Page 50 of Iron Crown

Blink cleared his throat.

“Recent intelligence among the Italians indicates that Eugenio has been locked out of power,” Blink said, his eyes that strange, unfeeling cold like a snake. “Cosima has taken the reins, though not officially. She’s ruthless though. A very ‘kill first, ask questions never’ type of woman.”

Jericho chuckled. “So your ideal lover, then?”

“I’ve seen how she looks. I wouldn’t mind takingthatfor the team.” Blink grabbed his lapels and snapped them, as if he had a chance with her.

Then he shook his head and laughed. I wanted to stick up for Morelli, but it wouldn’t do any good. Not after tonight, at least.

“Wait,” Jericho asked, his eyes flaring in surprise. “You’ve re-engaged your contact?”

“I haven’t lost my touch,” Blink smirked. “She’ll be ready for my signal, though I’d rather not activate her unless we are in dire straits.”

“Should you be talking like this in front of me?” I asked, slightly perplexed at how open they were.

I had come in here for a purpose, but the drink had distracted me.

“With Kira in our pocket, I doubt you will betray us,” Blink said with the assurance of a man who was used to being right. “You’ll betray usforKira, certainly, but she’s on our side.”

I wasn’t convinced of that. Kira had not said one way or another if her convictions for Paradigm were soul deep. I would ask another time… or never, depending on how things panned out.

“That, and…” Blink pursed his lips in thought for a moment, “She’s my friend.”

I looked at him and scowled, trying to decipher why that was relevant to the discussion.

“Likely myonlyfriend,” Blink said, with a small nod. “And before you get your little heart a-twitter, we are wholly platonic. She only has eyes for you, and I only have a heart for…” He sighed. “Someone else.”

He picked his glass back up, as if the topic made him ill at ease.

“I genuinely wish her the best,” Blink said. “It seems that would entail your presence in her life.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” I said, more and more determined to not be selfish when it came to my wife.

A long, drawn-out silence stretched between us as we awkwardly waited to find out what was next in our evening’s discussion.

“Let’s get back on topic,” Jericho said, lightly slapping his knee.

I wasn’t certain what the topic was, but they were probably in a strategy meeting before I barged in.

“I have no indication that Cosima Durante will surrender under any circumstances. Not unless we scorch the earth.” Blink’s cold demeanor sent a chill through me, but there was something about his reasoning that I had grown accustomed to. “I’m not fond of that option.”

I snorted. It was like speaking to Morelli himself.

Blink looked at me and lifted a brow. “Something to add, Mr. Kira?”

I put down my glass, which was now empty of whatever disgusting vodka they had. What I would do for a good bottle of absinthe… I should probably go outside for a cigarette to calm myself before I saw Kira again.

“She has a child,” I blurted out. “Cosima confessed as much today.”

I wondered how old her child was.

When she had been friends with Kira, she didn’t have one. I wasalmostsure of that. But Mafia princesses are good at keeping secrets. So maybe I was wrong.

“She said she had a daughter.” Cosima had turned into such a foul thing that I felt bad for the girl.

Jericho and Blink looked at one another, then back at me.

“Yes,” Blink coughed, as if he was surprised that I knew. “That’s true. The same age as your son, in fact. It’s quite a secret, I’m surprised she let that slip.”

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