“Who could’ve guessed we’d end up holding a Syndicate boss meeting inside my sex club?” I deadpanned, dragging out the last two words just to watch Ezra’s eye twitch.
Her stick-straight white hair was draped over one shoulder, and the scarlet pantsuit she’d paired with a black cropped button-up made her look like she was ready to fire half a boardroom. Folding her hands, she arched a single brow. “Thisisa Syndicate stronghold. It was always a possibility, Aniyah.”
Nova leaned forward, her slouchy T-shirt, jeans, and tattooed arms giving off a casual vibe that didn’t hide her strength. Her white hair was wild except for one braided side. “It’s fine, E. We saw the body. We’re just discussing what happened, not holding an all-day conference.”
She gave a light laugh, but Ezra didn’t share the humor.
Across from me, Calix had his Dior sneakers propped on the table, navy shirt half-unbuttoned, khakis barely wrinkled. He winked like this was just another brunch. Riot, seated beside me, was the opposite—rigid, alert, silent. In all-black everything, she looked more like an assassin than a mafia boss.
“Nova’s right,” Riot said, voice steady. “We’re here to hear what the fae-wolf said.”
Taking the cue, I told them everything. How Natalie admitted to seducing Glen to learn my security layout, how she used friendships with staff to access restricted areas. When Glen outlived his usefulness, she killed him and tried to plant a second bomb to complete her mission.
“What got me,” I continued, “was how convincing she was when she played the sweet girl. Even Van and I bought it. Once she dropped the act, she cracked. Started talking to herself, grinningwhile explaining what she’d done. She was proud and extremely loyal to this ‘him’ she kept mentioning.”
Riot narrowed her eyes. “She didn’t name anyone? No group, no affiliation?”
I shook my head. “Just ‘him’ and sometimes ‘us.’ I tried pressing her, but she was more interested in carving me up than chatting.”
“I also want to know more about this breeding that this ‘him’ is doing. Blending super powers has to mean he’s experimenting, but how he’s gotten this far is beyond me. We need to stop it before he hones his process.” Calix's concern was valid, and having seen the results of this experimentation up close and personal, I had to agree.
Everyone went quiet. Ezra’s expression turned pensive.
“She said he was coming foruslast,” I added. “Its not much to go on, but maybe he had already started something nearby? Somehow keeping tabs? Maybe… Mexico?”
Ezra’s hands clenched, then slowly relaxed. “I’ll call around to see if any new factions are rising.” Her sunset pink eyes that matched mine scanned each of us. “Until then, stay sharp. Anything feels off, you tell me. We can’t afford another breach. Agreed?”
“Eyes wide open,” Calix said, dropping his feet to the floor.
“Already on it,” Nova chimed in, thumbs flying over her phone.
“I’ll warn the Devil Clan,” Riot added. “They’ll keep ears to the ground in less savory circles.”
I nodded. “All good here and on major alert.”
Ezra did a half turn, her sharp gaze locked on me. The room stilled. My pulse kicked up. Having her full attention felt like standing in the path of a storm. Still, I squared my shoulders and met her stare head-on. Boss to boss.
Her lips twitched, as if the words fought their way out. “I’m proud of you, Niya.”
The air left my lungs. For a heartbeat, I wondered if I’d misheard. Ezra didn’t doproud. Not unless it came with a positive balance sheet or a signed contract.
“You faced a bombing. Rebuilt. Led through chaos and stared down an enemy you didn’t even know.” Her voice faltered, her gaze flicking away. Vulnerability. Brief and foreign, but it still crossed her face.
I looked around the table. Nova shot me a wink. Riot gave a firm nod. Calix crossed his arms, smirking. “Don’t let it go to your head, kid. You’re a badass, sure, but you still need your big brother.”
Something settled in my chest then, solid and real. For the first time, I wasn’t just the kid they had to protect. I was one of them. A Syndicate boss.
It gave me the strength to bring up something that I didn't know how they would take, but I knew they would listen, and they would respect what I said. “There’s… one more thing we need to talk about.”
Ezra fixed me with a gaze sharp enough to peel paint. “By all means. Speak.”
Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and built up the courage before I let the truth fall out of my mouth. “I’ve mated.”
All of them were silent. Cracking open an eye, I saw Nova’s mouth had dropped open. Calix blinked like he’d misheard. Riot’s breath hitched. Ezra just stared, her face unreadable.
I knew this would be hard for them to accept, so I got up, turned around, and lifted my shirt to show them the fine-line tattoo that should have been invisible. “The mate-blocker tattoo… I think the spell’s broken.”
Silence again, which, for my family, meant the Earth had momentarily stopped spinning.
