Page 89 of From the Ashes

This is a big move, and the other families aren’t going to be happy about it. But I understand why I’m sitting here instead of beside Luca, who arrived a few seconds after we did.

He doesn’t question where I’m sitting as he takes his own seat on the side of the table closest to Bishop, while Kovu and Kaos take their places behind us.

Being surrounded by them like this has my stomach rolling with nerves for a whole other reason. Our relationship up to this point has been shrouded in danger and uncertainty. At every turn, we’ve faced a new opponent or a new adversity, and I can’t help but feel nervous about what happens when all this is over.

When Charles is overthrown and Knox takes his place.

When Caleb is dead.

When everything goes back to how it was before my father died.

Will they still want me like they do now?

Will they still want to protect me, even when it means facing questions from the other four families?

Will they want to go the distance?

They’re the questions I haven’t allowed myself to think too hard about among the chaos, but for some reason I can’t help but fall down the rabbit hole as we wait for everyone else to arrive.

Bishop’s hand comes down on my dress-covered thigh and squeezes. “Relax, love. You’re stressing.”

“And you’re not?” I challenge.

He stares at me for a moment before his lips quirk up in a smile. “Touché.”

Kovu leans over my shoulder and presses a kiss to my cheek. “Just think about all the filthy things I’m going to do to you tonight when we get home. I watched the little show you put on for Crew, and you better believe I’m tying you up tonight.”

“Promises, promises.” I laugh before snapping a neutral look back on my face. They’re too distracting, especially when they’re whispering filthy things in my ear.

Kovu steps back, and Christopher and Greyson Knight are the first to arrive. There’s a moment when I think they might say something about where I’m sitting, but then they take their seats without hesitation.

Miriam and Donovan Sterling are next to arrive, and I’m immediately afforded a glare from the former as she moves to sit beside Christopher on the right side of the table.

“Well isn’t this cozy?” she sneers.

“Unfortunately, after some recent threats, we have been forced to make some changes to how we usually run these meetings,” Crew explains.

“Is that why there’s a small army outside?” Donovan asks, his amber eyes falling on me before flicking back to Crew.

“Yes,” he replies simply.

Leroy and Noah Thorne are the next to arrive, and the latter gives me a small smile as they take their seats beside Luca.

Considering it’s his first meeting, he looks calm and collected, which I’m grateful for because at least one of us is. On the outside, I’m the cold Mafia queen I was brought up to be, but on the inside, I’m a fucking mess.

Charles is the last to arrive, with Knox on his heels, looking ready to kill someone. Which to be fair, that’s kind of just how he looks, but he seems extra homicidal today. I don’t have to wait for long to find out why as Caleb walks in behind him, calling for a symphony of gasps from those who didn’t know he was alive.

I swallow heavily at the sight of the man who almost killed us all just a few days ago, but I refuse to look weak in front of any of these vultures.

Knox remains standing while Charles and Caleb take their seats at the opposite end of the table from us.

Tense silence falls over the entire room, and I force myself to remain calm even as panic threatens to ravage my entire being.

We planned for this. Despite having as many men as both the Legion and myself could spare looking, we’ve been unable to find a trace of Caleb anywhere in the city, so it makes sense that he was with Davenport all along.

“Is someone going to explain what the fuck is going on?” Christopher demands, his voice strained as he looks from one end of the table to the other.

Charles opens his mouth to respond, but Crew gets in first. “You all would remember my brother, Caleb. Just like all of you, we were under the impression that he died three years ago. You can’t imagine how surprised we were when he put a hit out on Camilla and burned down the fight club. Turns out he’s been working with Davenport for some time to take the Syndicate down.”

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