Page 74 of Queen of Blades

The SUV pulled up beside a white Cadillac Escalade and his father’s charcoal Porsche Cayenne parked outside a large steel outbuilding set far back on the property. The area was illuminated by massive floodlights. Blowing out a breath, Paul braced himself for another meeting.

He shifted Harper, careful not to wake her. Once out from beneath her, he exited the car and joined the men.

“Tyler, stay back,” he ordered the man with a swollen eye and split lip. “Watch Harper.”

The shaggy brown-haired man nodded eagerly. He was a good soldier, maybe twenty-five. The best part? The guy didn’t ask questions. He just did as he was told. Paul was glad Tyler got out of the clubhouse with just a few scrapes.

Turning his attention to Eddie, he noted his brother looked as haggard as everyone else. “We can’t go in there like this.”

Eddie nodded. “That’s why Dad has fresh clothes for us in the car.” He gestured to the Porsche SUV.

Nodding, Paul unbuttoned his shirt quickly. Peering in the car, he thought he caught Harper shivering. Wearing only a tactical vest and skimpy underwear, she had to be cold.

“Drape this over her. If she wakes up, tell her to put it on,” he instructed Tyler.

His soldier nodded and accepted the shirt.

Eddie entered the code in the door, unlocking Joseph’s car. Inside, hanging on a hook, were two suits still in the dry cleaner’s plastic. Shaking his head, Paul wondered how his father found the time for such things.

Each of the brothers took the appropriate attire and swapped out their torn and bloody clothes for crisp, clean, and pressed designer suits. Paul used a section of his trousers to tourniquet his calf. He didn’t want to be bleeding all over the floor during their discussion. It wasn’t perfect, but it’d have to do.

Each man slid their holsters back on under their jackets and checked their weapons. Paul had half a clip. Eddie slapped a full one into his weapon.

Satisfied they were properly attired to attend a meeting, the brothers gave each other a brief nod and made their way to the small door of the massive hangar.

Inside the bare-bones structure with the exposed metal beams was a Cessna Skyhawk, several red rolling Snap-on toolboxes with drawers, spare tires, and a card table where Joseph sat smoking cigars with Dario. Behind the Sicilian Casa Nostra leader was a man wearing a black suit with his hands clasped before him, his eyes on Paul and Eddie.

Turning, Joseph raised a hand and stood. “Boys. So nice of you to join us.”

Dario held his stogie between two fingers while he brought a stemmed wineglass filled with burgundy liquid to his lips.

“Dad,” Eddie greeted him as he approached, giving their father a quick hug, complete with several slaps to the back.

Paul offered a brief embrace as well.

“Come. Sit,” Joseph said, gesturing to the open folding chairs.

He was far too jovial for someone who knew they’d lost five of their soldiers in a brutal battle with the bikers.

Monitoring the man behind Dario, Paul took a seat to his dad’s left as Eddie took the chair on the right. Joseph ashed his cigar as he sat.

“I was just telling Dario about the unfortunate circumstances we find ourselves in,” Joseph explained. “But also the opportunity that has presented itself now that the bikers have lost two presidents in as many days.”

“It’s no secret that I’m not a big fan of the cockroaches doing business in my state,” Dario offered.

“He has agreed to rescind permissions for the bounty on Paul’s head, so the Irish can’t outsource that,” Joseph explained. “But he cannot squash the bad blood. That will remain.”

Dario nodded. “I’m not about to get between feuding families. You killed one of theirs, so they have the right to seek retribution.”

Paul nodded. He could handle that. It was nice knowing only the Irish could go after him.

With that, Dario snubbed out his cigar and rose. “I had better get going.”

Paul and the rest stood with him. Dario offered a polite handshake to Joseph and a nod to Paul and Eddie before he and his man took their leave of the large hangar.

Once the door closed, relief washed over Paul as he collapsed into the folding chair.

Joseph blew out a breath and turned to face his sons. “I think I’ve cleaned up your mess the best I can.”

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