Page 64 of Forged in Rain

“I heard something. Something bad.”

“Okay, what?”

“You can’t say anything. I shouldn’t have even heard—”

“I promise,” I say softly, “but you know Cyn’s going to want to know.”

Oscar searches my gaze before nodding. “Fine, but no further.”

“Okay.”

“The man at the top thinks you owe him.”

“At the top?” I whisper through dry lips.

Nodding gravely, he says, “What did you do?”

“I didn’t do anything. Why didn’t you tell me Iris asked you about her stepdad when I approached you?”

“Because it didn’t matter anyway,” he mutters. “My dad doesn’t take requests.”

“It’s why you kept warning me away, though, isn’t it? What aren’t you telling me, Oscar?”

“You know I can’t talk about this shit.”

Staring at him incredulously, I hold my gaze until he drops his eyes and says, “Paddy McCafferty wants his money, and he won’t take no for an answer.”

“McCafferty? Cyn’s boss? I thought . . .”

So, Jagger owes the money to the man at the top. Seriously?

“Yes, Rain.”

“Fuck.” But I can tell there’s more. “What?”

He glances away and back at me with wide, blinking eyes. “There're rumblings that John was speaking to a rival family.”

“Who?”

“Sal Castinetti. He’s bad news, Rain.”

“What does this have to do with me?”

He pauses, his mouth quirking in a frown. “If John was speaking with them, well, you’re all going down.”

Staring at him blankly, I don’t comprehend until I do, and standing abruptly, I hobble away, refusing to look back when he says my name.

In my haste, I twist my ankle uncomfortably but ignore it as I go.

What the fuck? Is he saying my family is in danger from the head of the fucking Mafia? There’s no fucking end to this.

Escaping into the locker room, I pass down the hall to the last stall and go to close myself inside, but I didn’t track that someone was following me, and I watch grimly as Cyn locks himself inside with me.

“What’s going on?” he demands.

“Did you know?” I whisper.

“Know what?”

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