She shook her head too quickly. Her fingers tightened around the phone.
“Ezra,” I said, firmer. “I don’t like that look. Talk to me.”
Her eyes went to her lap, and I could see her conflict warring across her face, so I waited.
She finally exhaled slowly and leaned closer, voice pitched low. “Something just came up, something that I can’t miss, but I already have a collection visit set up that I shouldn't miss.”
I watched her scroll, eyes sharp but unfocused, already planning three steps ahead. Something tugged in my chest, seeing E like this, and I wanted to do something.
Val will be waiting. I’m already running late, but….
“I’ll take one,” I said.
Her head snapped up.
My smile grew wide, and I nodded to her. “Give me the one that doesn’t need you. You handle the important one.”
Her mouth twitched despite herself. “That actually helps,” she admitted. “One’s just a show of force. The other—” She looked down at her hands. “The other is about where we’re heading and the future I want to ensure.”
If there was ever a moment that Ezra needed me, I was not going to disappoint. She never let go of these types of things, and a piece of me wanted to prove to her I wasn't just the lazy Syndicate Prince. I was a boss just like her and could make people quake in their boots.
“Done.”
I clapped her shoulder, hard enough to ground her, holding the smile so she wouldn’t mistake it for obligation. Ezra carried too much alone. Always had. The rare times she let the weight slip, we needed to make sure we were there for her, every fucking time.
“So,” I said, leaning back, fangs flashing when I grinned, “who am I roughing up, and why?”
The thought of a fight settled something restless under my skin, making me feel alive. Getting the blood flowing before I needed to lay her down like it was the last night of her life.
It was efficient and productive. Sounded like a win-win to me.
2
CALIX
“Dealing with these guys will be easy,” I said, sliding into the passenger seat as Rack got into the driver's seat. The car roared to life. “You should wait in the car.”
Rack didn’t look at me when he pulled out of the parking lot and onto the street. His gaze stayed locked on the road ahead, posture carved from stone, but the steering wheel told on him. Crescent moons bit into the leather where his fingers dug in.
“You should always err on the side of caution, sir.”
My face twisted on instinct. “Yyyyeah. No. Don’t do that.” I leaned back, squinting at him. “Call me Cal like a damn normal person. It’s creepy when you pretend you’re not the same guy who helped me and E set off a blood bomb in the cafeteria.”
His jaw tightened. “It’s different now. You’re going to be the boss of the Winstale clan. I’ll be your second. I don’t want anyone thinking?—”
“Fuck what anyone thinks,” I snapped.
He finally rolled his eyes at me but still said nothing.
“You’re like the brother I never asked for,” I added, flashing him a grin that leaned sharp and feral.
It didn’t soften him. His frown only deepened.
“Anyway,” I said, turning back to the door, “when I go in?—”
“We,” he corrected smoothly. One hand lifted, palm out, inviting me to continue.
My mouth flattened, not amused by his little protest, but it was no use arguing with him. When he dug in his heels, he could be worse than Ezra, and that was saying something.
