Spike stiffens. “Are you saying…”
“Someone in your city is feeding him information. Not necessarily someone either of us knows,” he clarifies quickly, lifting a palm, “but Palm Springs herself is… compromised.”
Bones leans forward, eyes icy. “What kind of information?”
“Schedules. Movement. Deliveries. Construction details. Traffic patterns,” Luca lists off. “Someone knows exactly when the Shadows, and the Moretti’s are home, when we’re gone, when your compound and our estate is… quiet.”
My stomach twists.
Tank lets out a low curse. “So we’ve got a fucking leak.”
“Perhaps several,” Luca agrees. “Perhaps none. It could simply be people on Cortéz’s payroll inside the government. Palm Springs is small. But the Moretti family and the Shadows?” He shrugs. “We are not small. We have… how do you say… many employees. Many hands.”
“So we’re fighting the cartelandan info leak,” I mutter. “Great.”
Bones cracks his knuckles, the sound sharp in the quiet room. “We need to lock our shit down. Lock the compound down tight. No more civilians inside without clearance.”
Tank nods. “We should pull the chapter leaders and prospects in, double perimeter, get drones in the air, and reorganize shifts tonight. Have each chapter close down and lie low until we give the all clear. We can’t sit on our asses waiting for someone to drop a bomb on us.”
“I agree,” Bones grumbles.
Luca gives a small approving nod. “A strong defense is wise. Cortéz is desperate. And a desperate man is a dangerous one.”
Spike’s jaw clenches. “We’ll increase security. But we need that intel if we’re going to stop him.”
“Yes,” Luca says. “And you will receive it. But this is whyIl Doninsists we work together. If Cortéz has eyes inside PalmSprings…eyes close enough to track both our families…then he has reach neither of us anticipated.”
“Then we go after him first,” Bones says.
Tank nods. “But smart. Not blind.”
Spike exhales slowly. “We’ll plan. Together.”
Luca lifts his chin, pleased. “Bene. Good. Then perhaps there is hope after all.”
Luca exhales through his nose, as if bracing himself for the next part.
“There is something else I must tell you,” he says. “Il Donhas already placed men near your compound.”
The entire room snaps to attention.
Tank stiffens. Bones’ hand twitches toward his knife. Spike’s eyes narrow just enough to signal danger.
“What do you mean…placed men?” Spike asks carefully.
“Watchmen,” Luca clarifies, palms up. “Observers. Not inside your walls, of course. Never that. But positioned to monitor the perimeter. If there is unusual movement, they will inform us immediately.”
“Why the hell didn’t you ask first?” Bones growls. “We have men taking care of that.”
Luca gives the most Italian shrug ever committed to existence…one shoulder, elegant, unapologetic.
“It is already done,” he says simply. “Cortéz moves quickly. We cannot afford politeness over protection.”
“That’s not the point,” Tank snaps. “We don’t appreciate being watched.”
“And we do not appreciate having to watch you,” Luca counters, not unkindly. “But it is necessary. For all of us.”
Spike holds up a hand, steadying the rising tension. “We’ll discuss it. But next time we expect a heads-up.”
