“Calix is also breathing down my neck. Wants to know about structural damage, security triggers, whether you need more weapons. The security alert pinged him directly.”
Of course it did. I should’ve known Calix would have a failsafe in place. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if Ezra had someone planted in my building feeding her real-time reports. I bet she did that to all of us. It was her psycho way of caring for us the best she could.
“Riot also wanted to know if you had anyone to send her way for interrogation. The second she heard you were attacked, she nearly walked off a job.”
I blinked. “Riot almost abandoned a job?” That was fucking monumental.
“She only held off because I convinced her to wait until you called…like you said you would.”
Aaaaaand there it was. The guilt trip. Again.
I fingered the pink diamond accents sewn into my navy silk slip dress, like tiny pink stars on the midnight fabric, and mumbled, “It’s not like you didn’t have a general idea.”
That earned me a teeth-clenching response, her voice sharp enough to draw blood. “And this iswhyI keep tabs on you. Don’t complain about me tracking you when you’re the one breaking your word?—”
“I didn’t promise anything,” I cut in quickly, trying to shut it down.
A pause. Then the crunch of paper crumpling in someone's hand. Damn. That was worse.
“A verbal or written confirmation of a time is a commitment, Aniyah. You broke it. End of story.”
I knew that tone. There was no way out of that, so I pivoted.
“You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ll communicate better. When Nova gets here?—”
“And Calix.”
I blinked hard. “What?! No. I can send him a report. Why are you sendinghim?”
I loved Calix, really, but now I had to managetwoother Syndicate bosses in my city?
“He’s assessing and resetting any compromised security. Nova’s reevaluating personnel. It’s all standard protocol, Aniyah, and they are the best of the best in their fields. It would be foolish not to take the help.”
“I can handle that myself!” I bit out. I wanted her toseeme. Not as a little sister but as a boss in my own right. That had to start here with me handling my own shit as it came.
“I assumed you’d be too busy finding out who came after you. Unless I was wrong?” Her tone softened, but it was a calculated move. “This is your territory. Your name. I thought you'd want to be the one to send the message.”
Oh, she was good. My cold-blooded sister knew exactly how to twist the knife and make it feel like motivation.
“I mean, unless you’d rather Riot and the Devil Clan take care of it?”
“No,” I snapped. That was mine to handle, and she knew it.
“I figured.” Her voice dripped with satisfaction. “They’ll be in touch soon.”Click. Conversation over.
Yay. Family reunion.I rolled my eyes, knowing this was going to be a lot more work than play.
My mind spun with the logistics of what I needed to prep for Nova and what tech Calix would want access to. My fingers hovered over the closet handle, and I groaned. Out there were men with questions. Confessions.Feelings.
I didn’t have time for any of that.
Taking a long breath, I braced myself the way Ezra would. I needed to be cold, focused. efficient.
Right now, my only priority was finding whoever did this and making them regret they ever heard the name Aniyah Glovefox.
Throwing the closet door open, I was met with five sets of eyes, each one heavy with expectation and practically vibrating with unspoken questions.
Lucus stepped forward first, his voice low and loaded. “We need?—”
