“Still. You should probably text him back.”
“Later.”
“Vince—”
I turned to face her fully. “Do you want to pretend that this never happened?”
She looked up. “No,” she whispered.
“Then don’t act like you’re walking away.” Because that’s what this felt like, again. I hated it.
“I’m not. I’m just—returning. That’s different.”
“Is it?”
The elevator chimed. She blinked fast. “Please don’t make this harder.”
I reached for her chin and tilted her eyes to mine.
“Let me kiss you.”
Her breath caught.
“Last time you ran before I could.”
“I didn’t?—”
“You did.”
She stared at me.
I leaned in, slowly, brushing my mouth over hers. Not rushed. Slow and fucking consuming. She kissed me back like she’d been waiting. And I let it wreck me.
Then I stepped back. Our hands dropping just as the elevator doors slid open.
11
Vince
I took a long drag from the cigarette, letting the smoke burn slow down the back of my throat as I adjusted the grip on the bat.
It was old, scuffed, taped at the handle, a Crow relic from a different kind of war. A reminder that not everything needed to be high-tech to make a fucking point.
“Three names, confirmed.” Luca said, he stood to my right, one hand in his pocket, the other holding the burner that had just finished ringing.
“Say them.”
After hearing them, I nodded once.
Syndicate betrayal. Three mid-tier affiliates playing dynasty deals behind our back, laced through offshore escrow and public contracts. A money loop. Just enough to escape most scans andalmostnot be noticed. But they used our name to do it. And worse, they didn’t ask permission.
“Could’ve been clean and come to us,” Luca said.
“They thought they were untouchable.”
“Still think that.”
“Then let’s change their mind.”
