“Oh, that’s delightful,” Don Leone said. “You couldn’t leave a wounded girl alone there, could you, Steven?”
“No, Don Leone, I could not,” I said.
“Even if she might be an enemy now and make your life harder, you couldn’t help yourself,” he said. “But you’re smart enough and loyal enough to know that you had to bring her with you today, so well done.”
“I wanted to know what you thought I should do with her, Don,” I said.
“Interesting,” he said. “But I want to ask you that same question. What do you want to do with her?”
I looked at Colleen and she looked back. I could see the rage in her eyes, and I knew she hated that we were talking about her future like she had no say in it.
But unfortunately, for right now, she really didn’t. As much as it pissed her off, she was all mine, at least until I decided to let her go.
“She’s valuable,” I said. “She claims that her father left the Club and that she has no contact with them at all, but I haven’t verified it yet.”
“Do you think that’s true?” Don Leone asked.
“Yes,” I said. “I believe her.”
“Interesting.” Don Leone steepled his fingers in front of him. “And yet you still want to keep her then?”
“Yes, Don,” I said. “Even if her father left the Club, she’s still Mathis’s niece. He can’t show weakness, not during a war. He won’t be able to let me keep her, even if he wanted to.”
Don Leone nodded his head slowly and I saw Colleen’s anger deepen.
“I believe you’re right,” Don Leone said.
“And more than that, I want to make sure she’s okay,” I said, keeping my voice low. I looked at her as I spoke. “The war is going to get more dangerous, Don Leone, and I couldn’t forgive myself if this girl got hurt even more because of me.”
Colleen stared at me and gave a confused look. She tilted her head to the side and I kept looking at her, unable to tear my eyes away. She was so beautiful and I was so angry with myself for hurting her, for taking her, for threatening her, for keeping her.
But I wasn’t going to let her go.
Not now that I already had her.
“Very well then,” Don Leone said. He sounded amused and I slowly looked back over at him. “Keep the girl. I’ll have my men ask around about her and I will share what I find.”
“Thank you, Don,” I said, and inclined my head.
“You won’t find anything that Steven didn’t already tell you,” she said.
I glared at her but Don Leone only laughed. “So you do speak then,” he said. “Good. I was wondering if you would actually listen to Steven here.”
She glanced at me then took a breath. “Don Leone, I beg you to let me go,” she said. “I was caught in the crossfire last night, but I’m not a part of this war. I won’t tell anyone about what I saw or speak with anyone in the Celtic Club. Please, Don Leone, I’m not worth keeping.”
Don Leone chuckled and shook his head. “I’m sorry, Colleen. But it seems that Steven doesn’t agree with your assessment, and I am going to listen to my Capo instead of some little Irish girl with a wounded wing. Now, if you will excuse me, I have work to do.”
Luca stood first, inclined his head, and walked to the door. I stood next, inclined my head like Luca, then stared down at Colleen.
She didn’t move.
“Don Leone,” she said. “Please. I’m just a bystander. I’m just… I’m nothing. Don’t leave me with him.”
The Don looked up again and his eyes flashed annoyance. I could see that cold killer beneath his kindly exterior, and I quickly reached down to grab her arm. I pulled her to her feet, and fortunately it wasn’t her wounded shoulder, but she still winced from pain.
“Come,” I said. “I apologize for her outburst, Don.”
He merely grunted and looked back down at the papers in front of him. I pulled Colleen along and she glared up at me with hate.
But she has no clue how close she just came to getting hurt. I may not be the kind of man to hurt women, but Don Leone would not hesitate. Roberto would beat her within an inch of her life if Don Leone told him to, or do even worse. She was nothing to the Don, and he wouldn’t hesitate to swat her like a fly if she continued to bother him.
So I pulled her away, afraid for her safety. But I could tell she was angry and thought I was trying to silence her pleas for my own selfish reasons.
Roberto opened the door and Luca went first. We followed them and as the office door closed behind us, Colleen struggled and pulled her arm from my grip.
“Let go,” she said.
“Stop it,” I said, stepping close. “You need to understand where you are right now.”
“I’m a captive,” she said. “You’re a monster, you’re—”
I took her wrist and pulled her against me. Her eyes went wide in surprise as I brought up my other hand to cover her mouth. I pushed her back against the wall and rattled a painting of a horse jumping over a white fence.
“Be quiet,” I said, staring into her eyes. “Do you have any clue where you are?”
Her eyes went hard and she struggled, but I held her firm.
“If you open your mouth again, they will hurt you,” I said, whispering sharp words into her ear. My body pressed up against hers and I felt my heart hammering in my chest. “Don’t you get it? I might not hurt you, but Roberto will break your arm just for spite. You need to be quiet if you want to get out of here in one piece. You’re an enemy soldier as far as
