“Could be coincidence,” I say, but there’s hesitation in my voice. I don’t believe in coincidences, not really. Bad timing, poor choices sure but everything is a cause of another action and reaction. I just can’t explain mine. That guy Cross gets under my skin. Just because that stare of his makes my pulse race doesn’t mean a damn thing. It’s been too long, that’s all. I need to get laid. I need to breathe. I inhale deeply and let it out with a long quiet sigh.
“There’s more,” Vex adds. “Dante’s gym sits right on the border between East Atlantic and Northside. Prime real estate for funneling people. I pulled zoning permits. The building was bought through an offshore shell company. Traced it back to a holding group Serrano’s used before.”
My stomach knots.
“So either Dante doesn’t know who’s backing him…” I start.
“Or he does,” Silk finishes.
Silence hits hard.
Lolita’s fingers drum the table once, twice. “I don’t like the fucker. Never did. Too smooth. Talks like he’s got something to hide.”
“I ran a background check on Dante,” Vex says. “Public records say he used to run a fight club in New York City. Shut down two years ago, but there’s not much more to go on.”
“Send a message to Duchess with the National Chapter,” Quinn tells her. “If he comes from NYC, she’ll know.”
“Already did.” Vex grins, not looking up. “Obsidian’s one of the best hackers out there, even better than me. We should have more soon.”
The room goes still. You can hear the low hum of Vex’s tablet, the soft, rapid tapping of her fingers over glass. Diesel huffs a breath near Lady Cain’s boots, and Lolita starts absently twirling a knife between her fingers.
“How long is ‘soon’?” Scarlet mutters.
“I’ve seen her do it in less than five minutes,” Vex offers, but there’s tension in her voice.
“If she’s pulling from old federal cases, it could take longer,” Orchid says quietly. She’s leaning forward now, elbows on her knees, watching Vex like the screen is a ticking time bomb.
“Tick tock,” Lady Cain mutters, stroking Diesel's head when it pops up to meet her hand.
Vex raises one finger without looking up. “Don’t rush the genius. She’s in.” Another few keystrokes. A smirk. “Record time. Obsidian delivered.”
Everyone straightens.
Vex’s fingers blur. A new file opens. Her voice lowers. “Dante didn’t run clean fights in New York. Serrano backed him. His gym was used to launder money and move product. Drugs. Weapons.” She hesitates, then adds, “Girls.”
My stomach dips, and I don’t know why. Every sign points to Dante Cross being as dirty as they come.
“Why did he leave?” Quinn asks.
“Looks like he flipped.” Vex glances up. “Either on Serrano or his brother. Not sure. The Feds built a case on both, but only one got pinched. Anthony Serrano’s doing a max sentence for laundering. Obsidian says one day Dante burned down his gym, vanished, and six months later popped up in AC with fresh funding and a new fight circuit.”
“Jesus,” Silk murmurs.
“Why hasn’t Serrano just killed him?” Meadow asks.
“Maybe he’s trying,” I say. “Maybe that’s what this is. A setup. Payback.”
Quinn leans back, eyes drilling into mine like she knows I’m torn. I shouldn’t be. Everything points to him being involved. But when I told him his ring was a death sentence, that look in his eye was real. Raw. He masked it fast, but I hit something deep.
“We don’t move on Dante yet. Not until we know if he’s working with Serrano… or hiding from him,” Quinn says.
“He’s hiding something,” Lady Cain mutters.
“Either way, we keep digging.”
Scarlet taps her pen against her tablet. “So what’s our play?”
Quinn turns to me. “Katana. He already knows your face. You’re the closest to a contact we’ve got. Get closer. Apply pressure. See what cracks.”
