Page 176 of Sins of Innocence

"That's not proven yet and my dad won't believe a Shaughnessy could be involved in something we've worked to keep out of our boroughs for more than three generations."

"But Kieran said—"

"Oh, we all know he's the rich business dude the gang members mentioned in interrogation, but my dad requires proof."

Stress lodges itself in my chest and won't let go. This is my daughter's safety we're talking about and Brogan Shaughnessy's unwillingness to admit his family is involved only puts her further at risk.

When my silence stretches, Kara says, "Wraith is not going to let them get to Sadie. Neither will Mick. And your husband's team is looking for links between Kenneth and the Hollow Point Kings."

Ellie is part of that team and there's no one better at finding information than her. She's given me a list of names to look for in the company books in the off chance Kenneth did business with any of them that can be documented.

"It would help if he would stop killing them before interrogation," Kara says with what sounds like fond exasperation.

"Oh."

"His argument is that the low-level gang members are a clear and present threat to Sadie, but are unlikely to have information that will help us."

So, he kills them.

"Uh…" I don't know what to say to that.

"You're going to have to decide how much of your husband's life you want to remain a mystery to you," Kara warns.

She's right. For a man like Kieran, if I want to stay ignorant of his mob activities, there's going to be a big chunk of him I'll never get to know.

My knee-jerk reaction to that is heck no, there won't. Not knowing what Troy was up to put me and the girls at risk, but it also prevented me from seeing the type of man my first husband really was.

"I don't want barriers between me and Kieran," I admit to Kara.

"Good. He deserves to be with a woman who sees and accepts all of him."

"Yes, he does," I agree with more fervency than I'm sure she's expecting. To cover my excessive enthusiasm, I prompt, "By ask her, you mean…"

Am I setting myself up for participating in an informal interrogation and if so, what kind of information extraction techniques am I expected to watch or participate in?

"There will be a little something extra in her tea that will make her more amenable to answering questions honestly. In the proper dose, she won't remember a whole lot of the conversation later."

"Um, that's good, I guess."

"Yep. Unfortunately, we'll need to meter it so she doesn’t faceplant unconscious in her plate of petit fours either."

That's a weirdly specific scenario.

"What time do you want me there?" I’m assuming we’re meeting at the Shaughnessy mansion on Long Island.

I’m right and Kara tells me what time to come over the following day.

After ending the call, I go back to my accounts.

I'm trying to balance yet another anomalous entry when I look up to see Kieran standing beside my desk. "You ready for lunch?"

It's only eleven o'clock and I'm not at all hungry, but I nod and stand with alacrity. Because by lunch, I'm hoping he means some time alone in the suite/apartment he took me to yesterday.

Ten minutes later, anticipation for what's about to happen thrumming through my veins, I wait as Kieran unlocks the door to the suite.

"So, is this going to be our thing from now on?" I joke huskily.

He pushes the door open and ushers me inside. "Until we have a house big enough for privacy at night, yes."