Page 18 of Fall Before Her Throne

“I think we should vote on it,” Ryu said, leaning back and crossing his foot over his knee. He still held the knife, glinting in his hand. “He’s fine now. There’s no reason he needs to stay. Let him fend for himself.”

Leona looked at Cas. My hands clasped in my lap while he gave her some unspoken message through their look alone. They’d always been close, closer than her and me certainly, but now? Their love was evident in the soft way he gazed at her and the way she looked right back.

I looked away.

“Well, bodyguard?” Ryu probed.

“Where else is he supposed to go?” Cas asked.

My mouth went dry when their attention turned to me. The Camorra had probably already weeded out men loyal to me and taken control of everyone else under my prior command. Besides my home, which they’d kicked me out of, I truly had nowhere else to go unless I ran and left the city.

But I didn’t want to leave her behind. Not anymore.

“I don’t know,” I finally answered.

“Ciel? Wynn? Thoughts?” She turned to the other two.

Ciel reached out his hand, and she hopped off Obi’s lap to collapse onto both of theirs. Her bottom sat on Ciel’s lap while her legs sprawled across Wynn’s lap. They both gripped her possessively, hands on hips and calves. My eyes flicked over to Obi, but he showed no signs of frustration or annoyance.

Could they truly all be fine with this?

With…sharing her?

“I don’t like being exposed,” Ciel said, voice hesitant and careful. “I don’t like risk or—or uncertain variables. I don’t believe we can trust him.”

She pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth, then turned to the other. I couldn’t read any thoughts on her face. “Wynn?”

“I don’t trust him.” He squeezed his hand on her leg. “He served his purpose against the Albanians, but he led them right to us, and he’s hiding more than we know.”

“Three for no, then,” Ryu said. “Cas?”

“My vote is yes,” Cas said. He held my stare. “But that could change in the future if anything goes wrong.”

Ryu nodded. “We all know Obi hates Maxy, so that feels like a given.”

My teeth gritted together. This wasn’t looking good for me.

“Hmm,” the leader said as he tilted his head back. “If we’re going to take responsibility for you, we need something in exchange.”

“What?” I had nothing left to give.

“Information.”

My jaw clenched, and I schooled my face back into the mask I’d grown used to wearing. “What exactly do you want from me?”

“I want to use what you know about the Camorra against them.”

I curled my hands into fists. “And what if I can’t help you?”

“Then my vote is no.” He shrugged. “We simply do not have the time or resources to babysit you unless you can make it worth our while. Earn your keep, Volpe.”

My breath rattled in my lungs. As a business partner, I knew plenty about their operations, but Greco had always held the upper hand. He showed no weakness, and especially not to me. I’d give the Shadows whatever information I could…but what if it wasn’t enough?

“I will tell you whatever I know.”

Obi inclined his head. “My vote is yes.”

Ryuji scoffed. “Seriously?”