Page 33 of Bartered Innocence

Cormac cracks his knuckles before slipping on the shaped brass over them, not liking Sebastian’s blatant disrespect.

I chuckle, sitting on the chair closest to him and facing him full-on. “You came to my wedding and touched my wife.”

He sighs, setting down the cards and sitting up straighter in his chair. Cormac and Aodhan move to stand behind me, but I know their eyes are on Nico. Only a fool would think that computer hack doesn’t know his way around a gun.

“I only needed Luca’s attention. I meant no offense to you or your wife.”

My teeth grind together, and I ache to punch the smug bastard in the face.

His lips curl up. “Fine, you can punch me,” he says as if he’s reading my mind and then holds up his hand. “Or you can listen to what I have.”

I lean back, intrigued by what he has to say, but still annoyed over the events from earlier. “Or I can beat you until you’re too bloody to speak. Then I get what I want either way.”

Sebastian shakes his head, waving his hand for Nico to sit back down from where he’s risen from his seat. “One or the other,lad. I deserve a hit, but I can sweeten the deal.”

“Why would I make a deal with someone who doesn’t uphold the honor of family events?” Aodhan says.

His icy eyes darken, an entire cold front twisting his face. “Because Luca is a fucking cunt and hiding something that belongs to me.”

“Get out,” Nico commands the dealer, who promptly leaves the room.

Sebastian turns in his chair and nods at Nico, who pulls out a spiral notebook. My brows knit together in confusion and annoyance. If he’s fucking with me and wasting time when I could be buried in my wife, I’m going to take more than a few fingers.

He slams it on the table between us. “We couldn’t risk storing the information electronically at the moment. One of us carries it at all times.”

I reach for it, but Sebastian drags it closer to himself. His fingers tap on the cover. I drop my arm and tilt my head.

“My patience is thin,” I say calmly.

His icy eyes flicker to mine, any amusement drained from them. “This information is worth more than taking a punch for touching what isn’t mine.”

Cormac scoffs. “We won’t agree blindly.”

We are equals in the brotherhood, but they still defer to me for a sense of leadership. His words are as good as mine.

Sebatian doesn’t look away from me.

“What do you want?”

He pushes the notebook across to me. “TheDaghdhaBrotherhood is powerful but relies on respect they’ve rightfully earned. What if there is an equivalent that runs unchecked, unnoticed and reports solely to Luca? A network of stealthy sparrows.”

Aodhan stiffens behind me, his fingers curling into the chair and knuckles digging into my back. If this information is legitimate, it means it’s being run under his nose. I’ve left most of the East Coast in Aodhan’s care while doing business for the brotherhood in Ireland and other parts of the US.

I push the notebook away from me, staring at Sebastian. “What do you want?” I repeat. He wouldn’t offer this in good faith.

His smile is bitter. “You’re aware I skirt the edges of the Outfit as their legal farce. I need the manpower I can’t obtain without swearing further loyalty to my father.”

My lips curl in disgust. “The butcher,” I spit out. “I’m surprised he would allow his son to stray so far from home.”

His jaw tenses but he doesn’t comment. Nico flexes his fist, cracking his fingers, and I catch the flash of fury on his face.

“Are these their identifications?” Cormac growls.

Sebastian nods and then shrugs. “At least the ones we could confirm. I’m sure there's more.”

I exhale slowly. There isn’t a choice now. Spies aren’t unheard of, but we’ve long been past the need for them in the digital age. Grabbing the notebook, I skip through the first couple of pages before stopping at a familiar face. My stomach burns with betrayal as I pass the book to Aodhan to rip out the pages of our men.

“Alright. Tell us what Luca stole from you.”

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