She was talking about their security guard, Jay. She must’ve noticed when he was gone, because he sure as hell wasn’t letting her out to talk to strange men.
“Sure.”
It had been a week since they’d gone to Tybee Island, a week since he had found out about Capistrano. A week that he’d been anxiously awaiting word from his guy inside the Valetti family confirming that the Valettis had put a hit on Viola.
A week without sleep, mostly.
Callum heard a knock on the door. He looked at his watch. Almost eight on a weeknight.
He went the door, expecting Jay. But it wasn’t, it was Fallon.
Shit. Shit, shit! What had he done?
He checked the room, realized Viola had gone to make her phone call in private. He opened the door to let Fallon in. The older man wore a gray suit, not unlike Callum; it was a bit like looking in a mirror that showed you the future.
“I heard you’re not working tonight,” Fallon said by way of introduction. “Must be nice.”
“Fallon, what are you doing here?” he asked, keeping his voice neutral.
“Oh, just checking up on you. Sweet son of the praised father, and all.” He smiled, and sat down on Callum’s couch, making himself comfortable. “Where are your manners? Offer me a drink.”
Callum was on edge, but he walked into the kitchen.
“Would you like a drink?” he asked, keeping his tone formal.
His uncle grinned. “No. I heard your girl is something to look at, though.”
Callum froze at the mention of Viola. Who’d been talking about her?
He turned. “What are you here for, Fallon?”
“I came to see your girl,” Fallon said, leaning forward. “Ah, there she is.”
Viola came in, looking at Fallon with evident confusion. “Guests, Callum?”
Callum couldn’t think of anything to say. How do I introduce my partially insane uncle?
Turned out, he didn’t have to because Fallon introduced himself. Fallon stood, taking her offered hand in sweeping kiss.
“I am Fallon, the handsomer version of your beau,” he said.
She flushed, no doubt because of the beau part. Callum’s fists tightened, but he didn’t say anything. What could he say? That he was most certainly not her beau?
That would be the end of things between her and Callum, and he wasn’t ready for that.
“Viola,” she said politely.
Callum could see her trying to shake his uncle off. He had to step in.
“Fallon—”
“Viola Valetti, am I right?” Fallon asked, all smiles.
“What? No,” he told his uncle.
Callum turned to Viola, who had gone ashen.
“Who are you?” she asked Fallon, her voice soft but audible.
“Viola, tell him who you really are,” Callum said, growing angry.
She and Fallon were sizing one another up, trying to figure out how to defeat one another.
“God, this is good,” Fallon said, turning his attention to Callum. “You have a gold mine sitting right in front of you, and you don’t even know. What a life you got, kid. Even the chicks you bang end up being from a golden goose.”
Callum lost control of himself then, hauling off and punching his uncle in the face. Fallon looked back at Callum, tasting his own blood from where it rolled down his lip, dripping.
Fallon laughed, looking at both of them. Viola was trying really hard not to cry. Fallon stood, preparing to leave.
“You know what? It’s okay. Because when we turn her over to the Valettis, they’re gonna owe us, big time. A lot of dough. And it’s gonna clear whatever you did to get yourself shot at in the first place. The Valettis promised me the lives of all you Black Saints, in exchange for her. So I don’t even care that you just punched me over some stupid bitch, when she’s gonna be a windfall soon enough.”’
Viola was deadly pale, shaking.
“Get. Out.” Callum bit the words off, thinking it was impossible to hate Fallon any more than he did.
“I’ll see you guys later,” Fallon said. “Don’t worry, Viola. I’ll give your love to your father.”
Callum barely saw her move, just saw a blur and then bright red erupt across Fallon’s face. She’d slapped him.
“You little—” Fallon started, but Callum grabbed him by the lapels and forced him from the apartment.
“Don’t fucking come back,” he warned as he shut the door in Fallon’s face.
Door closed, Callum paused. When he turned around, he was going to face Viola… and no matter what Fallon had said, he’d definitely raised some serious questions.
Callum turned to Viola, his face carefully blank.
He saw the tear snaking down the side of her face, but he could not be swayed. Would not be swayed.