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“Like you said, business always comes first,” Maxsaid.
“Not words I ever expected to hear yousay.”
“I’vechanged.”
“I would say I’m surprised,” Jason said, “but if any woman can make a man change, it would beAbby.”
“Careful,” Max warned, his voice low. He didn’t want Abby’s name in Jason’s mouth, would have preferred not to have it anywhere in Jason’s mind, although he had less control overthat.
There was a long pause on the other end of the phone, and Max knew Jason was weighing his next words, not out of fear, but out of his long-standing attention tostrategy.
“I didn’t realize it was about you until that day at the Tangier,” Jason finallysaid.
“In what way?” Max knew what he meant, but he wanted to draw Jason out, to keep himtalking.
“I thought it was about her. About Abby. But it’s been about you allalong.”
“I don’t know why,” Max said. “We cut ties a long timeago.”
“It was a fragile peace, but peace nonetheless,” Jason said. “Just remember, it was you who opened thatdoor.”
Max couldn’t deny it. He’d re-entered Jason’s life reluctantly — and only because he’d been worried about Abby’s safety — but he’d been the one to doit.
“Some things are more important than peace,” Maxsaid.
Like Abby, who was more important thaneverything.
“That’s your call to make,” Jason said. “But it’s important to remember it was that judgement call that brought ushere."
“We both know this has been coming for a long time. We wouldn’t have lived out our lives in this city without this happeningeventually.”
“You’re probably right,” Jason said. “I just wish I’d finished it when I had thechance.”
“You should have.” Max heard the warning in his own voice. “You won’t get the opportunity again, and I promise you, when I’m on the other end of the gun, I won’t have a similar crisis ofconscience.”
Jason’s laugh was low and intimate in his ear. “Is that what you think that was? A crisis ofconscience?”
“What would you call it?” Maxasked.
“History,” Jason said. “Memory.”
“None of that matters after what you did to Abby,” Max said. “That was an act of war that can’t beundone.”
Jason was silent for so long on the other end of the phone that Max thought maybe he’d hung up. Until hespoke.
“Then I’ll see you on thebattlefield.”
There was a brief pause, then silence as Jason disconnected thecall.
Max put down the phone and turned his eyes toward the city. He wondered if Jason was standing at the window of his suite at the Tangier, a king ensconced behind the walls of hiscastle.
It didn’tmatter.
I’m coming for you,Max thought.And this time you won’t live to say Abby’sname.
