Ruthless Heart
LILY
After spending suchan earth-shaking night in Nero’s arms, it seems impossible that I would wake up in exactly the same world the next morning, but that’s exactly what happens. He goes to work, I take a shower, and spend the day working on my painting, and counting down the hours until I can have him alone again.
Then Nero calls with news. “I swung us an invite to dinner with McKenna and his wife tonight,” he says.
“What?” I blink. “That’s amazing, how did that happen?”
“Guess we hit it off, after all,” he replies. “Either that, or he’s ready to hit me up for a campaign donation.”
“The timing couldn’t be better,” I say, but Nero just grunts.
“Yeah, we’ll see about that. I’ll pick you up at six, we’re dining at their place in Syosset,” he says, naming a rich town just outside the city.
“And it’s just the four of us?”
“Yup. Real cosy,” Nero replies. I hang up and go pick out our wardrobe for the night. As much as I’m relieved Nero’s plan to get close to McKenna is paying dividends, I also hate the reminder of the deal hanging over my head.
If Nero gets McKenna to fold and rubber-stamp the development deal, then I’ll have fulfilled my part of the bargain. I’ll be free.
But what about Nero and me?
I push the question aside, as Nero picks me up, and we head out to the McKennas’ that evening.
Nero seems wound even more tightly than usual, his knee bobbing behind the steering wheel on the drive over. He probably knows this may be our last shot to make this happen before the vote.
My last shot to win my brother’s safety.
I swallow and turn my attention to the surroundings as we pull up the driveway. I whistle. “Wow, what happened to McKenna’s story of being just another humble guy made good?”
The house is stately as hell, with three stories, square windows and round columns holding up the porch roof. The white color sticks out from all the green surrounding it: perfectly manicured bushes, rolling lawn, and trees at the far rear of the property. “This is not humble, by any means.”
“Good.” Nero replies, getting out of the car. He adjusts his jacket, and takes it all in. “Guys with a taste for the finer things need a way to pay for it, after all.”
I try to ignore the fact I’m here, helping with something that is definitely immoral, let alone illegal.
We’re just approaching the front steps, when my phone buzzes in my bag. I pull it out to silence it, when I realize that it’s the wrong one. I grabbed my burner phone on the way out the door, not the one Nero gave me.
Teddy’s calling. And I have a dozen missed calls and texts from him in the last ten minutes. Fuck.
Nero hasn’t noticed yet, so I angle it in my hand. “It’s Marissa,” I lie, “Let me just talk to her for a quick sec. She might have useful info about the McKennas,” I add.
Nero nods. “Sure.”
I turn away, and drop my voice as I answer, my heart racing. “Hello?”
“Hey,” Teddy says.
“What’s up?” I ask, as Nero checks his own device.
“Well…. Don’t panic—” Teddy starts, and I do, immediately.
“Oh God, what is it?” I demand. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. I promise.” Teddy swears. “It’s just that… I got mugged.”
“What?”
Nero looks up at my exclamation. I swallow back my panic.