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“The end of the license plate was 48996,” Aida pipes up.
“How did you see that?” Dante demands.
Aida shrugs. “I’m shorter.”
“That crazy son of a bitch!” Nero says, shaking his head in amazement. “He really wants us to fucking obliterate him, doesn’t he?”
“He’s trying to provoke a response,” Dante says, frowning.
“Don’t get up!” I say sharply, seeing Nero about to rise. “We don’t know if that was the only car. There could be another. Or other shooters.” I nod upward to the countless windows in the high rises surrounding the site.
“We can’t stay here,” Aida mutters. “The cops are gonna sweep the whole lot. Unless they’re dumb enough to write that off as a coincidence, they’re going to be taking this a hell of a lot more seriously now.”
Moving slowly, we sneak off the opposite side of the site, making our way back toward Nero’s truck. It’s the closest vehicle, and the one in the least well-lit area.
We all crowd into the cab so Nero can drive Aida and me around the corner to the spot where we left my car.
“We can’t do anything rash,” Dante says. “Zajac might be trying to lure us into an immediate retaliation. We need to hole up for the night. Figure out how we’re going to respond. Aida, you should come home with us.”
“She’s staying with me,” I say at once.
Dante frowns. “We don’t know exactly who the Butcher is targeting. He hit our building site, but he came to your fundraiser. We don’t know if that was for Aida, or for you. Or for both.”
“Exactly.” I nod. “Which is why Aida should stay with me. If it turns out
that he’s aiming his attacks at your family, she’ll be safer with mine.”
“What exactly did Zajac say to you two?” Dante asks.
I summarize the conversation.
“I don’t know if he really wants that CTA property, or if he was just testing me. Actually, he mostly seemed annoyed about the wedding. I think he’s trying to crack us before the alliance is solidified.”
“Could be,” Dante says, his forehead wrinkled in thought. “The Butcher is touchy. Insanely prideful, easily offended. He’s probably angry that we didn’t offer Aida to him first.”
“Fucking gross,” Aida interjects. “For one thing, he’s old. For another, I’m not a fucking pog.”
“Either way, it’s too late,” I growl. “You’re mine. And whatever he wants as a consolation prize, he’s not getting it.”
“I still think she should come with us,” Dante says. “We know the Butcher better than you do.”
“Not happening,” I say flatly. I’m not letting Aida out of my sight.
Dante scowls, not used to anybody contradicting his orders. But it’s not all ego—I can see the concern in his face, his fear for Aida. It softens my tone, just a little.
“I’ll protect her,” I promise him.
Dante gives a curt nod. He believes me.
“We’ll ride out the night,” Dante says again. “Then in the morning, we’ll find out where Zajac is hiding and plan our response.”
“A coordinated response,” I say.
“Yes,” Dante agrees.
Aida and I get out of the truck, transferring over to my Audi.
I can see Dante is still reluctant to let his sister leave with me.
