He twitched. It was minimal and it was only at the corner of his eye, but I saw it. It was enough to show a crack, and now that I saw it, I could see the rest. I witnessed how his anger moved through him.
Even more fascinating.
I couldn’t place which was the more dangerous of the two. This one who usually showed nothing but was ruthless at the drop of a hat or the other, who’d react with a killing blow like a cobra attacking. Both were intelligent. Both were ruthless. Each balanced out the other. Together, they were formidable.
I was very excited to war with them.
“My intention was genuine when I reached out. I said on the phone that I wanted to come to a compromise, stop this war before it escalates. I’m aware of how fast you overtook Cincinnati. That you’ve run the streets since you were sixteen and that you owned the politicians since you were nineteen. You’re twenty-eight. That’s a long time to operate an entire city. I’m also aware of your vast network, the magnitude of soldiers you have at your beck and call, and the questions surrounding them. How is it that you recruit so fast? The loyalty rate of them. That even if they’re taken and tortured, when they break—because everyone breaks—they only give up lies. Makes you wonder if their loyalty is really to you or to others? Do you threaten their families like the cartel? Is that how you operate? Do you hang the heads of your soldiers’ loved ones if they go against you?”
He was staring at me hard as he said all of this.
I could feel Levi growing restless, getting angry, and knew it was a matter of seconds before he did something that I’d rather he didn’t. Breaking eye contact with West, which I was even more fascinated to realize that I was reluctant to do, I shook my head at Levi. Briskly and minutely.
Outrage flared over his face, but he kept his mouth shut, only letting out a small growl.
Tristian West observed this interaction between us, frowning before he continued, “Having said all of that, I have people I love. A family. So does Ashton. I did want to come to a resolution so the ones we love are not included in this war between us. I can see, now, you don’t want to come to an understanding. I watched you tonight and I watched how you enjoyed playing with my best friend. Baiting him. Seeing him react. He cared for Jake Worthing, and you used that against him. Me, though. I don’t give a fuck about Worthing, but I do give a fuck about my best friend. Ashton threatened someone you care about. I know you’re not going to let that lie, but keep this in mind when you make your move: We’realsoaware of your weakness. Whatever you do against us, we’ll answer it threefold. Do you understand me, Lane?”
My smile widened. “Perfectly, Tristian West.”
He began to leave but faltered at my words, glancing at me again. Studying me. After a moment, his gaze shuttered and he trailed behind his best friend.
One of my men came over to check the booth in case they left anything behind. A listening device. A bomb. Either was possible. When we got the all-clear, Levi asked, “Why don’t you just kill them?”
I continued to watch the front entrance, but I was notified both slipped out through a side exit. A second alert came through, notifying me that their men left with them. They’d already collected the other men from the dumpster.
“Because sometimes in battle, you can’t move too fast. They’re too strong right now. If they hit back,whenthey hit back, I need to have my defenses built stronger so I can withstand the hit.”
“But you are going to do something. They keep fucking threatening Blake. That was three times in this meeting and I’m not including their involvement before we even fucking got here.”
No Mafia family would sit back and welcome an invasion by a rival. Their anger was expected. I was aware of this, aware there would be repercussions. I wastakingfrom them. Taking their streets. Taking their business. Taking their money. But Blake wasn’t to be touched. Ever.
“Of course I’m going to do something.”
“Good.What are you going to do?”
My phone buzzed. I opened it to see the images I’d requested of Blake.
She was walking up a stoop to a brownstone.
Going inside.
The rest were through a window as she was shaking hands with another girl.
I smoothed my thumb over the last image.
Blake was smiling as she was looking at a room.
That smile.
I imagined the smile on West’s and Walden’s women’s faces and answered.
“I’m going to take their smiles away.”
Chapter Four
Blake
Third grade
