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It didn’t take a genius to know he was talking about Cash. “This is about staying alive, Joaquin. Fortifying our defenses in a time when war is imminent. It’s about making smart decisions to prolong the survival of our family.”
“What happens when that family decides that the way you’re doing things no longer works?”
It had been years since any of my uncles had flat-out threatened me. Oh, they were big on sharp words and pointed tones, but threatening the current leader of the family was a big no-no, even if they all wanted to.
A mistake that Joaquin had just made in front of friends and foes alike. Idiot.
Dominic stepped into Joaquin’s space so far, the latter was shoved off-balance. He stumbled a step before he caught himself. “I don’t know what the hell you think you’re doing, but you’re not going to do it here.”
Dominic’s voice was low and dangerous, and it slid over my skin like velvet. I wanted him to talk to me like that while he fucked me senseless. Would he do it?
I bet he would.
Joaquin sneered, eyes roving over all four of us. “Of course you’d say that. You and your little friends are clearly pussy-blind.”
“No, we’re just not idiots. We follow the ruler of the city, the woman who’s earned our loyalty,” Greyson replied.
“For now. What happens when another leader comes in and snatches that crown off her head?”
All three men growled low and menacingly in their throats. I wasn’t sure what it said about me that I liked it, but I did. I really, really did.
Because Joaquin was quickly veering into dangerous territory. Treasonous waters.
It was looking more and more like we’d be celebrating my cousin’s wedding with a funeral.
Dominic leaned closer, keeping his voice low enough so he wasn’t overhead by anyone but us. “I don’t know what your problem is with Mari, but it needs to end. She’s the only reason this fucking family has survived, and instead of being grateful, you’re dead set on making yourself her enemy. Let me remind you what she does to her enemies, Joaquin. She doesn’t let them go. She doesn’t give them a pass. She annihilates them. It may take weeks or months, but she dismantles them until they’re nothing but ashes on the wind. Don’t put yourself on the opposing side when we all know you won’t survive it.”
Joaquin’s face reddened with rage, and Greyson stepped forward. “Don’t be an idiot, Joaquin. Sort your shit out before your prejudices get you killed in front of everyone.”
“Until then, you can take your temper tantrum somewhere else.” I flicked a negligent hand.
“This is my son’s rehearsal dinner,” he seethed.
“Then act like it. If you want to be here out of respect for Cameron, then you will do so with the utmost politeness you can muster. If you can’t keep your mouth shut, I will have you escorted out. The last thing we need is your drama. Understood?”
“Understood,” Joaquin said through his teeth after a long, tense silence.
The only reason he walked away was because I knew my cousin was having him followed. Day by day, my uncles were becoming more of an obstacle. Despite not wanting to lose more family, I was starting to see the situation as them versus us, and I intended to be the survivor of that Marcosa massacre.
Greyson cleared his throat, pulling me out of thoughts of duty, and I looked up to find Cameron staring down at his father’s retreating form with something like malice.
“Keep them away from each other tonight.”
“On it,” the boys agreed.
With a few words and a smile, I introduced the happy couple.
Cameron and Aislynn were picture-perfect, her in a custom champagne dress and him in one of her suits, shirt a shade darker than her dress. He walked carefully, measuring his steps and making sure his bride didn’t trip. He didn’t have anything to worry about.
Like me, Aislynn had trained for this.
When they reached the bottom of the stairs, we led everyone to the dining room to eat. The space was filled with candles, flowers, and low lighting, so that even though it could easily seat thirty people, it was still intimate and comfortable. O’Bannon held court at the opposing head, a seat of honor. Not that he seemed to think so, as he spent more than one course complaining about everything from the speed of the wedding to the fact that it wasn’t Catholic. The worst part was, I couldn’t call him on any of it. Most territory leaders learned how to insult someone to their face without ever crossing the line of disrespect, and O’Bannon was no different. His words were honey-sweet, even if the point of them was closer to a wasp sting.
Still, we had to grin and bear it.
Each time his braying laugh filtered across the table, Dominic and Cameron both clenched their fists. If the Irishman wasn’t careful, he was going to get much more than he bargained for during the wedding festivities.
As dessert was served, Cameron helped his bride stand.
