Dry as the desert, I replied, "Congratulations, you've met me. If there's nothing more to discuss, I'll be on my way."
I whirled, making a move toward the rear exits into the bowels of the church, when Blaine spoke. "Don't forget, Mrs. Gallagher, we're still looking for the perpetrator who killed the entire Peralta Family. It hasn't gone unnoticed that it was also a bomb that took out Carlos White. Apparently, you have a penchant for repeating your methods of destruction."
I gazed over my shoulder. "Such as setting up traps so you can take down your enemies without putting in any real effort?"
Blaine's face reddened, but Asher clamped a hand on his shoulder. When the former spoke again, he barely sounded calm. "We officially stake our claim to the Peralta territory. We won't give it up."
"Then the White territory is officially claimed by the Gallaghers."
Just as I was about to make my escape, Burke's frantic shout rang in my ear. "Behind you!"
I froze when Asher spoke from directly behind me. "You know the rule about wives and children being untouchable?"
Closing my eyes, I tried not to show alarm at the heavy breath ruffling my hair. Approximately fifteen men would be more than happy to put a bullet in the back of his head with their sniper rifles if he touched me. Still, I couldn't let my guard down for a second.
"I don't believe in it."
Ignoring his parting comment, I made my way through the door and hurried to the spot where the others waited for me.
Burke paced the length of the media room when I walked in but stopped immediately to grab me. Crushing me to his chest, he muttered into my ear, "For the record, I hated this idea."
As though he hadn't voiced his dissenting opinion multiple times while we were in the planning stage. "Why did they agree to this if they weren't actually going to meet with any of you?"
Caden spoke up from his spot in front of the monitors. "To threaten us."
"I knew he wasn't just saying those things to frighten me."
"No, they were sincere." Logan directed his attention to the radio in his hand as we all heard a disembodied voice.
"They've exited the building, but they're standing around on the sidewalk."
"Thanks, Oliver." Logan toggled the screen in front of him to zoom in on the three men standing in front of the church. One of them was fiddling with a tablet and shaking his head.
Burke said, "I think they wanted to test us, to see how prepared we would be."
"Pass or fail, I'm glad you claimed the White territory," Caden said without looking up. "Since they're just going to claim the other like that's how this works."
"What if it's not okay with the Carmichaels?" I asked.
Burke shrugged; he still hadn't let me go. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there."
"You make it sound so simple."
"Not necessarily, but there's no need to worry about something that might not happen."
I saw a strange expression pass over his features. "What aren't you telling me?"
"It's nothing to do with this."
Logan said, "I maintain it was the wisest decision to have Kinsley represent us."
"While I agree, I don't want to do that again anytime soon."
"I second that," Burke said.
"Boss." Caden pointed to the screen.
Asher and the unfamiliar man climbed into a limousine with extremely dark tint, but Blaine stayed on the street with the tablet in his hands.
