Page 163 of Dance of Ruin

“How,” I growl.

“Because I’mvery fucking good at what I do,” he snaps back. “Nico, I haven’t been prying into the Court to find its weaknesses. I’ve been trying to get yourattention.”

“And why is that?” I mutter.

“If I simply kill the Marquis, I’m viewed as a traitor. And the second his body drops, half the Obsidian Syndicate goes to war with the other half.”

He steps closer, lowering his voice.

“But if theBlack Courtexecutes him…?”

I bark a laugh. “We’re not mercenaries, fuckhead.”

“I’m not saying you are. I’m merely asking you to do what you do: seek the wrongs within the underworld and be the corrective force that…fixes them.”

He pulls a manila envelope out of his jacket. “I believe the Court takes a dim view of those who reneg on, or cheat their way out of, a blood marker?”

“You’ve got my attention.”

“Fifteen years ago, the Marquis was in a bad spot, and he got help from a Bratva kingpin out of Novosibirsk—Boris Vabnik. He saved the Marquis’ life, but made the Marquis sign a blood marker owing Vabnik a debt.”

He clears his throat and hands me the envelope.

“You’ll find indisputable proof in there that the Marquis had Vabnik killed a year ago for no reason other than to erase his debt to him.”

Fuck.

Murder doesn’t mean shit to the Court. But a broken blood marker? That’s sacred.

“The whole case is right there in that folder,” he says. “I just need you to bring it to the Black Court. And I need your word that you’ll convince them to act, and to carry out the execution.”

“What are you about to tell me you’ll do for me in exchange?” I murmur. “I know that part’s coming.”

He nods grimly. “Indeed. Mr. Barone, at this precise moment, a squad of hitmen is on its way to kill Naomi Kim.”

Everything goes from zero to a thousand miles an hour in a quarter of a second. Adrenaline explodes through my system as my heart explodes into my throat.

“What!?” I roar.

When he doesn’t immediately respond, I launch myself at him, grabbing him by the collar and shaking him as I snarl into his face.

“What thefuckdid you just say?!”

“A hit squad,” he grunts. “Obsidian Syndicate-trained. With orders to find Naomi Kim.”

Everything inside me goes cold.

“It’s not about you. It’s about her father. They’re hitting Leonard where it hurts. She’s the only piece he can’t control anymore.”

I slam him back into the crumbling stone wall, my face a mask of livid rage.

“I can call them off, Nico.”

His voice is completely devoid of emotion, but there’s a finality his eyes as they lock with mine.

“But I need your word first.”

I snarl as I slam him against the wall again. “Make the fucking call.”

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