will not be doing this alone.”
“Wait, doing what?”
“You have green light for the brothers. I deliver them with LaSalle’s gift. Goodbye, Roni. We are even. Hope to see you on other side,” Misha says and turns to leave the same way he came.
Logan pushes off the wall. “I don’t mind the way this is going at all,” he mutters and pats LaSalle on the shoulder. “It’s getting a wee bit interesting. If you need anything, love, John knows how to find me.”
With that, Logan starts down the hall toward the winding down reception. I turn to Val and give her a puzzled look. She grins at me.
“I told you to be careful what you ask for,” she says. “As Uri said, we will be by your side. I’m always one phone call away. Always.”
She comes over to kiss my cheek. Uri moves behind her, placing a hand on her back and leads her away in the same direction Logan went. I’m left staring at LaSalle.
He narrows his gaze on me. “I’ll be here in Ireland for a bit after this, but if you need anything, you can reach out to me as well.”
Without another word, he leaves to join the others and I’m left wondering what the hell just happened. I look down at the box in my hand. What the heck am I supposed to be placing inside of this?
“What was that about?”
I nearly come out of my skin. “Torque,” I hiss. “What the hell?”
He blushes. “Sorry. What happened? Did we get the green light?”
“Yeah, I got the green light.”
He smiles and it lights his entire face. “Doing this with you will be my last job. I already talked to John. I’m taking a break.”
His words tug at my chest. It’s been feeling like he’s changing, as if we’re pulling away from each other and going in two different directions. I don’t know how I feel about that.
“Listen, Roni. I’m not a kid anymore. I’ll be fine.” He pulls me into a tight hug.
“I know. I’m proud of you. Never forget that.”
He pulls away and beams at me. “She shows emotion and John is nowhere in sight. Yup, you’re human after all,” he jokes.
“Shut up and stop acting like a weirdo,” I sniffle.
“You’re the one having secret meetings in hallways. What’s that in your hand?”
I move the box out of his sight. “Nothing. Come on, let’s get the family and get out of here.”
Chapter 65
Silenzio
John
A month later…
“You okay?” I say and kiss Roni’s forehead while I massage the back of her neck. She’s filled with tension as we sit in the back of this SUV. I know the waiting has been driving her crazy. First, the wait for the green light from Misha to get to this very point.
Now we’re waiting for the call from LaSalle. A call I have to say I’ve been curious about. All I know is that Roni sat me down and told me that it was time to put this all to rest.
I’ll be more than happy to put this behind us. The climax of things with the Alliance hasn’t even come to a head—I know that as well as anyone. Therefore, placing all of Roni’s drama in the rearview is at the top of my list.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she says.
I know right away she’s somewhere else. She’s doing that detached thing. I don’t push.
I’m agitated as well. It’s hot as fuck out and this bullet proof vest under my suit and dress shirt isn’t helping. The air conditioning might as well not be on, that’s how much it’s good for—and the sun has fallen, but you’re still cooking. The faster we can get this done, the better.
My phone rings and relief washes through me. This is the moment we’ve been waiting for. Time to plug in those holes and be done with all of this. I answer and bring the phone to my ear.
“Listening,” I say into the line.
LaSalle speaks a simple word. “Go.”
I hang up and rap my knuckles at the hood of the car, signaling for my father to take off. He starts the engine and pulls out of the alley we’ve been sitting in, setting the convey behind us in motion. When I turn to look into Roni’s eyes her face is completely expressionless. I cup the back of her throat to get her attention.
“Whatever happens in here, we get home to our little girl in one piece. When this is over it’s over,” I say.
She shakes her head. “That’s