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“What do we owe?” I ask. Minka’s safe, and close, and smiling. And yet, my stomach weighs a ton and aches with dread. “What do the Malones owe for this… deal?”
“Nothing.” Smirking, Michelle peeks back at Pastore. “The scales had to be rebalanced. He took one of yours. Now you have Micah back, your doctor will treat him, and Mr. Cordoza will bear witness to the rebalancing of this city. All in exchange for a visit from me.”
Her smile grows larger. “I’ve been meaning to come back for a while to see my darling friend.”
When Pastore looks up hopefully, she laughs.
“Not you. You won’t find me in my new life, Emilio, because I choose not to be found. And should you think you have claim on my sweet friend Minka, all because she looked your way once, I assure you, she’s spoken for and unwilling to entertain your disgusting proposal.”
Glancing to me, she opens her palm and holds it up between us. “If you don’t mind, I’ve been studying the art of cutting through bone.”
“Oh god!” Pastore heaves again. “Oh no.”
“I’d enjoy the chance to repay an old debt.”
“You want…” I look down at the shears in my hand, then I peer to Minka’s grinning approval. “You want to cut him?” Ridiculously, I study Michelle’s gown and think of the apron Minka wears for her autopsies. “Ms. Mancino, you want to do it?”
“I do. I understand you might like the honors for what was done to your brother. So I won’t demand. But I will ask nicely. Because once upon a time, Emilio Pastore wanted me to be his bride. Histhird, after the first two had served their purpose and been disposed of.”
She looks down at Emilio and sneers. “I was unable to spit in his face back then and not risk punishment. But now…” Slowly, she reaches across and takes the secateurs from my palm. “Like I said, I’ve been studying under the tutelage of my new coroner friend. I did her a favor by contacting Mr. Cordoza to open negotiations. She assured me a favor in return.” She glances back to Minka and smiles. “You wouldn’t tell your wife no, would you, Mr. Malone?”
I look to Minka and her cheerful expression. I study her dancing eyes, and find a sick thrill in the way this is all a game to her.
She’s come to my world, though I never wanted her to. She’s climbed higher on the totem pole than anyone I have blood relation to ever could, and now she runs this city with more power than a Malone ever will.
“Let her cut,” Minka murmurs. Closing the space between us, she steps under my arm and wraps herself around my torso.
Then she looks up. And I look down.
Though I don’t consciously choose to move, our lips meet, and her breath on my tongue brings me home again. She brings me back to where I belong. Which isn’t a place; it’s not a city, or a bar, or an apartment with a fat cat staring daggers every time she watches us.
It’s just… her.
“Okay.” I inhale her deep into my lungs. Then I offer my rifle to whoever takes it and bring my palm up to cup her soft cheek. “You said you were going out to dinner with friends.”
Snickering, she pushes to her toes so our lips touch a second time. “I didn’t lie. And I promise to tell you all about my friends when we have privacy. You look good, by the way.” She reaches up to stroke my stubbled jaw. “You’re not as pale as I expected you’d be.”
“Can we do this?” The other woman, the one with a gun, moves closer to her sister. Like magnets, when she steps, a tatted guard steps. When she comes closer to Pastore—the enemy—her tatted guard comes closer. “Cut him, Michelle. Don’t make a mess of your dress. Then I want something to eat.” She glances to Cordoza and explains, “I have to eat every two hours, or I get a little shaky.”
“Well, of course.” Cordoza snaps his fingers and summons a server. “We re-establish order in our city.” He winks for Michelle. “Then we eat. It’s the correct way of doing things.”
He glances to me and flattens his lips, the humor gone from his eyes and tone. “I caution your family from ever attempting to take back power with violence, Archer Malone. You got lucky tonight, because of a phone call I received prior to this event’s beginning. But I assure you, I won’t extend the same courtesy twice.”
He looks to Tim. “Decide who will stand as head of your family. You have temporary grace while you figure it out, but don’t take too long, and don’t upset your customers—otherwise, Pastore might simply take back those who were once his. Bury your father and bid him good riddance. Then you come back to work.”
Finally, he casts his silver-gray eyes to Michelle. “I insist you hurry, sweetheart. It’s not good manners to leave him waiting.”
“Oh god!” Pastore screams when she grins in response. Then he fights his restraints as a third guard comes forward and grabs his left hand.
The guard splays all five of Pastore’s fingers wide and holds his prisoner still for Michelle’s selection.
“Please, no!” Pastore cries. “Please stop! I’ll do anything—”
“This one.” She lines her weapon up and holds them over the man’s ring finger. “It’s fitting, really. There won’t be a third bride, Pastore. Not so long as I have any say in it.”
Snip.
EPILOGUE
