“So, suicide?”
“I think so? Or an attempt, at least.” I gnawed on my bottom lip. “You really think Beatriz might be in danger?”
His head jerked as I brought him back to my principal concern. “I don’t know but I’m not willing to risk it.”
“Don’t you think you should warn Storm first?”
His jaw worked as he pondered my question, then he reached up to rub his eyes. “Fuck. This is why I don’t do politics.”
“Speak with Rory first,” I urged. “She handles this side of things, right?”
“Yeah.” He scrolled through his contacts. Hitting connect, he put the call onto speaker. “Rory?”
“Was there a problem with the collection?”
“No. The rubies at the clubhouse weren’t the ones we’re looking for?—”
“Shit.”
“Yeah, but we have a problem.” He went on to explain the lay of the land into the dead air on the other end of the call. “What do we do, Rory?”
On the rare occasions I’d heard Aurora talk, I’d never have classed her as having a particularly warm voice. But by comparison, this was practically Baltic. Each word dripped with ice as, in staccato bites, she gave him her orders.
“I’ll deal with the MC. I’m tempted to put you onto Martinez, but would you mind if I gave the task to Hunter? Martinez doesn’t appreciate how we handled the situation with his niece in LA and this is an olive branch.”
“We can’t fuck this up,” he cautioned.
“No, but if ever there was a time to mend bridges, it’s now. We’re in the middle here and that’s how I like it, but if we don’t handle this carefully, we’re the ones who’ll suffer.
“You did good, Stan, bringing this to me first. Luc would have gone off half-cocked so I appreciate your restraint. I know how your bro code works.”
“Kitty suggested it.”
A cold chuckle sounded down the line. “Takes a woman. I rescind my thanks to you and gift them to her instead. Tell her that I’m looking forward to meeting her. Again.”
Stan cut me a warning glance and I mimed zipping my mouth shut. “I will. What are you waiting for? Chop chop,soru.”
She bit off something in Sicilian then queried, “You’re okay with mending ties between theCamorraand Martinez?”
“Go for it.”
With that, she cut the call.
“You didn’t want her to know I was listening,” I pointed out.
“You should be in the dark about this but I won’t keep you out of the loop. Not after what you’ve been through and the insight you’ve brought to the table.”
I squeezed his fingers. “Thank you.”
“The last thing you should be doing is thanking me,” he chided. “I went against your direct request, but I swear to God, Kitty, I wouldn’t have if it wasn't urgent. The Bracktons are involved in something deep and it could affect our survival.”
My brows lifted. “Oursurvival?”
“The Irish, Sicilians, the Triads, hell, the new Russian brotherhood.”
“Why?”
“Instinct tells me they want to eradicate us.”
