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“I’m fine. I’m fine,” MG says a little breathlessly.
Hendrick motions to me. “Jac.”
I don’t want to leave her, and I’m shocked he isn’t hovering over us, making sure she’s okay, but his face is stone and it’s the expression I remember with Lili’s death and his father—
A part of me suddenly gets it. He blocks emotions to get the things he needs to be done. He would have destroyed his father…after he made him suffer.
But his father—no the fucking rapist—deserved that death. Sure, I could have made it longer, but I’m not Hendrick. I need that instant gratification.
“I’ve got the jewels.” Gimboni’s croaky voice makes both of us turn to him. He’s lying on the floor, trying to push himself up onto his elbows but is slipping in the blood pooling underneath him. There’s a gaping hole in his chest.
Hendrick kicks him, making him drop again, then crouches. More blood spurts out of his mouth. “The jewels don’t buy you a seat, asshole.” He leans in closer, his tone taking a nasty, brutal edge. “I’ll let you in on some actual Quinate bylaws. Every replacement’s chosen by us. The five of us. Chosen, vetted, tested, ahead of time. Replacements, all in rows, in case something happens. And worst case? There’s a vote on a new member. It takes time; it takes resources and no one in the Quinate has more power than the other. No one. It’s what keeps the peace. What allows men like me and Jac to work together.”
Hand covering his wound, Gimboni coughs. “The jewels are—”
“About the power of love, not power in the Quinate.” MG’s joined us. She’s pale, a bit shaken up, but anger radiates from her, too. It’s what’s holding her together right now.
She glances at me and then Hendrick. “What’s going to happen to him?”
“Oh, he and his…mother? Grandmother? Leandra,” Hendrick starts, “will live long enough to see their entire family and friends die for their sins. Kincaid’s family, too. His underlings and their family. Business associates, babysitter, dog walker—you get the gist.”
“I…” She stops. I’m guessing she’s finally seeing we’re monsters, but she doesn’t argue. She just nods. Declan’s there among the other Quinate members, and he steps forward and offers to take her and her friend back up the stairs.
I leave Hendrick to keep Gimboni company and walk over go to Ivan. “She was forced, and you all have your pieces back.”
“Ivan’s seeing them to their car. We’ll watch them for you.” Ivan and Maximo come over as Declan reappears and joins us, kicking Gimboni along the way.
“It’s always the weak fucks,” Ivan says.
“Agnossio stole our land,” Gimboni spits.
Maximo narrows his eyes. “Agnossio took over your mismanaged slice of his fucking territory. And now you signed your entire family’s death warrants.” He signals and two of his men take him. “Make sure he lives to see everyone he loves die. And you know what? Have fun with it. No limits.”
Rubbing a hand over his face, he waits for Hendrick to come over so he can address us all. “Jewels? Really? We’ve had people over the decades according to records who’ve tried to worm into our group, buy their way in to the Quinate, but never anything as idiotic as this. Where the fuck did he get the idea of the jewels from?”
“Some kind of old legend he misunderstood,” Hendrick explains. “You need men from us for clean up?”
“Send some of them in. We want to keep this under wraps until we’ve rounded up the biggest players in their families. And their hires?”
“Kill them,” I say, thinking of the bruises on MG’s face. I seek out the man from the party—he’s alive, but was shot in the leg twice during the rain of gunfire. “Except him. I have a feeling Hendrick has some special plans to take care of him.”
“Not Gimboni?”
Hendrick looks at me. “You think he touched her?”
“Oh, fuck yes,” I reply. “She had that look when she left that room at the party, like she remembered something. I’m going to fucking feed him his own dick.”
“I’m there.” Hendrick glances at us all. Then at me. “Meeting tomorrow?”
I nod. “Leandra Gimboni is next. Make sure she’s there.”
We make the arrangements and head out. The moment I step onto the sidewalk, I breathe in the night air, hands on hips. Carlos is standing by my limo. And next to that is Damon and Hendrick’s car.
Of course, MG’s nowhere to be seen, but after all that chaos, she’s etched permanently on my mind. Right there, front and center.
Maybe I’ll get Carlos to round me up some fucking hot piece, and I’ll go to town on her, fuck MG out of my system. If Hendrick was smart, he’d do the fucking same.
I don’t move.
