he'd used Sean’s girlfriend to keep an eye on Calla and assist in her abduction attempt.
It hadn't ended well for the men involved when they met their maker in the form of Ryker and his hatchet. If the woman ever left Murphy's protection, she'd probably meet the same fate. I didn't think Ryker had ever killed a woman, but I had no doubt he'd make an exception for the bitch who almost cost him his wife.
"Yeah?" I answered the phone when it rang, stepping closer to the door to put some distance between Sadie's class and myself. My eyes never left her, watching as she demonstrated something with her hands, swinging her body into a punch that glided slowly through the air.
"Is that anyway to speak to your employer?" Matteo teased. "Your eloquence makes me wonder if you're indisposed in a way I do not want to consider." His shudder almost resonated through the phone.
"I'm watching Sadie teach her self-defense class," I responded with a chuckle. "Did you need something or did you just call to bother me, Princess?"
He scoffed his laughter into the phone, the static making me draw the phone away from my ear. "I think that's the first time anyone has dared to call me Princess."
"So stop acting like one and get to the point," I said, my fingers tightening on the phone as Sadie encouraged Mike to grab her arm like an attacker might. How was it that it only took one platonic touch and I wanted to tear the gym apart so that no one could ever touch her again?
"Judge Ryan agreed to oversee the Garcia case against Murphy. Our connection is no secret, and Murphy will see it as the declaration it is. The Judge will not be serving in an impartial manner, given he knows of Murphy's extracurricular activities. He's going to throw the book at him and try to put him behind bars for a very, very long time. Even if he only gets him on the illegal lending, we'll be rid of him for a few years. We won't be involved in the trial, because we both know we do not involve the law in our problems. We want no record of it when we rid the world of Tiernan—"
"What's that have to do with me?"
"He's requesting a man for his daughter, Irina," Matteo said. "I can't blame him since we know Murphy likes to target women."
"Fucking shit, Matteo. Where the hell am I supposed to pull a guy from? Rafe and Calix's men have the streets, but that doesn't mean that we're entrusting any of them with our women or the kids or the money. I don't want to give him someone we don't trust 100%."
"I agree. It has to be one of ours," he sighed. "What about Bryan? Give his cash drops to Benny. He can handle that. If I have to, I'll ask Rafe to supervise him for a week or so."
I paused, considering my words. "You trust Rafe that way?"
"Yeah. I trust him with my life. Don't get me wrong, the guy's fucked in the head, but he's loyal. Besides, he wants something from me. He can't fuck me over if he wants me to help wrap a bow around sweet little Isa and deliver her to Spain." Matteo sighed, and I could just imagine him hanging his head. "Ivory will kill me if she finds out."
"Then why do it?"
"Because I know how he feels. Would you let anything get in your way of making Sadie yours? We claimed our women and gave them the benefit of staying local to be with their families because circumstances allowed it. Is him luring Isa to Spain really any different than me having Scar deliver Ivory here and not letting her go? I swapped out her birth control for shit's sake. Lino carried Samara to their wedding over his shoulder while she screamed. Ryker used the kids to control Calla. Rafe promised me he won't abuse her. That's...all I can ask of him without crossing a line. He's not a man we want as an enemy."
"She's sixteen, Matteo," I groaned.
"And he won't touch her until she's eighteen. He's compromising where she's concerned. That's a first for him."
"Fine. I'll call Bryan and let him know to coordinate the changeover with Benny," I snapped, glancing over at Sadie. Hatred was like acid in my veins, wanting better for the pretty teenager I'd seen on the street with a friend. She was younger