The Inside Man: A Dublin Nights Novel

by Sahin, Brittney

  Once upon a fecking time, I would have thought Sebastian was twisted. Crazy. How could he enjoy killing? Hell, even when I’d stood in J.J.’s auto body garage a week ago, I’d been hesitant about ever taking a life.

  It was a different story now.

  “Maybe he needs to be put down. Let me handle him.”

  Sebastian shook his head. “Alessia would never forgive me if I let you do that.”

  “Not if it’s out of your control.” My pulse kicked up at the idea of coming face-to-face with that man.

  He held a hand between us. “Let’s give Emilia’s fixer a chance to do his thing. Keep our rules intact for now. Try and trust the plan.”

  “And if the plan fails?” I probed.

  “Then you should know I already have a backup plan,” he answered with grit to his voice. “Don’t let her out of your sight today or at the club tonight.” He reached for my arm, warning in his touch. “And don’t get distracted by your feelings, either.”

  Yeah, there were about a hundred different messages embedded in that warning, but I tried to shake it off. “I won’t hurt her.”

  “I know.” He paused. “But sometimes we hurt people we care about anyway.” He walked toward the lift, and I took a moment to collect my thoughts, then went back inside and locked up behind me.

  “You okay? Did he threaten you?” Alessia was on the couch, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, a pillow to her chest.

  “No, we’re good.” I forced a smile. “You hungry? I can order some food, and maybe we can make a day of it? Watch movies?”

  “I’m not sure if even movies can distract from how nervous I am with everything going on.”

  I sat and wrapped my arm around her and pulled her tight to my side.

  “I’m also still slightly mortified my brother walked in on me trying to get you off.”

  My cock sprang to life at the mere mention of her hand on me. Damn, I really was acting like a teenager again.

  “Come on. Food. Movies. It can be like old times.”

  Her lips curved into a slight smile. “Probably not a good idea to imagine we’re in the past.”

  “No?” I arched a brow.

  “In the past, I wanted to straddle you while watching a movie, but I shouldn’t do that now. Not yet, at least.” Her tone was somber. Heartbreaking.

  “What are you saying?” I was pretty sure I knew what she was going to say, though.

  “Do you think we should hold off on being together until this, um, situation is resolved?”

  “If that’s what you want.” I didn’t exactly want Luca to be a dark shadow over our first time together. I shifted on the couch and brushed my thumb over her bottom lip, wishing I could taste her without any barriers. Without any secrets.

  “So, is it a deal?” She pulled her hand free from the blanket and offered it to me. “We agree to wait to be together until this madness is over?” There was a touch of hesitancy, of fear, in her voice. Would she regret waiting, or was she worried we’d wait too long and lose our chance?

  “That means no kissing. No touching. Just keep things like they were before you left New York.” I hated even saying those words. Absolutely hated it. “No jerking me off, especially in front of your brother,” I added in a joking voice, hoping to stave off the nerves and the uncertainty floating inside of me.

  “I just need my head on straight and Luca out of it before we’re together.”

  My stomach lurched at her words.

  “I wish more than anything I could make you feel better and take back those years you were with him.” I stared down at her hand, not able to take it yet, worried this deal of ours would come with too heavy of a price, and we’d wind up back in the friend zone or worse—I’d lose her forever this time.

  “You were always there with me in my heart. You saved me. Thinking of you, of our time together, kept me sane.” Her eyes were glassy, and she blinked, trying to thwart her tears. “So, a movie?” She’d quickly changed the subject, clearly needing to eradicate whatever was on her mind.

  “Sure.” I clasped our palms, the heat of her touch shooting straight to my heart. “There’s a new Bad Boys movie out. I know how you love Will Smith.”

  Her lips spread into a grin. “Now we’re talking.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Alessia

  The club was packed tonight. Thanks to a famous DJ from the US, we were filled to capacity. The guy was in hot demand around the world and was often called “the Maestro of Mix” due to his ability to play sound systems like a virtuoso. He drew in crowds and mesmerized them with his creativity and out-of-this-world mixes. And he was currently on the raised platform above the dance area, one hand spinning turntables, the other in the air, pumping his fist. On any other day, I’d have been riveted by his performance. I would’ve been out on that dance floor with everyone else, like the first time I heard him perform at a club in Ibiza five and a half years ago.

  Sebastian and I had been on the island, just off the coast of mainland Spain, for business. While my brother dealt with League matters, I traipsed about the city, followed by one of his associates, and had eventually wound up inside a hot, sweaty club. I’d always loved music and dancing, but watching the DJ perform had given me the idea of owning a club.

  I’d been nervous about choosing Dublin as a location given Cole had family in the city, but I’d told myself that being in his hometown would somehow keep him close to me even when I couldn’t have him in my life. And maybe someday we’d find our way back to each other if I was there.

  And here I was now, in a club I owned with my brother, and Cole and I were together.

  I was living my dream, not everyone was so lucky . . .

  Cole was at a booth off to the side of the dance floor, going over some paperwork from his day job at McGregor Enterprises. I had no idea how he focused with the music blaring in the background, and I also didn’t know how he balanced all that was on his shoulders.

  He helped run a multi-billion-dollar empire. And kept Ireland safe from bad guys by becoming a shadowy, heroic figure.

  “Are you sure you should be here?” Ola, who was one of the bartenders, reached for my elbow as we stood behind the bar. She brushed her blonde hair free from her face and angled her head when I’d yet to speak. “I heard what happened to you.”

  I’d done my best to hide the bruises around my eye and on my face with makeup, and I’d worn a long-sleeved silk dress to cover the marks on my arm.

  “I’m okay. Really,” I offered, the flat tone of my voice probably hidden by the thumping bass. I smiled, then looked toward Cole’s booth again, but he wasn’t there anymore. “Be back.” I eased my arm out of Ola’s grasp and left the bar to try and find him.

  This morning when I woke up in his arms, and he’d been wearing only a towel, I’d forgotten the burden on my shoulders for the briefest moment, all of the guilt and the anger disappeared. Somehow, Cole always made me feel safe and secure. He made me feel like I wasn’t caught up inside of some tragic love story, but rather a part of something wonderfully epic.

  This morning he reminded me it was possible to be whole again. If only there weren’t so many barriers in our way from making that happen.

  I finally spotted Cole. He was with Emilia, near the spiral set of stairs, his work folder tucked under his arm. He was in casual attire: jeans, a button-down black dress shirt, and oxfords.

  I caught Emilia’s eyes as I maneuvered through the crowd to get to them. “Any news?”

  “Still waiting to hear something,” was all Emilia said because we were in earshot of other people. Outsiders. But I knew how to interpret her answer. Her fixer was still working on Luca.

  “Can we talk?” I jerked a thumb in the direction of my office. “Alone?”

  Cole’s eyes narrowed, a look of worry and curiosity on his face. Emilia nodded, and I turned, but he caught me by the arm. “You okay?”

  Not even close, but I mouthed, “yes,” and then he re
leased me, and I felt his hesitation in doing so.

  Once Emilia and I were alone in my office, which was one room down from Sebastian’s, I locked up and pressed my back to the door.

  Emilia spun around, looking as powerful as ever in her silky red pants and black heels, paired with a black, fitted, sleeveless turtleneck. “He suspects something.”

  I pushed away from the door, went around to my desk, and dropped down in the leather chair. The setup of my room was the same as my brother’s, except that my desk hadn’t been constructed out of wood from a pirate ship.

  “There were three men, Alessia. I watched the security tapes. When lying, it’s best to stick as close to the truth as possible.”

  I pressed the heel of my hand to my forehead and applied pressure. “I thought you deleted the recordings.”

  Emilia sat on the edge of my desk. “I made a copy. I wanted to see their faces.”

  “I told you they were wearing masks.”

  “I knew you had a reason for keeping the footage from Cole and Sebastian. You didn’t want them to know you can fight. But after watching the tapes, I discovered another reason—the men weren’t wearing masks. You didn’t want to take a chance they’d be able to identify your attackers.”

  I secured my hands on the chair arms and gripped tightly. “Can you still help me, though?”

  “It’s already been handled.” She stood. “Your brother and Cole will hear from the Garda by tomorrow with news about the attackers.”

  Relief flooded me. “And they’ll confess?” I swallowed the knot down my throat.

  “Yes.”

  “Cole will want proof it was them. Will my purse be enough?” I was grateful she was helping me, and I knew the high price . . . betraying my brother and Cole. It was to keep them safe, though.

  “The purse will be sufficient.” She remained calm and cool, unlike me. I was doing my best to keep myself together while spinning so many lies.

  “But what if Sebastian or Cole go after them?”

  “The men will be in jail. As long as Cole and Sebastian know Luca’s not behind the attack, they’ll be able to move on. Trust me.”

  I wanted to trust her, but I saw the wrath in Cole’s eyes. He wanted to spill my attackers’ blood. He had no idea how impossible that would truly be.

  Emilia brought a palm to the desk, and my eyes went to her red nails. “I can’t help you anymore unless you come clean with me. I need to know everything.”

  Everything? My hand went flat to my abdomen, pain developing there. The fluttering sensation of nervousness had me almost dizzy.

  “And for starters, answer a question.”

  I found her eyes, doing my best to remain steady. Calm. “Yeah?”

  “Did you know those men who attacked you were connected to one of the most powerful Russian crime syndicates in the world?”

  So much yes that it hurt. “Yes,” I whispered, wishing I could change my answer, but I needed her help, and that meant I had to be honest with her.

  She folded her arms. “And how exactly did you attract the attention of a Russian mob?”

  Painful memories crowded my mind.

  “Alessia,” she said like a warning, and I was worried she was going to walk out on me, leaving me to face hell alone.

  “Because,” I began, taking a sharp breath before letting it go, “I killed one of their members. I killed the leader of the organization’s son.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Alessia

  “And we’re believing this?” Cole’s voice held more than a hint of skepticism as he cupped the back of his neck with one hand, his eyes on Sebastian. My brother had just delivered the news that two men were now in police custody, the men who allegedly attacked me Saturday night.

  The three men who actually confronted me were still out there, though.

  We know the truth, Alessia. We know who you are and what you have done to our family, a man had said over the phone line last Saturday, his Russian accent thick. Meet my men now, or they will come into the restaurant where you’re located, and your sister-in-law will be coming out, too.

  I’d walked back to the dinner table in total shock. I’d tried to act normal in front of Holly, Sean, and Ethan, but I’d kept blinking rapidly, searching for an excuse to leave. To keep them safe.

  When I’d met with the men down the street as instructed, I hadn’t expected to find three men who had scary Russian mob written all over them. The main distinguishable mark—the tattoos on their hands. I’d seen it before, and after months of living free from that hell of a prison, I hadn’t anticipated I’d see it again outside of my nightmares. Not yet, at least.

  Your presence is requested by Adrian Petrov at our casino. This Thursday night, the guy, who I assumed may have been in charge of the three, had said. You come alone. You do not tell your brother or your boyfriend about tonight or about Thursday. If you do not want them getting hurt for your sins, you will listen.

  Why wait? I’d asked after they explained who they were, and my entire body had trembled from learning the truth.

  Thursday, he’d said instead as if I’d forget, then he reached for my necklace.

  I’d pulled out of his reach in one fast movement, responding on instinct, calling up the woman Luca had turned me into, using the fighting skills, dirty and otherwise, I’d learned in prison.

  I went after my necklace, delivering an uppercut first to the man who’d done all the talking, then flew an elbow into the other man’s nose. I fought like my life depended on it even though they’d been prepared to let me go, unable to stop myself.

  It was only then that I wound up in the alley away from onlookers.

  Stop fighting us, one of the men growled out, while pulling me off his associate and throwing me up against the wall. A few punches later, to the ribs and face, I’d crumpled to the ground like one of those balled-up letters I’d never finished back at the prison.

  We weren’t supposed to hurt you, the guy who’d done most of the talking hissed while crouching before me, my necklace dangling from his loose fist. Not yet, at least.

  I’d carried my eyes to his green ones, a cold chill crossing over my skin. I’ll be there. Just don’t hurt anyone else. I’d closed my eyes. You have my word.

  “Alessia? Are you okay?” Cole was standing before me, still in his suit since it was Monday morning. He hadn’t wanted to leave my hotel room, but he had a meeting he couldn’t get out of, and I’d convinced him to go by having Emilia “babysit” me. He’d probably broken every speeding law to get back to the hotel after Sebastian had called him.

  The living room was pretty expansive, but it felt crowded with three powerful League leaders here with me. My brother may have stepped down, but in my eyes, he’d always be that man.

  “I’m fine. Relieved,” I forced out the lie, trying to push the memory of Saturday night out of my mind. It’d been trapped in my head on repeat, except for yesterday morning when I’d allowed my lust to take over.

  Cole worked the top button of his blue shirt free, then loosened the tie. He’d already tossed his suit jacket and vest the moment he arrived. “I need to hear this again. Word for word. I’m having a hard time believing it.”

  Sebastian’s back was to the windows, which overlooked the city, his arms crossed over his chest. “On Saturday night, after Alessia was attacked, I informed my contacts at the Garda there’d been a mugging. They called me this morning to let me know an arrest had been made. Two men were captured while mugging another woman at the train station late last night.”

  “And you spoke to the men?” Cole asked. “Confirmed they were the ones who also attacked Alessia? Did they have her purse? Her necklace?”

  “Yes. They had her purse. They said they tossed her necklace,” Sebastian answered.

  Emilia was a magician. How she pulled this off and encouraged two criminals to accept fault for the attack was beyond me.

  “They’re from Prague. Not local. They bounce around from cit
y to city, spending time in new locations to steal for a few weeks, and then they move on. It explains why they didn’t know Alessia’s off-limits. They didn’t know about The League. Petty traveling criminals.” He shook his head, still furious. “I talked to them myself. My guy let me in the room with them. Not only did the Garda find Alessia’s purse as evidence, but I also showed them a few photos of different women, and they quickly identified her.”

  “I still think Luca could have hired them.” Cole’s hand was on his chest, and he almost looked—well, disappointed, like he’d wanted a reason to go after Luca.

  “No,” Emilia spoke up for the first time from where she sat on the couch. “Luca’s been pushed and pressed, and from what my guy can tell, he wasn’t involved.” She carried her focus my way, and I did my best not to mouth a thank you.

  “I don’t believe it,” Cole said, his tone clipped with disbelief.

  “They committed a string of muggings in Belfast before they got here. And before that in other places. And so on. We jumped to conclusions. Our hate for Luca.” Sebastian’s arms relaxed. “But they’re behind bars, and they can’t hurt anyone anymore.” He turned to me. “You’re safe now.”

  “You promise not to punish them any more than the jail time they’ll be serving?” I knew the men Emilia had selected were guilty of all crimes but attacking me, but I didn’t want my brother or Cole going after them. “You won’t make an example out of them?” My hand trembled at my side, and my brother noticed and stepped closer.

  “As much as I want to, if you say not to—”

  “I say not to,” I sputtered, and he looked over at Cole, silently asking for his decision on the matter.

  “We’ll respect your wishes,” Sebastian said, following a sigh, but Cole didn’t nod or agree. He stood quietly, staring at the floor.

  His jaw, his hands . . . Cole’s entire body remained wound tight despite the news.