“Tell us the plan, Boss,” Ryder says, crossing his arms over his chest. I realize every single one of them has that same mask in place.
This isn’t the girl they’re in a relationship with anymore; this is their boss. I envy them the ability to shut everything down.
“We need Spinner.” She looks at Holden. “Find him. We grab him and get him to talk. That’s how I get the proof I need to wage war against Viktor.” Holden nods, and I see he can’t hide behind a mask, either. She smiles, but it’s strained. “I’ve called Aldo in New York and Romeo in Chicago. They’re on standby for my word.”
“What about Carlo?” Micah asks.
Alessa shakes her head. “We don’t need the Italy family. Yet.”
“What about the gala?” Mateo asks, and it’s the most serious I’ve ever seen him.
“We go as planned, but we’re all going now. Dex and Ryder will be the security of sorts. I need all the eyes I can get because Viktor will be there,” she answers. “I need to find out what Alexey and Dmitri need to talk to me about.”
“I don’t like that, Boss,” Gage speaks up. “Viktor makes a move, and suddenly, his sons need a meeting that can’t be done over the phone?”
“I would be worried if they asked to meet in private. They’re aware I won’t be alone,” she sighs. “They’ve never liked the way their father runs things.”
“Potential allies?” Evander asks.
“Possibly.” She shrugs. “I won’t ask them to go against him, but I won’t turn down an offer to have people on the inside.”
“Viktor doesn’t share much with them,” Ryder points out.
I can’t wrap my head around how they’re all casually sitting around talking about a war, a nuclear bomb getting ready to explode within these families.
“We will cross that bridge when we come to it. Until then, we find Spinner and someone else to lead the Vipers. Who was his second in command?” Alessa turns and asks Ryder.
“Ghost,” he answers. “We need a meeting?”
“Yeah. We need to find out if he knew what his leader was doing. Something tells me he doesn’t.” She turns back to Evander and Mateo. “How deep are you guys willing to go?”
“Tell us what you need.” Evander shrugs. “We’ll be there.”
She tilts her head to the side. “Forgive me for being suspicious, but why? You haven’t been an ally long enough to throw in everything already.”
Evander clears his throat. “We may not know what Frankie did, but we know it isn’t good. We need you to know that we aren’t him.”
“I do know that, though, and as far as I’m concerned, you weren’t involved either since you were around the same age as me.” She swallows, and her mask slips a little. “What he did was worse than bad, but I can’t hold that against you.”
“Doesn’t matter.” Mateo shrugs. “We’re in.”
“Alright.” She nods. “Our first order of business is Ghost.”
Chapter 34
Alessa
I’m in my room changing clothes when my phone rings for the tenth time, Zane’s name flashing across the screen. He’s been trying to get ahold of me all day, and I don’t have the time to deal with his shit. I scoop it up from the bed.
“What?” I bark.
“It’s about time,” he drawls, and I ignore my body’s reaction to his voice. “I have news.”
“Okay?”
“We got the kids out and arrested the horrible excuse for foster parents.”
“Is that it?” I ask. He blew my phone up for something I could have seen on the news?
