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Stooped lower, she meets his eyes. “I made certain you wouldn’t know where to find me, Emilio. But it is your birthday, and I just…” She drags her bottom lip between her teeth. “I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to see you.”
“You…” Pathetically, he swallows. “You wanted to see me?”
She laughs. “I wanted to see you cry. So when my good friend Minka Mayet called me and mentioned this cheery little gathering, I couldn’t tell her no.”
“What?” I grab the woman’s arm and yank her up to stand tall. Soldiers by the door push forward, while those left behind to guard Cato and Micah burn me with a glare. “What did you just say?”
“Minka.” Calm, she reaches up and brushes my hand off so blood can begin flowing in her arm once more.
The tallest guard at her back, the closest, kills me with his stare. His hands flex on his weapon, and his shoulders pulse with adrenaline. But he’s well-trained. Well-disciplined.
“We haven’t officially met, Archer Malone, but we’ve crossed paths a few times in the last few months. Congratulations on your wedding. I heard it was… economical.”
“He was stoned.”
Hervoice, Minka’s voice, makes my heart stutter in my chest and has my eyes instantly swinging back to the crowd of guards.
They open their ranks again, providing me a view of Micah laid out on a stretcher on the floor. Cato kneels over him, a bag of medical supplies already torn open for use. Beside him, pushing up to stand in a gown of dark purple, Minka removes a pair of latex gloves and hands them to my baby brother to hold.
“He was injured,” she continues, wandering closer on skyscraper heels. “He wasn’t in his right mind, really. But he saidI do, and I said it back.” Stopping beside the woman claiming to be Michelle Mancino, she winks for me and reaches up to loop her finger through the wedding band hanging around her neck.
I’m speechless.
Stupid.
Possibly in shock.
“Mr. Cordoza,” she offers a coy look his way, “promised us a fun evening of good wine, delicious food, and pleasurable company.” Then she looks down at Pastore and wrinkles her nose. “Current company notwithstanding.”
“What the—”
“Fuckareyoudoing here?” Felix bellows. But where sheer terror pulses in my veins, my brother chokes out a laugh. “She’s a baddie, huh?” He swings his arm out and smacks my chest. Once. Twice. “She’s badder than you, Arch. And she’s dating Cordoza!”
“And you continue to lack tact,” Minka responds dryly. Looking to Estefan, she flattens her lips. “We appreciate your guidance tonight. And we beg consideration for my mentally defunct brother-in-law. He lacks… brains.”
Chuckling like a merry old fat man, Cordoza watches all three women like they hung the moon and the stars.
Somehow, Minka knows the guy. And they’re besties.
But in the space of a single beat of my heart, Cordoza looks to Felix and glares. “You risked your life and those of your brothers by coming here tonight, Felix Malone. You riskedeverythingwith this little stunt. Walking into Emilio’s home with a shotgun? I could have you removed in an instant.”
“Wait…” No longer smiling, Felix’s eyes finally register danger. “What? I thought we were restoring balance and cutting Pastore open.”
“You punish Pastore’s unilateral move by making your own?” he seethes. “You’re not the sharpest crayon in the box, are you, boy?”
“Well…” He frowns. “Hold on.”
Cordoza looks to Tim. To me. “Theonlyreason you survive tonight is because your wife already negotiated a deal.” He extends his hand her way and patiently waits for Minka to take it.
My blood runs cold when she steps forward. My stomach drops when she places her hand in his, and he presses a kiss to her knuckles.
“Nothinghappens in my city without me knowing about it first.” Releasing Minka’s hand, he looks to Michelle and grins. “Nothing happens, ever, without my approval.”
“What deal?” Panicked, Tim looks to Cordoza, to Minka, back to Cordoza. “What did she do, boss?” Back to Minka. “What did you promise?”
“Communication.” Untroubled, Minka takes a step back to provide room for Michelle to come forward. The other sister, the one with a gun, merely watches. She’s more guard than gowned beauty.
“We promised communication,” Minka continues. “And mutual respect. We informed Mr. Cordoza of the move that would be made tonight by the Malones, and asked for an alternative outcome.” She looks to Felix. “Though, your plan to shoot out the chandelier was… creative.”
