he dares me.
“What if she isn’t the only witness?”
“Are you asking permission to talk to a certain rat who tried to convince Dex to betray the Romano family?”
I clear my throat but hold his gaze. Except I can’t tell what the hell he’s thinking. And I have no freaking clue if I’m about to sign my death certificate as I utter, “Yeah.”
“And what do you think Dominic can do for you?” he challenges. That same controlled facade is firmly in place. “He’s a rat. And as of right now, he belongs to me.”
“I know. But if we could just convince him to testify against Reed—”
“And how would you convince him, Jack? He’s a greedy bastard who only wants money. I doubt an honest Fed has enough to sway him.”
Keeping my expression indifferent, I argue, “If he stays in your custody, he’s going to wind up dead. Am I right?” Kingston’s mouth quirks, but he doesn’t bother to confirm my theory, so I press forward. “If he testifies, he’ll get to keep his life.”
“Possibly. But a rat doesn’t do well in prison either, and he doesn’t have many friends to watch his back while he’s behind bars. Even if you can cut him a deal with a lighter sentence, he’ll still end up serving time. He could wind up dead there too.”
“I think it’d be worth the risk. If he stays here, his death is guaranteed.”
Again, Kingston doesn’t deny it. “And what do I get out of this?”
My jaw ticks as I mutter a sentence that I never thought I’d have to. “You get a man on the inside.”
“Or I could have another Romano soldier.”
My eyes widen as I register his offer. Work for Kingston? Become a soldier for the Romano family? My mouth opens before closing just as quickly. Pretty sure I look like a fish out of water as I actually consider his proposition. But if I accepted, I’d still be wanted by the Feds. I’d still be hiding in the shadows. And I can’t live like that.
“I’m not sure I could accept the repercussions of that decision,” I answer carefully.
“It would be easier to just use Dominic’s phone to convince Reed to meet him. With a bullet to the back of his head, your problems would be over.”
“But they wouldn’t. I’d still be labeled as a dirty Fed.”
He leans back in his chair. “So, you’d be willing to be my inside man, but you’re not willing to let the Romano family get rid of Reed for you? You’d rather involve Dominic and risk having your plan backfire?” His amusement is palpable, but I don’t blame him.
It does seem ludicrous.
With a sigh, I explain, “If I choose to stay and become a Romano, I’d be on the run constantly. I’d always be looking over my shoulder, waiting to get arrested for shit I didn’t do. But if I take the chance to clear my name, I could be free.”
“Could,” Kingston emphasizes. “There’s no guarantee.”
“No. There’s not.”
“But you want my permission,” Kingston concludes. His chair creaks slightly as he shifts his weight to get more comfortable. Like this conversation isn’t eating a hole in his gut the way it’s eating at mine.
“I respect you, King. We might not always see eye-to-eye, but I think you have a knack for seeing the bigger picture and are able to play your hand better than anyone I know. So yeah, I want your permission.”
He stays quiet and inspects my proposition from all angles while never relieving the pressure of his stare.
After a few long seconds, he lifts his chin. “Fine. You can talk with Dominic and find out what your options are. But you do not move forward until we both agree on a plan. We clear?”
Pushing myself up from my seat, I tap my knuckles against the hard surface of his desk. “Yeah. Thank you.”
29
Q
As I wrap my hair in a towel after drying my bare body from the shower, my skin prickles with awareness.
Someone’s watching me.
Glancing over my shoulder, my heart leaps in my chest before evening out just as quickly when I recognize the culprit.
“Hey, stranger,” I greet him. “Where have you been? It’s late.”
With his shoulder against the doorjamb and his arms crossed over his chest, Diece scans me from head to toe, so I do the same to him. He looks good in his white button-up shirt that’s rolled to his elbows. A loosened black tie hangs around his neck, and a pair of dark slacks complete the