Page 34 of Fall Before Her Throne

“I am more than fair, and I don’t go back on my deals.” Some of the humor leeched out of his voice, and I felt the gravitas of the Head of the Camorra take its place. “When Rossi and Sandrini hear my proposal, I think they’ll agree. Come to the meeting.”

My eyes flicked to each of my men, and I could see the no reflected back at me. It would be dangerous. It would put us at risk. Greco would have the upper hand. They were all right.

“Bring Maximiliano,” Greco added.

My spine stiffened. “What makes you think I have him?”

“He refused to give you to me, and then he ran to you, so I doubt you would have turned him away. No, he’s still with you, and I would bet he’s listening to this conversation.”

Everyone turned to Max, the same question in their eyes as mine. What was Greco talking about? He refused to turn me over? “Why do you want him?”

“That is between me and him.”

I shook my head. “Not anymore. He’s mine now.”

Silence stretched on the phone.

“Bring him.” He rattled off a location and time for later tonight. “I’ll expect all of the infamous Shadows there. I don’t like being disappointed.” He hung up before I could say another word.

I rubbed my eyes while I waited for the guys to demand an explanation about what Greco meant, but they all sat quietly.

“Time for the truth again, Max,” Cas finally said. “What was he talking about?”

Max refused to meet his eyes. “When Greco showed up at my house, he asked me to bring Leona to him. I refused. He tried to kill me. Fast forward, here we are.”

“And why would you refuse?” Obi asked.

Max gave him a look like it was obvious. “He was going to kill her.”

“So?” Ryu asked, standing and stalking closer with his knife extended. “You’ve tried to kill her. It would have solved some problems for you.”

“No, it wouldn’t have,” Max answered. He looked at me slyly, a small curve to his lips, that playful look from our childhood twinkling in his eye. I hadn’t seen it in years. “Besides, if anyone is going to kill her, it’ll be me and not him.”

My guys exploded in anger, but I just started laughing. “He’s joking.”

Max raised his hands as he sat down at one of the now-empty chairs around the table. “Just a joke. I’m not going to hurt her.”

Everyone settled, but the truth of what he said loomed over us. First, he killed Arion Vokshi for me. Now, he refused to give me to Greco, and Greco almost killed him because of it.

I walked to where Max sat quietly while my men argued about redoing the vote to allow him to stay. Ryuji, of course, led the charge. Max looked at me while the others faded into the background.

“You refused to turn me over?” I asked quietly.

“Yes.”

“You thought he’d kill me?”

He nodded.

“What about tonight?” I asked, searching his grey eyes for any information he’d give me. Any sign of his true thoughts or feelings, or the reason he had gone to such lengths to keep me safe. “Do you think he’ll try to kill me there?”

“I’m not sure. I think he’ll try to kill me.”

“Probably.”

“We’re not going, then,” Cas said from behind us. The rest of the guys murmured their agreement, finally done with their argument about the vote. “It’s too risky. He’s already acting like he owns the city. Who knows what he’s got up his sleeve?”

The argument shifted to whether we should or should not go, what awaited us if we did, but still, it was all background.