Page 31 of Retribution

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Means I had an agenda. Didn’t work out quite how I wanted.”

“Ah,” I say, nodding. “Much clearer.”

Finn chuckles, and his forearms rest on the granite island. “Please tell me mydeartháir beagisn’t thinking about climbing into bed with Derry.”

“Don’t know. I wasn’t feeling well.” I raise my spoon. “Apparently, the human body needs food to sustain itself.”

He drinks his beer in silence for a few moments while I finish my stew. His expression is impossible to read.

“How does The Cage work?” I scrape the last mouthfuls of the stew out of the bowl. My brother’s name echoes through my brain. The picture on the wall of Chad, frozen in time, won’t fall back into the recesses of my mind.

“Same as any of those underground things. Winning equals money and status. Losing equals no money and most likely death.”

“Do all the deaths happen in the ring?”

Finn’s sharp gaze tries to catch mine. “Lots of questions. Why do you ask?”

Because my half-brother was gunned down in front of me. Because my family was never the same. Because I suspect the O’Malleys did it.

“When we were there, the cleanup crew was dragging a guy out of the cage. He seemed like he was in rough shape.”

“I’m sure all kinds of things happen. I was never on that end of a battle.” He finishes his beer and opens the fridge for another one. “Drink?”

I shake my head. Pressing for more answers will cross the line from curious to intrusive. Lorcan and Finn can’t realize what I’m up to on two fronts—my brother’s killer and the FBI.

“You only drink whiskey.”

“Everyone has their vice,” I say.

“Hmm. Too true.”

“What’s yours?”

Finn slants his beer in my direction, a sly smile slipping onto his face. “You think I’m going to tell you that?”

“Never know.” I take my bowl to the sink with my spoon.

He’s so close to me his breath stirs the tendrils of my hair that have slipped from my ponytail. “Tell Lorcan if he gets into bed with the O’Malleys, he’s going to need that arms deal. The truce we have right now won’t last.”

His paleness is even more evident when we’re this close. He must be only a step or two from an albino. The Casper nickname is a kick in the teeth for a man like him. The tangy aroma of beer tickles my nose.

“What’s your problem with Lorcan? You’re brothers.”

Finn looks away to take a pull of his drink. “Half-brothers.”

“That matters?” Chad meant the world to me as a kid. I would have followed him anywhere, done anything to get more time with him.

“It does when your father had your mother killed to make way for his mistress and their bastard child.”

My sharp intake of breath is loud in the quiet kitchen. “Finn.” My gaze flies to meet his. That wasn’t in the file. Someone needs to be fired.

“That’s the first I’ve heard you say my name.” His lips twist into an almost-smile.

“I’m sorry about your mother.”

“It was a long time ago.” He downs the rest of his beer.