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The territory was profitable, but siezing it would be time consuming anddeadly.
The Thai Mob was on the crazy side of unpredictable and the sadistic side of violent. They were isolated from organizations in other parts of the world, and except for a few minor conflicts, hadn’t posed a threat to thoseorganizations.
They would kill an interloper without a second thought — even one like Damian who was connected to theSyndicate.
And it wouldn’t be a quick and painlessdeath.
“That adds another element of danger,” Damian finallyadmitted.
“It’s more than danger,” Cole said. “You’ll be considered an emissary of the enemy. You’ll be dead as soon as they makeyou.”
Damian didn’t necessarily agree, but he needed to pick hisbattles.
“If that’s true, having one more person there won’t change anything,” he said. “But it will change something for Aria — it will leave her unprotected, and it will leave her alone if anything happens tome.”
“Dammit, Damian,” Cole muttered, pacing the blacktop. “This is crazy. Batshitinsane.”
He’d never seen Cole so agitated. It wouldn’t do. Damian needed him calm and composed for Aria, because she was going to be royally pissed when she found out he’d gone to Thailand withouther.
“Even so,” Damian said, “it has to bedone.”
“Let me go,” Cole said. “You can stay here with Aria. I’ll take care ofGatti.”
Damian shook his head. “Can’t do it. It’s personal now. I need to see him dead myself. I need to be able to tell Aria that I sawit.”
“I think Aria would rather have you here and alive,” Colesaid.
“Maybe on the surface,” Damian agreed. “But she’ll never really be able to move on until I can report personally on hisdeath.”
He wasn’t entirely sure even his reporting would be enough for her. She was itching to see Malcolm dieherself.
But Damian’s testimony was the closest thing they had tosatisfactory.
Cole sighed. “I’ll do what you need me to do. You knowthat.”
Damian nodded. “I need you to stay here with Aria. I’d post you outside her room if I could get away with it, but it will draw too much attention from the nursing staff — attention we don’tneed.”
“I’ll patrol out here, call in a couple other guys to watch the otherentrances.”
It made Damian feel better to know Aria would be well covered, even though he doubted she was a target of Malcolm’s now that he was on his way toThailand.
He rested a hand on Cole’s shoulder. “Thank you. I know you want to help. I need you to believe there’s no greater help you can provide right now than to keep Ariasafe.”
Cole nodded. “When do youleave?”
Damian unlocked his car. “Now.”
