Page 171 of Dance of Ruin

My brow knits. “What exactly are your plans when you take over the Obsidian Syndicate? Word is that you plan to set up shop here in New York following more of a mafia family business model.”

Vaughn says nothing.

“You can probably understand why I might not find that such an agreeable idea, given thatmyorganization is a mafia family business.”

He shrugs. “Feel however you like about it, Nico. I will say, I don’t have any plans to go to war with anyone.” He smirks. ”At least—not immediately.”

Try it and we’ll see who knows this city better, motherfucker.

Vaughn smiles darkly. “But I also won’t forget your help with this. Unfortunately, that’s as much as you’ll get from me for now.”

There’s a pause. He clears his throat.

“You should talk to Naomi.”

“About?” I growl tensely.

“Her dad might be a self-serving fuck, but he’s not a killer.”

My eyes narrow. “Where I come from, giving the order is the same as pulling the?—"

"It was a setup, Nico,” Vaughn exhales. “The Marquis really decided to take it personally when Leonard wanted to cut ties with the Syndicate. I think he had it in his head that the congressman was going to be President one day, and we’d have direct influence on the most powerful man on earth. So, when Leonard wanted to end our business, the Marquis set up that car bomb—which was meant for your father, by the way,notyour sister.”

My lips curl into a snarl before he holds his hand up.

“Notmy orders, and I had no say in that. The goal was to put it out there on the streets that Leonard had hired us to kill your dad, which would obviously mean you or your brother taking outLeonard. Problem solved.”

I stare at him. “My sister almost fuckingdiedjust so you could get someone else to do your dirty work of killing the congressman?”

Vaughn tilts his head. “Again, not my orders. But this is how we operate in the Syndicate.”

His eyes darken with a sudden flash as they glance past me to the kitchen, then pull back to me.

“I…know what was done to her,” he growls thickly.

That red-black mist swirls inside of me as my jaw grinds.

“That would also be the Marquis’ doing,” Vaughn says. “And that isnotthe sort of thing that the Syndicate will have any part in, ever, going forward,” he hisses quietly.

My eyes turn steely. “If you’re missing two of your men?—”

“I’m not,” he says flatly. “But I do hope you made the misery last. And so you know, I’ll be seeing who else in the organization may have had anything to do with that abhorrence. If I do find anyone else…” he looks right at me. “They’ll be handed to you on a silver platter to do with as you please.”

“I can work with that,” I grunt.

He takes a breath, folding his arms over his chest.

“She’s strong,” he says measuredly, nodding past me to where Naomi is standing in the kitchen with Val.

“I know.”

Vaughn nods. “She should also hear from you instead of the media, though, that I’ll be releasing some files soon. Leonard Kim’s name will be all over them in regards to blackmail and bribery.”

My brow arches. “Not that I really give a shit, but why throw him under the bus now? The Obsidian Syndicate suddenly has a moral compass under you?”

“More like I want cut ties with anyone who could have anything they might one day hold over our heads,” he says flatly. “That includes Congressman Kim.”

We walk back into the kitchen, where Val is a bit more patched up and helping himself to one of the beers in my fridge to go with yet another of my cigarettes.

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