Page 88 of From the Ashes

Everett Masters over at Frost Industries is as innovative as they come, and the stuff we’ve had him design for us over the last year since we officially aligned ourselves with the Saint James family in Chicago has pushed us into a new era.

“We have men stationed around the building and on the rooftops lining this street and those on either side. If they’re planning on ambushing you here, they’re going to find themselves dead before they can make their first move,” Elias tells me.

All that military training comes in handy in times like this, and I’m even more grateful to have the two ex-SEALs on our side than usual.

They went to school with Crew, and when they found themselves back in the city after their divorces, we made them an offer that has benefited all of us time and time again.

“Thank you for running point on all of that. The club is clear of patrons?”

“Yep,” Wyatt replies. “As far as members are concerned, we’re doing some scheduled maintenance this afternoon.”

“Sorry you had to shut down for this meeting.”

“I’d rather do that than see anyone hurt in the crossfire if shit hits the fan.”

Elias pushes the door to the conference room open, and we step inside. The formation is always the same. Two seats at the head of the table where Crew and I sit, while Kaos and Kovu stand behind us, keeping their eyes on every move made in the room.

There are four seats on either side of the table, room for four leaders and their second-in-command, and two seats at the other end of the table for the remaining family.

I consider the formation for long seconds, my stomach rolling at the thought of Camilla being separated from us. There’s too much that can go wrong at the moment, and a single mistake could have her taken from us before we could so much as take our next breath.

I pull my phone from my pocket and dial Crew’s number, and he answers on the second ring. “Yeah?”

“You on your way?”

“We are. Camilla has been surprisingly well-behaved since her little stunt in my office.”

Her giggle in the background brings a smile to my lips despite the worry that’s taken root in my chest. We’ve faced a lot of threats since we started rising to power, but this one is different.

Caleb knows every play in our playbook, and he knows us all as well as we know ourselves. The only wild card we have is Camilla, and I think that’s part of the reason he’s trying to take her off the board altogether.

“I’m in the conference room. Are you happy with the usual formation at the table?”

There’s silence for a moment while he thinks about his options. “No. Put Camilla between us. Luca can sit on the side of the table closest to us.”

“That’s what I thought. I don’t want her unprotected today.”

“Agreed.”

“I’ll get it sorted. See you when you get here.”

“Oh, and Bishop?”

“Yeah?”

“Don’t think you’re not going to get what’s coming to you after your involvement in the little brat’s game.”

A booming laugh escapes my throat, causing Elias and Wyatt to look at me with a raised brow. “I wouldn’t expect anything else.”

I hang up the phone and begin rearranging the seats, placing one more at the head of the table, and a rightness takes root in my chest.

It feels right for the queen to sit between two of her kings.

CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN

CAMILLA

My mask snaps into place as I slip into my seat between Crew and Bishop.

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