Page 68 of A Vicious Love

Smart enough this time not to answer.

I nodded once at Reeves.

Reeves tapped a command on the tablet.

The screen beside Gideon changed.

A detailed list of everything he loved.

“That’s what I’m taking first.”

“No,” he breathed. “Please. Mr. Crow, my family⁠—”

“Your family spent Crow money.”

“They didn’t know.”

I leaned closer to the screen. “You sold access to Marrow.”

“I didn’t know it was Marrow.”

“Don’t insult me while you’re bleeding, Gideon.”

Marrow Syndicate had been trying to get a claw into Harlan for nine months. Not enough to declare war. But enough to be annoying. Skimming couriers. Buying drunk guards. Whispering to investors who liked the idea of Crow weakness until Crow men appeared at their doors and reminded them weakness was a matter of perspective.

But burning my hotel?

That was a stupid message.

Marrow thought they had hit infrastructure.

They had hit pride.

That was worse for them.

“We also found a secondary ledger.” Reeves spoke quietly. His expression did not change, which meant I was not going to like the next sentence.

“Gideon wasn’t paid directly by Marrow. Payment came through a shell attached to Harrington nightlife holdings.”

My fingers tightened around the cigarette.

Harrington, was a city of nightlife. Men in expensive suits pretending old money made them untouchable.

I looked back at Gideon.

He had started crying.

“You let Harrington money into my docks,” I said.

“I didn’t know,” he sobbed. “I swear, I didn’t know.”

I smiled.

Every man in the room went still.

Even Reeves.

“Then you are too stupid to own hands.”