and he broke off. “Wait.”
“No.” I slid my arms around his neck, pulling him back to me.
“Mo. Wait. What about your uncle? Your parents?”
I looked around, deliberately. “They aren’t here. I can handle them, and I swear to God if you use them as an excuse to put the brakes on, I will beat you with that fireplace poker.”
BOOK: Bound
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