“You didn’t sayshe’s not my girl.” He spins, a stupid grin across his face. “I take it things went well last night?”
“I know you have a bad habit of bragging about every minuscule detail of your life, but you should know by now that I’m more discreet. Who are the flowers from?”
“Whatever.” He drops the bag on the breakfast bar, and shoves his hand inside, pulling out its contents. “Smoked salmon for you.” He pushes a bagel my way.
“Koby,” I grit out, eyeing the bouquet he brought, my blood scorching my veins. “Who are the flowers from?”
“Unclench. All in time. Muster some patience, will you?” He leaves another bagel on the side. “Cream cheese for Bianca. I wasn’t sure what she likes, but everyone likes cream cheese, so I thought that’d be the safest choice. And...” He takes the last one, grinning. “Bacon and egg for me.”
“You went to all this trouble because you’re nosy?”
“What can I say? I’m a curious guy.” He shrugs, taking a big bite. At least he’s well-mannered enough to chew and swallow before speaking again. “Curiosity isn’t the only reason I’m here. We had an unexpected guest inScarlettafter you left last night.” He bounces his eyebrows as if trying to clue me in without spelling it out.
With the shit going on in the background, there are a few names that spring to mind, each less likely than the last. The amusement on Ryder’s face tells me I’llneverguess, but I play along and take a shot anyway, knowing it’ll lift his spirits.
“Noretto?”
“Close. Jax Hall. Noretto’s right-hand man.”
I drop my half-eaten bagel, confusion taking center stage. “How? Carter killed him when we grabbed Hailey.”
“He shot him, yes, but he survived. He’s been recovering for months and has a pretty scar on his neck to prove he was seconds from bleeding out.”
I lean back in my chair, replaying that night in my mind. I watched Carter and Broadway barrel through Noretto’s mansion on the live feed. I led them through the mayhem of raining bullets, and I specifically remember Jax folding to the floor.
“I presume he didn’t walk out ofScarlettalive?”
“Now that’s the kicker. He did. He came waving a white flag. Literally. He had a small white flag with him and waved it about as he approached the VIP section with Apollo’s gun digging into his lower back.”
My pulse quickens, the possible reasons for Jax walking out of the club unharmed multiplying inside my head.
“Spill it,” I hiss, my palms growing clammy.
“We don’t know much yet. Jax bowed low, said he means no harm.” He juts his chin at the peonies. “Brought flowers for Violet, Hailey, and Bianca—”
“Noretto knows she’s with us?” Cold sweat sweeps the nape of my neck as if someone dropped a clammy palm there and squeezed hard.
“Seems that way. We’re not exactly hiding her, are we?”
No, I guess not.
My throat tightens. The stunt inScarlettlast night wasn’t my brightest moment. There were too many onlookers who could whisper what they saw into the wrong ears. And they sawmelose my shit when another man touched Bianca.
Hailey was kidnapped when it became obvious Carter cared about her. Violet was almost deported. Bianca’s a target because she’s Hailey’s sister. Their familial connection is enough to blackmail Carter, but... now there’s more.
I shouldn’t have lost my cool. I shouldn’t have made it so obvious that Carter’s not the only one who’s leverageable over Bianca’s safety. The more chinks in our armor, the more exploitable avenues for Noretto and Grey.
“What did Jax say that saved him from heaving his last breath and coveringScarlett’silluminated floor with the contents of his bowels?” I ask.
Koby swallows the last bite of his bagel, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “He asked Carter for a meeting. Said he has information he shouldn’t ignore.”
I scoff, crossing my arms over my chest. “I don’t like the sound of that. It’s a trap.”
“Maybe. Probably. But Jax suggested Hailey’s safety’s on the line, and Carter agreed to hear him out. He’s coming backtonight. Alone, unarmed. Carter wants us with him. Broadway’s out right now, pulling in all our soldiers to keep the girls safe while we find out what Jax wants.”
I bet Broadway’s a ticking time bomb at this point, worried about Violet and his baby.
“We should leave the girls at Carter’s tonight with Arthur, Apollo, and a small army,” I say. “It’s the most logical solution.”
