Gage walks out with him, and as luck would have it, all five of them walk back in with them. I have the sixth one stashed away. Their eyes widen when they walk in seeing me sitting there.
“Sit,” Ghost barks, pointing to the couch and chairs lining the wall. They all sink into their seats, warily eyeing their new leader. “Which one of you motherfuckers was going to tell me what happened last night?”
“Man, she killed Tony,” one of them answers. “And she said not to tell anyone!”
“You dumbass,” Gage laughs. “She meant the Russians, not your second in command.”
“How the fuck were we supposed to know that?” another one asks, leveling a glare at Gage. I look at Gage and see his eyes take on that crazy look, and the guy looks away quickly.
I get up and walk over to where Ghost is standing. “Meet your new leader, boys.” I tilt my head to the side. “Xander’s taking a long vacation.” I motion for the guys that it’s time to leave. “Just know that if I find out you have anything to do with the Russians, you will join him. I’ll be in touch, Ghost.”
Ghost nods. “I got this.”
Ryder slaps him on the back on the way by. “I hope so.”
We make our way outside, and I climb into the passenger side of Ryder’s new Explorer with Gage and Dex in the back. Leo rode with Evander and Mateo in Evander’s black BMW Alpina XB7. We always joked that driving a black car is your way of initiating into the Mafia.
Ryder pulls from the curb. “You believe he didn’t know?”
“For now. I just need to keep an eye on him. Closer than I did Xander.”
“You mean we, Pretty girl,” Gage says, leaning between the seats. “We.”
Ryder slides his hand into one of the rips in my jeans, squeezing my thigh. “He’s right. You have yourself stretched thin enough as it is. Let us handle the Vipers.”
This is a massive test for me. I’m used to just doing it myself, not because I don’t trust them. I do, without question. Ryder and I still haven’t fixed anything after our showdown, but I can give them this. I take a deep breath. “Okay,” I agree.
Ryder looks at me, then back at the road. “Thank you,Il mio sole.”
I can feel some responsibility slide off my shoulders, and it feels good. I can trust the guys to handle the Vipers until I need to step in. “You and Dex need a tux for the gala.”
Ryder groans. “I’m not wearing a fucking tux.”
I laugh. “You can’t wear jeans and boots, Ryder.”
“I have something to wear, but it won’t be a damn tux.”
I roll my eyes and turn to Dex. “Are you fighting me on the tux too?”
He chuckles. “Yes, Baby girl, I am.”
I cross my arms over my chest, fake pouting, “Fine.”
“I got a tux,” Gage throws in, and I look over my shoulder at his grin. “So does Leo.”
“See, they’re wearing tuxes,” I plead to Ryder.
Ryder gives me a dry look before looking back at the road. “No tux for me,Il mio sole.”
“And that’s why Leo and Gage are my favorites,” I joke and laugh when Ryder’s grip on my thigh tightens.
“It sounded like Dex was your favorite before we left the house,” Ryder says, cocking an eyebrow at me.
I grin unashamed. “He was,” I exaggerate a moan. “He fucked me so good.”
“Damn right, I did,” Dex replies.
“Goddamn it, Les,” Ryder says, adjusting his hips in the seat. “That should not turn me on.”
