“There’s a bounty on your heads,” I say quietly, not caring if my voice carries to anyone but my husband. “The details we have are unclear. There are too many conflicting stories, and until we have a concrete one, being so…blatant in your affiliation will make you more vulnerable.”
“Or stronger,” Lio says. “We’ve proven to be so already. We managed to get Luca out of the Fire Chief’s house alive, and with no casualties other than some worthless guards who turned out to be dirty cops, so who would miss them anyway? We have established ourselves in the sense we have multiple revenue streams, some taken right from under your noses. Our men follow us, not because we force them to, but because we give them a choice.”
Carter picks up from where Emilio leaves off. “We know about the bounty on our heads because we have friends and allies willing to help for a price. We are not here to cause trouble, but to work together, because how else do we defeat our enemies? I may not trust the type of men you are, or the values you hold, but I have to believe you want to end this as much as we do.”
“A truce…” I search for my words carefully, unsure if I can do this when my heart feels as if it’s shattering into a thousand pieces. Because the look in Carter’s navy eyes as he speaks? The pain there when he says he cannot trust me or my values? It cuts to the heart of who I am.
I watch as Marcus carefully leans in and offers Carter comfort, how my husband’s body sways back into his. They don’t touch, but the closeness speaks of more than just friends…
“What do we get in return for said truce?” Allesandro asks. “You’ve taken everything of meaning from us already.”
It’s my turn to reach out and set a hand on my love, offering him comfort and support for the pain he doesn’t voice, but I know is there.
Everyone on their side narrows their eyes at the touch, and it makes me want to slide my hand down to his and take it, to show we will not give in to their petty games, but I don’t. I refuse to make this any harder than it already is on him.
“We want to be respected, to be recognized as Bosses, as is our right, and to be heard,” Lio tells us simply.
An uncomfortable feeling rises in my chest, as I know I failed both Carter and Roman miserably. Neither were Bosses, by choice or by simply not being ready, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t fail to give them the respect they earned simply by being at my side.
Roman kept trying to tell me, he kept reminding me that respect is earned…I simply forgot to listen. And in doing so, I lost every ounce of respect Tennant and Hollis, and Carter ever had for me.
Fucking hell, if I’m being honest, I lost respect for myself. But…I still wouldn’t make different choices. I did what I had to as a Boss and father, and yes, the aftermath went to shit, but that choice isn’t one I would take back if asked. Choices were made, regrets are had, but what use is regret when the past cannot be changed? All we can do is move forward and hope the storm doesn’t swallow us whole.
“What else have you heard?” I ask.
“The people after us, they may be part of a new Organization. We were made aware that someone is trying to get a foothold in this territory, but whether the rumors are true or not…” Carter trails off and shrugs. “We haven’t seen any evidence, but then, we don’t have some relevant information.” He looks atAllesandro, but instead of saying anything else, Lio picks up his train of thought.
“The lists you handed out, they were of high-value targets, and you asked us to watch them, but you never gave us a reason.”
Allesandro doesn’t hesitate, though I can sense the trepidation rolling off him. “We established already that if they were pulling from the elite, then they would do so again. Our overtures there didn’t yield any results. We managed to capture the single doctor they had treat us while in captivity, but any other doors to that world were closed, even with Doc’s connections. We eventually had to let our one lead disappear into nothing, after double checking he gave us everything he could.”
Losing Cor was an irritation we could have done without, but the last thing we needed was a loose end, so killing him and disposing of the body quickly and quietly was the only way. Hollis was, thankfully, able to build him enough of an online footprint that it simply looks as if he ran away to his next big venture.
“I wanted—want—them watched because, as you saw with the Fire Chief, our adversaries are numerous, and seem to come from that walk of life. We’ve figured out they’re in the government in some capacity, a high-ranking LEO most likely, and who better to do their dirty work than those of the same caliber?”
Lio nods. “Fair enough. We can spare some men to do surveillance with yours. It will be a joint effort, the first of our new truce.”
I mull over the offer in my head a few times, trying to find any pitfalls, but it’s a good plan, a solid one. Hell, it’s something we might have once decided between the two of us, had the Families stayed intact.
“Agreed,” Allesandro and I say at the same time.
“Good. Before the meeting adjourns,” Carter says, “I would like to address something.” He waits a beat, and when no one protests, he continues. “We are working as a Council. We mean that. Roman is not here, but he sent a proxy in his stead, and that should be enough to tell you this is serious. We will be making decisions together, as Amato, O’Connel, and De Luca. Whatever choices the two of you make, as Amato and Martelli, it is between you and how you are running your Families.
“No matter what happens at the end of this war, I will not be separated from my Council members. Siamo uniti contro i nostri nemici. We are three Heads with one voice, because that is how we will survive.”
I have never been more proud of the man I married, or so heartbroken, because this is not him. No matter what he says, the front he puts on, my Carter prefers the background. Working together as a “Council” or not, he will never be content with being the center of an Organization.
Jude and Lio show signs of agreement, and that—their unwillingness to be separated—may be what brings them all back to us, even if I hate every second Marcus stands close to my husband.
“We’re all in agreement,” I say smoothly. “We can discuss particulars, and how to go about working together tomorrow, when emotions aren’t so high. Agreed?”
“I believe that is acceptable,” Allesandro replies.
“Carter, may I speak with you privately?”
My husband exchanges looks with Ten, before bowing his head in agreement. He doesn’t allow me to take him from the main room, but into a corner where we will, hopefully, be able to keep our voices down enough to get some privacy.
Marcus shadows him, though he stays back as Carter and I stand close enough to touch, yet the small space between us feels like a canyon.
