C
HAPTER
17
M
y uncle cornered me the next afternoon at Morgan’s. “Have you thought more about our conversation the other night?” he asked, glancing around to see if anyone was in earshot. “About helping our cause?”
I checked off inventory on a clipboard, saying nothing. I’d managed to avoid discussing this with Billy for more than a week, but I knew I couldn’t put it off forever.
“This Luc fellow. He seems quite attached to you. Who was the other one?”
I set down the clipboard. Might as well get this over with. “His name is Anton. He’s the leader of the group that killed Verity.”
“And now he’s trying to kill you?” His face creased in concern. “Why? Can you do magic as well?”
“No. He thinks I have information, and he wants it.”
“Ah.” Finally, something Billy was familiar with. “Do you?”
“No,” I said shortly, and went into the front to hand off the inventory to Charlie. Niobe and Luc seemed confident that Billy wouldn’t be a problem, but that’s because they didn’t know him the way I did. He’d find a way to cause trouble, sooner or later.
Sooner, as it turned out.
A few hours later, Luc strolled into Morgan’s, tossed his fedora on a table, and settled in. His eyes tracked me across the room, and I fought off annoyance that once again, the two halves of my life were mingling.
“What can I get you?” I asked, slapping down a coaster and a tattered menu.
“Minute of your time would be nice,” he said. “Looked like you had some excitement yesterday.”
“Lena did. I was an innocent bystander.”
“You? Innocent?” One eyebrow lifted. “If you say so, Mouse.”
I flushed. “Are you going to order?”
He glanced over at the bar. “Bourbon’ll do.”
“ID?”
He blinked at me. “Beg pardon?”
“The drinking age here is twenty-one.” I smiled sweetly. “Is it different in Louisiana?”
He scowled at me. “Different for—” He broke off as a hand clapped my shoulder.
“Luc!” said my uncle cheerily. “Good to see you again!”
“Likewise,” Luc replied, not even bothering to sound sincere.
“Mo, bring the lad whatever he’s asking for. After all he’s done, I’m not about to deny him a drink.”
I sighed. “Bourbon. Neat or on the rocks?”
“Neat.”
I didn’t want to leave them alone, but Billy gave me a push toward the bar. “Top shelf,” he called after me. When I returned, they’d moved to the back booth. “Mo, darling girl. Fetch me a cup of coffee and ask Charlie to mind your tables for a bit so you can join us.”
By the time I’d brought Charlie up to speed and grabbed Billy’s coffee, he and Luc had been talking for far too long. I set Billy’s mug down with a thump and slid in next to Luc, my fingers knotted in my lap.
Luc patted my hands under the table, his bland smile unwavering, his eyes shrewd.
“I was just telling Luc how worried we’ve been about you, ever since Verity died. I’d say knowing the truth has been a burden lifted, but ...” He lifted his hands, helpless. “It seems you’re in as much danger as before.”
“More,” said Luc pleasantly. “You’re trying to protect a neighborhood. Mouse and I are lookin’ to keep a whole world safe.”
“All the more reason she should be protected,” said Billy.
“I
am
protected.”
“Can Donnelly fight those things that came after you the other night?”
“No need,” said Luc. “They won’t come after her again.”
“Your doing, I’d wager.” When Luc didn’t respond, Billy continued, “Don’t you see, Mo? It’s a gift, this world appearing when we need it most.”
“It’s not a gift,” I said. “None of this is for your benefit.”
“It’s benefited you, hasn’t it?”
My best friend murdered, my once-clear future now a twisted, murky path. Kowalski dead and the Seraphim attacking me every time I turned around. “Less than you’d think.”
“But it could fix everything. Think of what it would mean—we could rout Ekomov. Take back our neighborhood. Even get out from under the thumb of the Forellis. All our dreams ...”
“Your dreams,” I said quickly. “Not mine. You can quit making plans. I can’t use magic, and even if I could, I wouldn’t use it to help you.”
The mask dropped away; for an instant, his bafflement and rage were crystal clear. Luc saw it, too, and his eyes narrowed in warning.
Billy got the message and changed tack immediately, transferring his attention to Luc. “You’ve brought my niece into something dangerous.”
“She made that call all on her own,” Luc said. “And she’s handlin’ herself well enough.”
“Still, I’d like some assurance she’ll be safe.”
“You have my word,” Luc said.
Billy looked unimpressed. “I’d like something a bit more tangible. Proof. A demonstration would suffice.”
“You’ve had a shock,” Luc replied, draping his arm around me. “So I will not take offense at the fact you just questioned my word and impugned my character. And I will refrain from demonstratin’ my ability to turn this place into a bundle of toothpicks. Let’s leave it at this: Someone tries to hurt Mouse, or wrong her, or give her cause to grieve? I will drop them. Permanently. And that includes you.”
Billy’s hand went still on his mug, and then he smiled, so widely it couldn’t be natural. “And that was the proof I needed, right there,” he said. “I only want to see my niece with someone who’ll treat her as she deserves.”
“I’m not with him,” I said through gritted teeth.
“Of course not. You’re throwing your future away on Donnelly, for all the good it will do you.” He shook his head in disapproval, holding Luc’s gaze.
Luc drained his whiskey and set the glass down with a sharp crack. “I’ll be going now.”
I slid out of the booth, and Luc followed.
Billy stood, unhappy at the abrupt end of the conversation. “You’re welcome here any time,” he said. “Walk our guest out, Mo.”
We made our way to the front, Luc looking sleek and dangerous compared to everyone else in the room.
“I thought you wanted to talk,” I said.
“Some other time. Illuminatin’ conversation,” he added.
“I’m sorry. He’s awful.” Of all the emotions roiling inside me, it was embarrassment that was strongest. Mortification that Luc would have to deal with Billy’s machinations, childlike compared to the circles Luc moved in.
“That he is. Fun to put him and Dominic in a room, see what develops.”
I shuddered theatrically, and he laughed a little.
“So, now that I come with your uncle’s seal of approval, you dead set against me?”
“No.” I heard what it sounded like, and backpedaled. “Wait. I didn’t mean ... it’s not Billy. He’s not the problem.”
He touched my chin lightly. “Never thought he was.”
Billy tried to pry more information out of me, but my shift was nearly over, and I wasn’t in the mood to share. He was furious—all that power, and he couldn’t get to it. He’d gotten so used to using me—as a courier, as a shield, as a bargaining chip—the fact he couldn’t use me as a weapon practically had him frothing at the mouth. And while Billy’s anger didn’t faze me anymore, his desperation did. I’d seen the way he watched Luc—avarice and calculation oozed from his pores. He was looking for Luc’s weak spots, and he’d zeroed in on me as the most likely possibility.
Colin came in as I was putting my tip money away. “Billy’s in a strange mood. None of the usual dirty looks tonight,” he said.
“Luc stopped by. Billy’s too busy dreaming of how he’ll use magic against the Russians to give you dirty looks.”
“Great. That has disaster written all over it.”
“I thought so, too. Luc doesn’t seem interested in helping him out.”
“For once, I agree with him.” He bent to kiss me, then broke off. “Your mom invited me for dinner.”
“Family dinner.” I sighed. “Are you sure you want to brave it?”
“I think I can manage your dad over pot roast,” he said.
“That makes one of us.”
But I kept it together while we sat around the table, Colin’s hand warm and familiar in mine as we said grace, his foot touching mine in a small, silent gesture of support. It was silly to rely on the nudge of his toes against mine as an anchor, but I did.
Right up until we started talking about the future.
“So,” said my mother. “I’ve been talking with the architect about the renovations at the restaurant.”
“Is there a problem?” my dad asked.
“No, no. The work’s gone slowly, of course, because of the weather. But everything happens for a reason. I’ve always said so.”
She smiled at my dad, and he returned it cautiously.
I had my doubts about divine providence and its relation to the construction industry, but I stayed quiet.
“He thinks it would be easy to extend the dining area into the parking lot next door. We could double the number of tables, at least. Maybe even wall it off so it could be used as a private room.”
“You want to expand The Slice?” There was no real reason for the sense of foreboding congealing my stomach. But it did, nevertheless.
Colin seemed to consider the idea. “It wouldn’t be too hard. You’d keep the kitchen where it is, right? We wouldn’t have to run any more plumbing or gas lines. Just the electrical.”
“Exactly,” she said. “I could open for dinner, too. He’s going to draw up the plans.”
“Annie, I don’t know about this,” my dad said.
“They’re just plans,” she said, a defensive note creeping into her voice. “What does it hurt to make plans? To dream a little? Especially now that you’re home.”
“It’s a gamble. Things could change. Our situation could change.” When she looked at him blankly, he tried another approach. “Mo’s going off to school soon. We could travel, if we wanted. Start fresh somewhere.”
“Chicago is our home. Our family’s here. Why would we want to leave?”
I didn’t miss the look that passed between my father and Colin.
“We don’t have to decide this minute,” she said. “There’s plenty of time. They’re just plans. And speaking of plans, Mo, I was talking to Mrs. Sullivan after Mass last weekend. Chloe got into Notre Dame
and
Purdue.”
“Great,” I said, feigning enthusiasm. Anything to ease the strange tension running through the room. “Pass the potatoes, please.”
My father handed me the earthenware dish. “When do you hear from NYU?”
“Soon. Seconds, anybody?”
Ordinarily, the suggestion someone was not being adequately fed would have sent my mother into a flurry of activity, but not tonight. No one was willing to be distracted. “What about the other schools you applied to? It seems late in the year to be waiting on a response.”
I ducked my head. “I’ve heard back from a few.”
My mom’s fork skidded across the plate. “You have? Who?”
“University of Chicago. University of Washington. A couple of my safeties.”
“And?” she pressed.
Colin frowned at me, which wasn’t surprising, since I hadn’t told him, either.
“And I got in.” I shrugged, focused on making little crosshatch marks in my potatoes. “It’s not a big deal.”
“Of course it is, sweetheart! I can’t believe you didn’t tell us!”
“Me neither,” said Colin, so quietly no one else heard.
I shifted in my chair, kept my eyes down. “I wanted to wait till I’d heard from all of them.”
“University of Chicago! I’m so proud of you!” She paused. “Did they mention financial aid?”
“It’s a pretty decent package.”
Finally, my dad spoke. “But you’ll take the NYU spot.”
“I haven’t heard if they’ve accepted me.”
“But you’ll take the spot,” he repeated.
“Jack! Why would she go all the way to New York when she can go to school here?” She turned to me. “You could live at home and save money on room and board.”
“I don’t think I’d be living at home,” I said quickly. I’d agreed to stay in the city, but nothing in my deal with Billy specified living here. I’d had a fantasy about staying with Colin—but that seemed more unrealistic every day.
Colin was silent, and I nudged his foot, trying to make him look at me. When he did, his eyes were flinty and unreadable.
“She’ll go to New York because that’s where her future is,” my father said. “Not here. You think she should keep working for Billy? That’s what you want for her?”
“She won’t know a soul in New York. And anything can happen there. I don’t think it’s very safe.”