“I believe Jamie was going to propose a deal for the Sicilians to join the Irish under a new umbrella organization here in the States,” Constantine explained in a resolute tone. “That organization was formerly known as The Alliance overseas, before The League took them down a few years ago.”

The League? I mentally reviewed everything he’d told me in his office earlier about them.

“Jamie’s father was part of The Alliance, and when they fell, so did he. That’s why he’s in prison,” Alessandro explained.

“I still don’t understand what this has to do with Colin. Why’d Jamie want Colin in that room at the rave? And why did two men try to abduct Colin earlier?” My hands dropped from my hair to my lap, my arms feeling like dead weight.

Constantine slowly walked over, knelt before me, and took my hands, holding both of them. I didn’t like that look in his eyes, dang it.

“Jamie lied to Colin to get him in that room. My guess is he was going to ask the Sicilians to hold him hostage as leverage. Jamie’s family can’t risk tying their hands to the abduction. And more importantly, they couldn’t let The League find out The Alliance is connected to anything and looking to start up again, this time in the States.”

I shook my head, still confused. I looked around the room, searching for answers. As if I could pluck them from the air, or from one of his brothers, since nothing Constantine was saying made sense.

Constantine gently tugged my hands as a request to focus back on him, so I did. “Jamie met Colin for the first time last month. Jamie’s father’s prison records were swapped out with someone else’s then as well,” he said steadily, and my heartbeat quickened with every statement he dropped for me to interpret.

“Jamie probably ran a background check on Lennon’s boyfriend, as any good brother would. He’d want to know what kind of guy his sister is dating,” Enzo said, connecting more dots for me.

“And?” I whispered, never losing hold of Constantine’s eyes. “What did they find in Colin’s background to make him a target?”

Constantine expelled a deep breath and lowered his forehead against our hands, clearly not wanting to say this next part.

And he didn’t have to because it clicked.

Baggage.

Skeletons in closets.

But this time, not Constantine’s.

“Easton. They wanted Colin because they found out who his uncle is,” I said as shock knocked me forward, nearly headbutting Constantine.