Page 97 of Blood Vows

“That part we can fix,” Marco said.

Elena exhaled. “Then fix it.”

Marco smiled faintly. “Bossy.”

Dante looked at him. “Careful.”

Marco raised his hands, as though he was surrendering. “What? I’m just being honest.”

“You’re annoying her,” Dante said.

Elena turned toward Dante. “Are you going to threaten everyone who irritates me?”

“Yes,” he admitted.

“You’re going to be very busy,” she mumbled under her breath.

“I’ve accepted that.” Despite everything, she laughed. It felt strange in a good way. For so long, fear had been taking pieces of her. A laugh felt like taking one back.

Luca picked up the documents. “There’s another issue.”

Elena sighed. “Why is there always another issue?”

“Because your family was apparently terrible at simple paperwork,” Luca said.

“Your family signed the same agreement,” she reminded.

“That’s fair.” Isabella smiled, and Luca continued. “If you dissolve Crimson Holdings openly, Hale will know we found the vault.”

“Then we don’t do it openly,” Dante said.

Elena looked at him. He was already thinking and planning. She recognized that look. It was the same expression he wore before violence. Except this time, his weapon was strategy. “What are you thinking?” she asked.

Dante looked at Luca. “We let Hale believe nothing changed.”

Marco’s interest sharpened. “You mean keep the company operational.”

“For now.”

Elena frowned. “You just said we were ending it.”

“We are.” Dante stepped closer. “But not before Hale shows himself.” There it was—the part they had all been circling. The ending of Hale.

Elena’s stomach twisted. “You want me to call him.”

Dante’s expression hardened. “I hate that I do.”

“But you do,” she said.

“Yes,” Dante admitted.

Luca nodded. “We need him somewhere we can control the situation.”

“Why would he come?” Elena already knew the answer before anyone said it—because of her. She looked down. “He’ll come if he thinks I’m turning against you.”

Dante immediately said, “No.”

Elena stared at him. “What?”