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The dark-haired man falls silent, shaking his head a little.
“His folks got taken out during that mess between the Archers and the McManuses ten years ago,” Liam explains.
I clear my throat, looking down at my lap. “I guess it’s hard to remember a time before the alliance.”
“The London crime scene has always been divided,” Theo says. “The alliance was supposed to get everyone playing nice again.”
“Right.” Liam chuckles ruefully. “And we all saw how that turned out.”
The safe house is an enormous old property, built into the side of a hill that seems to drop into the city below. The windows are lined with vines and wisteria, and the garden is lush and beautifully tended. It sits at the end of a long, winding drive, lit by ornate iron lampposts and a set of floodlights on either side of the front door. The place reminds me of the mansions where I spent most of my childhood, learning what was expected from me as a dutiful mafia daughter. I sink lower in my seat.
To my surprise, we’re not the only ones here; armed guards stand by the gate at the top of the driveway, their eyes fixed forward as they scan the road for signs of anyone approaching. More are stationed on the upper balconies, and the number of lights that are on inside makes me think more of an army barracks than a posh country estate.
“Nice place,” I mutter.
“We’ll be safe in here,” Tristan says. “Don’t get too comfortable. This is a temporary fix, nothing more.”
I duck my head as the guards wave us through into the garage, biting back a snarky reply.
The guys climb out, and Theo puts a hand on my lower back as he guides me into the sprawling estate. The place is bustling with activity: guards, advisors, and other made men all mill around the different rooms and hallways, talking in low voices. They greet the guys with deference as we head toward an ornate sitting room, where a fireplace blazes in the hearth.
“Gentlemen, we’re going to need the room,” Theo says as we enter.
“You got it, boss,” says one of the guys at the table, and within moments, they’re clearing out. I have to marvel at the way Theo commands the room; I’ve never seen him giving the orders before, out from under his father’s thumb. It’s strange to see Victor’s influence slipping so easily away. “Have a seat, kid,” he says, adjusting his tie as he goes to stand by the fireplace.
I do as I’m told, settling onto the plush sofa. Tristan drops into a leather armchair while Liam plops down next to me like he owns the place.
I study the others closely for a moment. “So is this the part where you tell me what the hell is going on and how I’m involved?”
Theo nods. “You’ve waited long enough.” Taking a breath, he turns away, bracing a hand against the mantlepiece as he stares down at the burning fire. “Lucas has turned my father against me. That’s what we know.” He sounds more like he’s talking to himself than to us.
“Not just that,” I blurt before I can stop myself.
Theo turns around, his brow furrowing.
I clear my throat. “He’s done more than spread shit about you, Theo. You need to know that Lucas is trying to frame you. He’s fucking up from the inside. Something about everyone breaking with the big bosses, money getting pulled out of the business, payoffs—and he’s pinning it all on you.”
“He’s not,” Theo replies, holding up a hand.
“What do you mean?”
His expression hardens. “I told you before, kid, I’m done playing nice, and I’m not about to be muscled out, by my family or yours. I fought my way to the top once, and I’m willing to fight my way back there again—even if it means taking London back myself.”
I stare at him in disbelief. “You’re saying...”
“Lucas didn’t frame me,” Theo explains. “I’m going rogue, and I’m taking my resources with me.”
“You... My father said there was a paper trail.”
“There is,” Theo says. “It’s mine. I had my hands in a lot of deals, kid. I had plenty of debts out on the streets. People who owed me. Informants in my pocket, not my father’s. Most importantly...” He looks first at Liam, and then at Tristan. “I had allies in the Emmerico organization. People who didn’t take Lucas’s claims at face value. Their loyalty has always been to me, first and foremost. I’m just dropping the pretenses now. I own more of this family already than my brother can possibly know. Enough to make things very difficult for him.”
I press my lips together, the pieces falling into place in my mind. “Enough to go to war with the London syndicate.”
Theo nods. “If that’s what it takes.”
“And...” I swallow, looking first at Liam and then at Tristan. Both of them are watching me intensely, and I fight the urge to shrink under their gaze. “I take it you two are some of those allies, then?”
“Allies?” Liam chuckles. “We’re more than that, love. We go way back, us three. We’ve got some war stories, don’t we, Tristan?”
