Page 28 of Consort of the Crime Queen

She sighs again, some of the fight leaving her. "Very well. I will reinstate him. But!" She levels a warning finger at me. "If he questions me in public again…"

"He won't," I assure her quickly.

Hadria nods, appeased for now. I come around the desk and brush a soft kiss over her lips in gratitude. "Thank you."

She cups my face, searching it with those strange, silvery eyes. "You continue to surprise me, Sunshine."

Her use of my pet name sends warmth curling through me. But our conversation is far from over. I steel myself for the next difficult topic.

"There's something else," I say slowly. "Why did you insist I'm not part of the Syndicate? After all this time, all we've faced together. What would it take for you to respect me?"

She tenses, withdrawing behind her icy mask once more. "I have nothing but respect for you, Aurora. But you're better off separate from all this, believe me."

"I'm already in too deep." I gesture around us. "This is my life now. I chose you, Hadria. I had a billion dollars and complete freedom—and I chose you."

Hadria is silent so long I fear she'll shut me out entirely. But finally she speaks. "I do respect you. And I know you can handle yourself physically. You escaped both my brother and my father, after all. But taking a life..." She hesitates, then meets my gaze solemnly. "It changes you, Aurora. Stains your soul. I have plenty of blood on my hands; I don't want the same for you."

It's a strangely touching notion from my ruthless lover. I consider her words carefully. Perhaps she just wants to shield me from further trauma.

"I understand," I say slowly. "Thank you for wanting to protect me from that. But let me decide what stains my soul. Please. Freedom isn't just about going wherever I want. It's also about making my own choices, my own decisions."

Hadria nods reluctantly. "You may have a point. I'll consider it." She presses a swift kiss to my wrist. "Now go train with Lyssa. We'll speak later."

I know a dismissal when I hear one, but I'm satisfied with the discussion.

For once in my life, I feel like I've been truly heard.

And with a lightness in my heart, I run down to the training room, where I fully intend to show Diesel how I earned my place at the table.

CHAPTER 15

Hadria

I sink back into the supple leather of my office chair, the events of the past hour replaying in my mind. Ricky's response to Aurora's kidnapping was unexpected, as were his words about the way I run this Syndicate.

I formed it with no real intentions of it being more than a collection of mercenaries who found it useful to band together. But as time went on…I wanted it to be more than that. As Aurora pointed out the other night, I pretend to be a loner, but I haven't just gathered together a convenient cohort. I've built Elysium around them, offering everything they could want: training, money, protection.

My father's cutting words from my meeting with him and Nero echo in my mind.

You don't have a new Family, girl. Mercenaries are only loyal to one thing: money. You have a group of people who'll put up with you ordering them around until someone pays them more than you do—and then you'll end up with a blade in your back.

The accusation stings more than I care to admit. He's right, of course. The Styx Syndicate was first united by money, not unshakable bonds of loyalty.

And I've done little to change that, although I wanted to sometimes.

I close my eyes, massaging my temples as regret washes over me. Ricky Half-hands has been by my side since the early days, quietly competent and unflinchingly loyal to me as a leader. Yet at the first sign of defiance, I stripped him of rank without hesitation.

What was I thinking?

Of course he questioned Aurora's safety. He cares about her. About our operation. About me. And how did I repay that loyalty? By punishing him.

A humorless chuckle escapes my lips. I've become my father in the worst possible way, demanding unthinking obedience and cutting down those who dare voice concern. Leadership through terrorization.

That isn't who I want to be.

Decision made, I reach for my phone. Ricky answers on the second ring, his gruff voice clipped and professional.

"Boss?"

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