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“Anyone who knows is a target. The other members of Henley can’t know.” But his words sent the room into a weighted, eerie silence.
Because every one of us knew that we already had enough targets. And nearly all of them were in that fucking room.
I rubbed at my jaw and pushed from my spot against the wall, struggling to keep my mouth shut when I wanted nothing more than to yell at all of them that they were putting their kids in danger.
Just as I started turning to follow in the direction Maxon had gone, I turned back and said, “It isn’t Moretti or Tennessee Gentlemen.”
Dare lifted his chin in question, but it was Kieran who said, “Your assuredness would’ve been helpful seventy-two hours ago.”
“I told you it was personal, and it is,” I ground out, feeling more anxious by the second. “Moretti have only ever wanted one thing: Libby. If they would’ve come back looking for a war, they wouldn’t have taken unknowns out. They would’ve grabbed her, killing as many of us along the way.”
When no one argued, I went on, pointing at Maverick as I did. “We already killed the members of TenGen who played psychological games. The ones who are left are old school. If they want retaliation, they’re coming back looking for our blood, not a loose connection to scare us. This is personal. This is someone who knows us. Why am I the only one who sees that?”
I took a step back, a huff leaving me as I realized the source of my anxiousness was also my answer. “It’s because I’m the only one who can see it clearly. I’m the only one who isn’t blinded by the fear of losing them.” I gestured to all the toddlers and babies, ignoring the looks of pure rage that followed the absolute horror as I started leaving the room.
“You’re saying the thought of your niece being taken or killed doesn’t scare you?”
I’d gone still the instant Maverick’s cold warning began seeping through the room but didn’t turn until he finished speaking.
“You know damn well that wasn’t what I meant,” I said as I met his furious stare. “I would protect and save any of them the same as I would do for all of you.”
I let that hover between us for a while and knew he got my meaning when his jaw twitched. Knew he was remembering when we nearly lost Einstein. When I saved her because she was my brother’s world.
Because she was one of us.
Because she was a fucking person.
“For fuck’s sake,” I continued with a bitter laugh, “I’ll kill anyone for even looking at Conor’s kid wrong because that girl’s my mini-me. But I can still see a threat and think about what I need to do to stop it. You used to be able to do that. Now? You worry about who it might take from you. Speaking of...” I gestured to the room again. “Considering there is a threat, we shouldn’t all be gathered in one place unless it’s the main Borello house—especially this building where anyone can walk in.” I gave Dare a pointed look. “The fact that you haven’t thought of that shows how blinded you are.”
No one tried stopping me that time, and I’d already said everything I’d been trying to hold back.
It wasn’t until I was halfway down the block that I felt him coming up behind me. I slowed and took a deep, calming breath, preparing for any number of reactions from him.
“You can’t talk to Dare like that,” Maverick said as he fell into step beside me.
“He needed to know.”
Maverick placed a hand on my chest to stop me and waited until I met his gaze. “You wanna say shit like that, think of a better way to deliver it and wait until it’s just Dare and me. Or, hell, even Kieran and Conor. But for as strong as all those women are, they’re now flipping out.”
I glanced toward the building as a deep-rooted need to apologize and calm them pulsed through me while another part wondered what those women looked like when they were anything less than the calm and composed mafia badasses I’d always known them to be.
But I just shook my head and muttered, “I didn’t say anything all of you weren’t already thinking.”
“It’s different,” he admitted after a second. “Hearing your fears out loud and knowing they’re legitimate.” Gripping my shoulder, he pulled me closer and lowered his voice. “What’s going on?”
“What do you mean? We just went over—”
“I know you,” he said firmly, forcing an irritated laugh from me.
“This again?” But he just lifted an eyebrow in response, so I explained, “After years of nothing, there’s an open threat on our family, and we had nearly every member in there. Thought that was obvious.”
Maverick slanted his head. “The thought of any threat always has you pumped and so goddamn excited that I can never keep you still because you’re ready to go, no matter what.” He jerked his chin toward ARCK. “I saw you in there. You were amped up in all the wrong ways.”
“And I just fucking explained that,” I ground out. “Again.”
He studied me before saying, “And maybe you were explaining it for you. I told you, the right person can change what we thought we knew or wanted.”
“Fucking hell,” I snapped, shoving him back and stepping away. “There’s no right person. She’s just a person I’m already done with, so there’s nothing more to discuss.”
