6. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Giana

“ C an we talk for a second?” Sophia asked, tugging me to a stop once we got to the end of the hallway. Merrick, Kellan, and Spade all paused, but I waved them ahead.

“Of course.” I swallowed thickly and led her to the DJ booth, close enough that the guys could still see us and get to us if anything happened without being overheard.

“Are you okay?” we both blurted the question at the same time.

I shook my head in disbelief. “You’re the one who was just dragged into the middle of this chaos.”

“Yes,” she huffed in exasperation. “But you weren’t acting like yourself back there. Is everything okay? Are you safe?”

My stomach sank, and I nodded, unsure what I to say. The Giana she’d known in New York was only a piece of me, the one I’d shown to the world while locked in Tommaso’s gilded cage. But that was the only side she knew.

“Remember when I told you about the guys and Tommaso last night?”

“Of course, I do.”

“Well, there’s a bit more to it, I guess.” Rubbing my arm nervously, I internally scolded myself. I could stab a man and watch him bleed out, but I couldn’t tell my best friend that I liked it. “I’m not just a bystander in all this—or, at least, I won’t be anymore. I can defend myself, and not only that, but I want to.”

A crease formed between her brows as she studied me. I expected horror or revulsion, but instead, there was only confusion with a glimmer of respect.

“Okay.” She nodded and looped her arm through mine again.

“Okay?”

“It might take me a while to get used to it, but who am I to judge? I think it’s actually pretty badass that you’re going to stand up to him.” She grinned back at me, and some of the tension dissolved between us.

“I promise I’m going to keep you safe, Sophia.” I pulled her to a stop, barely believing this was happening right now.

“I know, Gi.” Her lips tilted up slightly into a sympathetic smile. “Like I said before, it’s not your fault, and besides, now I get to spend some time with you.”

“You said I was a badass, but I think you’re underestimating yourself, Soph.” I winked and tugged her along as we slowly made our way over to the bar.

“Me?”

“Yeah, you.” I chuckled, nudging her with my shoulder. “Not many people would be able to roll with the punches like you have. That’s what’s really badass.”

“Well, I honestly should get an award for having to deal with that asshole.” She glared at Zane’s back across the bar, and I stifled a laugh.

My chest warming, I smiled back at her, nearly needing to pinch myself just to make sure this was reality.

“Well, at least you won’t have to deal with him anymore.”

“ L et’s have a seat.” Sebastian gestured us over to one of the private booths near the back of the dance floor after pouring us each a glass of whiskey.

I accepted the drink but placed it on the table the second we sat down. Despite watching him pour the liquid straight from the bottle, it would be a while before I felt comfortable accepting a drink from a stranger.

Besides, I’d never been one to indulge in straight liquor. Give me wine or a sweet cocktail any day.

Sebastian eyed my discarded glass but didn’t say anything as he brought his own to his lips.

The booths were comfortable, spacious enough to fit our large group, yet they were cozy enough to have a conversation. There were three plush, dark-purple-leather benches placed in a U shape around a low table. The guys waited for Sebastian to sit first before positioning us strategically. Spade sat closest to Sebastian and Zane, while Sophia and I sat next to him, leaving Merrick and Kellan to sit across from our hosts and closest to the door, in case we ran into any trouble.

Sophia slid her glass onto the table too and leaned back in her seat. Tension radiated between her and Zane as he glowered back at her, the two of them lost in a silent stare down until Sebastian cleared his throat. Their gazes snapped back to him, and Sophia tried to feign a nonchalance that I didn’t believe for a second.

“What’s your plan now that the Barones know it was you who attacked them?” Sebastian leaned his elbows on his knees, waiting intently.

“We’ll start with their influence on the town,” Merrick explained, taking a sip of his whiskey before setting it on the table. Despite the men’s friendship for years now, there was palpable energy zinging through the room, like everything could unravel in an instant. “We’re going to interrupt their cash flow one step at a time. First with their shakedowns on local businesses, then with their shipments, and finally with their government connections.”

Sebastian cocked a brow. “I assume you have a plan for each of these steps?”

“We do.” Kellan placed his still-full glass on the table and crossed his arms over his chest.

“But you’re not going to tell me, are you?” A grin unfurled on the fight club owner’s lips as he leaned back.

“We’ll keep you informed, but until we can identify if there are any other traitors among us, we’re keeping the details close to our chest.”

I suppressed my grimace, not wanting to show any sign of discord to our potential ally, but that reminded me of the secrets the three of them still kept.

Spade shifted in his seat. Though he continued watching our allies, he placed a warm palm on my leg, as though it was a silent reassurance of their promise.

“Well, I trust you both. Spade, not so much.” Spade stiffened, but Sebastian only chuckled. “I’m only joking, Spade. Don’t go stabbing me now, or that might make this partnership a bit awkward, don’t you think?”

“So, you’re going to work with us?” Kellan asked, cutting off whatever Spade was going to say. Placing my hand over his, I distracted him enough to pull his murderous gaze from Sebastian.

“You know what the Barones did to my family,” Sebastian said darkly, any trace of the businessman gone as his eyes narrowed to slits. “I told you I would give you whatever resources I can to help you take them down, and I stick to my word.”

“And what’s the price?” I sensed my guy’s eyes on me the moment the question slipped from my lips. I didn’t care, though. Zane had mentioned a price on the phone, and I wasn’t going to let the opportunity slip by.

“The same price any of my favors hold. A fight, where I choose the opponent. And a say in how things are run once we get rid of them.” Sebastian leaned back in his seat, interest flickering in his eyes as he watched me.

Merrick.

My gaze flicked to my Merrick, intrinsically knowing it was him who Sebastian would want fighting in his ring.

“You know I’m always up for a fight.” His lips twitched as his hazel orbs burned into mine, as though the answer was for me and me alone.

Chewing at my bottom lip, I nodded, needing some way to dispel the heat burning its way straight to my core. I wanted to see him fight again—not with guns or blades, but with his fists. I wanted to see his raw power on display, muscles rippling as he took down his opponent one blow at a time.

“Now that that’s settled, there’s one more issue we need to discuss.” Amusement laced Sebastian’s tone, and a growl vibrated from Merrick in warning.

Reluctantly, I dragged my gaze from Merrick.

“It would be best for the girl to stay with us.” Zane’s deep voice reverberated across the booth, catching me off guard.

The girl?

“Don’t refer to me as ‘the girl,’ and I already told you that I’m not staying with you a second longer than I have to,” Sophia snarled from beside me, and my eyes widened.

Hell, no.

I bristled, but before I could say anything, Zane cut me off.

“And I already told you that it wouldn’t be safe for you with them. If Tommaso is looking for you, where’s the first place he’ll go?”

“And you don’t think our house is safe?” Merrick growled at the same time Kellan said, “He has a point.”

Incredulous, I looked to Kellan as he shrugged. “We can’t always be home, and with the first stage of the plan in the works, there won’t be many Demons left to guard the house while we’re away.”

Sophia frowned. “Will they really attack your house?”

“They paid someone off at the bar to get to Giana. We don’t know what lengths the Barones will go to, trying to get to her or you.” Kellan gave her an apologetic smile, which only served to make my stomach twist.

He’s right. I know he’s right, but it doesn’t change how much I selfishly want my best friend with me.

“I can stay there and—”

“If the Barones have eyes on them, they’ll see you being dropped off here,” Zane interrupted. The two glowered at one another, the tension building to a near breaking point.

“Meaning, you wouldn’t be safe at either place.”

Sophia’s gaze snapped to mine, and I winced at the betrayal crumpling her expression.

“I want you to come back with us, Sophia, but if staying with them is going to keep you safe . . .”

She huffed out a derisive snort and crossed her arms over her chest.

My stomach sank as her earlier words echoed in my mind— it’s not your fault, and besides, now I get to spend some time with you. She’d taken this so much better than I could’ve hoped for, and her bright side was that she would get to stay with me.

Pain sliced through my chest, and I cast a searching look over to Kellan, knowing he’d know what to do.

“Bringing you back and forth isn’t an option, but we can make sure one of us is at the house for now,” Kellan said, and my heart warmed at his consideration. “We’ll need to bring you back here when things escalate, though.”

“Thank you.” Sophia nodded, but her posture didn’t relax.

Zane grumbled something unintelligible under his breath but, thankfully, didn’t argue.

Sebastian stood in obvious dismissal. “I’ll be in touch with you for the date of your fight.” His words were directed at Merrick, yet he swept his gaze around the room, lingering on Sophia for a second before nodding to Merrick. “Let me know when and where you’ll need my men.”

With those parting words, he strode for the back again, leaving us with the hulking Zane to escort us out.

I still wasn’t sure what to make of them, but if the guys trusted them, I guessed I did too. Besides, it didn’t seem like we had much of a choice. We needed all the allies we could get, and judging by the lethal edge to Sebastian that he worked to hide so well, I was sure that he was someone we wanted with us rather than against us.

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