Page 25 of Dangerous Games

“If I have to put them down myself I will, but I hired an outsider because I can’t imagine asking you or any other member of our family to kill one of our own. The pain will be bad enough when we learn who it is.” I squeeze his shoulder and give him a stern look. “Let Jimmy out.”

Red sighs, holstering his gun and nodding. “Yeah, Dom.” He moves toward the van, unlocking it before sliding the door open. Jimmy lays there trembling like a fool. He has been crying, probably thinking he’s going to be executed or something. I tear the duct tape off his mouth, and he instantly pleads for his life.

“Woah, Dom, please. Don’t kill me. I swear, I was just looking for information about the mole. Please…”

I grab him by the arm and drag him out of the vehicle until he’s in a pile on the street. Red pulls out his pocketknife, opening it, and Jimmy’s trembling sobs grow louder.

“Shut the fuck up before you wake someone,” I tell him, stepping back into the shadows by the dumpster.

Red slits the ties on Jimmy’s wrists and ankles and lets him go free. He is instantly on his feet backing away from Red with a frantic look. Red has a scowl, but he says nothing. It’s alright; I’ll deal with that later. Right now, my interest is focused on Jimmy. If Red and Sven sniffed him out, it means he likely has some details for me, because it means he’s been investigating.

“Spit it out, Jimmy. Tell me what you have.”

His eyes flick nervously to Red then to my face. “I’m out, Dominic. I am not doing this, and you need to let my sister go. She is not a part of this.”

I pull my weapon and point it right at his chest. “Tell me what you have, Jimmy.”

He holds his hands up defensively. They’re shaking as he backs away. “No, I’m done. Nothing else. I want no part of this. Count me out.”

I gesture with the weapon, indicating Red should back away and he does. “I’m giving you one last chance, Jimmy. Say what you know now, and I’ll let you and Nanette live.”

“Fuck you, Dominic. Just fuck you! You can’t do this.” He backs another step farther away and then says, “I have it narrowed down to two men, but I’m not sure which of them it is, and I’m not pulling that trigger. I’m not winding up on your radar or anyone else in your family.”

“Names, Jimmy.”

“No… You swear to me you’ll let Nan go, and I’ll tell you.”

“I swear to you that if you don’t finish this job, Nanette dies. Is that what you really want? To watch her die, after you saved her all those years ago?” His face goes white as a sheet.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean the scar across your body, the one you got from Gallagher when you tried to kill him, and he was faster to the draw. I mean when he fucked your sister’s little pussy and forced you to watch.” I take a step closer to him. “I mean, when he nearly destroyed you… You did that to save her, to avenge her. This is your chance at redemption, Jimmy, only I’m not like Gallagher. I don’t miss.” My weapon still firmly pointed at his chest; he whimpers.

“Fuck you, Dominic.” He glances down the alley.

“You don’t have to tell me the name; just put a bullet between their eyes. That will be quite enough to let me know who it is. Finish the job, or I become the man who finishes what Gallagher started.”

Jimmy takes off into the night, fleeing me and Red, and I stand there watching. I will never harm Nanette that way, but Jimmy doesn’t know that. I could never harm her that way. Not now, not after she’s seen me. I may never convince her that she belongs to me, is safer with me, but I can never hurt her.

“What do we do now, Dom?” Red’s quavering voice beckons me, and I turn to face him.

“I need your word that anything you hear, from Sven, Leo, Nick, any of them, that you make sure I hear it. I need eyes and ears everywhere, only folks we trust. No one can know there is a mole, and no one can know about Jimmy.” I stare him down and he nods abruptly.

“My life is in your hands until death, Dom. I have your back through and through.” Red offers his hand to shake, and I grip it firmly.

“I know I can count on you.” I’m taking a risk with this, but I have no choice now. It’s either trust Red with my secret or end up killing him with my bare hands. “I’m going home. Follow Jimmy. See where it leads. Call me if anything turns up.”

I head to my car and then home. I’m exhausted but restless. I need answers, but right now I need her more. To feel her body cradled in mine, where I know she’s safe. Nanette has become my substitute, the one whom I’ve focused all my vengeant emotions around protecting. I sneak back up the stairs, laying my weapon, wallet, and keys on the nightstand before I strip off my slacks and shoes, tossing my shirt to the floor with them.

In just my boxers, I crawl into bed with her. She wakes slightly as I shake the bed and rolls to face me with sleepy eyes. “Are you okay? Where did you go?”

After last night’s performance I’m surprised she is still speaking to me. “I’m fine. Family business.”

I don’t give any more answers, but she knows what my family is now. She doesn’t ask for more details, and she doesn’t shy away when I pull her against me tightly. Her breathing is shallow, thready, as if she’s frightened. So I whisper, “I’m not going to hurt you, Nan.” I kiss the back of her head and she relaxes in my embrace. “It’s almost over now.”

And it is, because one way or another I need to end this before I go insane.

16

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