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23
Damian leaned backin his chair, watching Christophe’s face as he read over the report in front of him. It was an outline of the strategy Damian had developed as a result of his digging into the activities of the Fiore group and the Greeks in New York. Damian knew Christophe didn’t have to sanction the plan — in spite of the help given to him by the leaders of the Syndicate, bringing the New York territory back under their control was still his responsibility — but he was surprised to find he wanted the other man’sblessing.
Christophe was even more reserved than Nico — and that was sayingsomething.
Damian had no doubt Marchand was just as dangerous as the other partners in the Syndicate, but his violence was well hidden under a facade of French apathy. After years of isolation, years in which Damian prided himself on a lack of emotion, he understood. Christophe’s lack of emotion was an asset, just like it had been an asset toDamian.
If Christophe approved of his strategy, it would be because it was a well thought out plan with a solid chance ofsuccess.
If he didn’t, there would be goodreason.
Damian let his eyes stray to the glass wall of the office while Christophe read. He could see into the cyber lab’s kitchen area where Aria sat with Charlotte Marchand. Damian had been surprised to see Charlotte there. According to Christophe, his wife spent most of her time at their apartment in Paris or their estate on the island of Corsica, personally overseeing the restoration of antiques that were something of an obsession for Christophe. Damian suspected Charlotte had accompanied him to the lab to keep Aria company, although the other man would likely consider it bad form to admit he’d gone to anytrouble.
Charlotte was beautiful and reserved, not unlike Christophe, although Charlotte was American. Christophe looked at her with a mixture of pride and love that made his feelings obvious — the only time he wore his heart on hissleeve.
Damian knew the feeling. Looking at Aria, head tipped back to expose her slender throat as she laughed at something Charlotte said, made it impossible for him to ignore the warmth spreading through his stomach, the wave of love and need that was becoming familiartohim.
Christophe turned over the last piece of paper in his hands. Damian remained quiet, watching as the other man tapped his fingers onthedesk.
“It’s a good plan,” Christophefinallysaid.
“Good?”
A ghost of a smile touched Christophe’s lips. “It’s a verygoodplan.”
Damian chuckled, shook his head. “Willitwork?”
“It can’t hurt,” Christophe said. “It provides layers to your assault on the territory. They won’t be expecting that. Do you haveenoughmen?”
It was a good question. Damian’s strategy hinged not on raiding Fiore and Anastos’s known strongholds — that would come later — but on disrupting their resource supply chain ahead of the war. That meant intercepting weapons imports at the harbor, detaining men at Customs on their way into the country from Greece, neutralizing their contacts at the NYPD who might tip them off or otherwisehelpthem.
It would require a tremendous amount of resources — cyber resources to hack into the Customs databases and tip the ATF about the incoming weapons shipments, men on the ground to prevent distribution of any guns that managed to get through, sources inside the police department to make the cautious overtures that would be necessary to flip Fiore and Anastos’s snitches inside thedepartment.
The force that would come later would be more easily executed if Damian pulled off the rest of it. It would mean fewer guns in the hands of the other side, fewer allies in law enforcement, fewer men making their way in fromGreece.
But it would require a Herculean effort on thefrontend.
“I think so,” Damian said. “It’ll stretch my organization, but I’ll make ithappen.”
“It’s smart,”Christophesaid.
“You sound surprised,”Damiansaid.
“No.”
“Anything you’d add?” Damianasked.
Christophe seemed to think about it. “I think you’ve covered it rather well.” He hesitated. “What will you doaboutAria?”
“Set her up in Westchester with enough men to hold off an army,”Damiansaid.
Christophe hesitated. “You’re welcome to leave her in Paris, if you like. I’m sure Charlotte would be more than happy to have thecompany.”
Damian considered it, imagined leaving Aria behind while he went to New York to killPrimo.
It wasn’t an option. He’d only just gotten her back. Neither of them would rest easy with an oceanbetweenthem.
“Thank you,” Damian said. “But she’ll be safe outsidethecity.”
