Page 97 of Hook

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CILLIAN

Ihate that I have to attend this event without Gwen, but there’s the tiniest chance Piero could be here tonight, so I couldn’t risk her coming. But I couldn’t miss it. Especially not when I don’t trust my men to get the job done.

Smyth stands next to me. “What’s the plan, boss?”

I glare at him, suspicious still of every fucker I employ. “The plan is we mingle and when the time is right, we strike.”

He arches a brow. “How exactly?”

“You monitor him and when he heads for the restroom, you tell me. Got it?”

Smyth nods. “Yes, sir. And do you want me to follow as backup?”

I consider whether I’ll need backup confronting a fucking politician. A politician who’s firmly in Piero’s pocket and the reason the mayor won’t consider my proposal, giving Piero an upper hand in my own goddamn city. The man controls the funding for the planning commison and, in turn, Piero has the entire San Diego real estate in his pocket. I need to ensure that changes tonight, as he’s overstepping into my territory.

“No, I’ll do this alone.”

Smyth’s jaw clenches, but he respects my wishes and turns to head toward the sidelines.

I grab his arm. “And Smyth?”

He looks at my hand around his wrist, a pained expression on his face before he glances at me. “Sir?”

“Make sure you don’t get in the way.”

He nods, but I see an odd glimmer in his eyes. Ever since I found out someone is working against me, I can’t shift my suspicion off Smyth. I’m not sure why he’d betray me, other than the fact I don’t treat him well despite ten years of working together.

Walking around the outskirts of the room, I keep my eyes on Gary Lewis. The politician I’m here to blackmail into getting the planning commison on my side instead of Piero’s.

Thankfully, I haven’t seen Piero or his men. If he does show up, then all bets are off. I won’t hesitate to murder him and I doubt he would hesitate to murder me. It would be a fight to the fucking death, and the idea excites me. I’ve been wanting to get my hands on that son of a bitch ever since that conversation the night the news broke.

I follow Gary’s movements for the next half an hour, not wanting to approach him with a crowd. I need to get him alone. This time I don’t have the assistance of my beautiful wife.

“How are you going to get him alone?” Smyth’s voice sounds in my earpiece.

It only winds me up. “Leave it to me,” I growl.

I hear a heavy sigh on the other end as I walk toward the group of people he’s currently with. If the fucker isn’t going to go anywhere that I can get him alone, I’m going to have to approach him in a group.

“Gary, can I have a word?” I ask, interrupting his conversation and forcing him to look at me.

His brow furrows. “Do I know you?”

“By reputation, I’m sure you do.”

His jaw works and he nods. “Excuse me, please,” he says to the couple he had been chatting with for twenty minutes.

Once we’re out of earshot, he turns to me. “I don’t know who you are, but thank you. I needed a way to get away from them.”

I smirk as he won’t be thanking me when he realizes who I am. “No worries, can we chat somewhere private?”

He looks unsure, but nods. “Follow me.” The idiot leads me into a small study and turns to face me. “How can I help you?”

“My name is Cillian Hook.”

His face pales the moment I tell him who I am. “Oh.”

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