Chapter Twenty-One
Phoenix
“You’ve ordered the wine, and the appetizers are on the way. You’re out of excuses. Why are you in Miami?”
“How is the wine?” I’d kept track of her over the years.
Before Alpha, when she’d lived on her own, she’d buy wine.
White, cheap, usually chardonnay. Tonight, I’d picked a different varietal.
Kenzo Estate, Napa Valley, Asatsuyu Sauvignon Blanc.
I’d sampled the obligatory test pour during the wine service. She hadn’t touched hers.
“I didn’t stay for dinner or the banality of an apology in the form of a three-hundred-dollar bottle of wine.”
Nodding once to acknowledge her and the fact I’d given her my word, I kept my promise. Almost. “The timing was right for me to come in. I want everyone safe, and a joint venture benefits all parties.” It wasn’t the reason I’d come in, but safety was my next highest mission objective.
She didn’t even sit with it for a second. “I want you to leave Miami.”
Wasn’t going to happen. “Because?”
“I’ve already enumerated many reasons.”
Anyone else, I would’ve turned the tables on them.
Used their past against them, controlled the narrative, distorted their perspective until my agenda was theirs.
But this was my sister. Whether or not she ever forgave me was her choice.
I wasn’t going to take that away by manipulation or effusive apology.
But I would try to drill down on her with reason and assuage what I could.
“If I thought I was putting you or Alpha directly in the line of fire by coming in, I wouldn’t be here.
” My own safety, on the other hand, was another animal.
“And before you ask, regardless of what transpired over the past decade, no matter how much either of us has changed, my need to protect you hasn’t.
” I gave her what little I had left of my honor.
“I’ve spent the past few weeks purposely being seen, doing threat assessments.
There’ve been none. I promise I’m not putting you or Alpha in any unnecessary, unmitigated danger. ”
Letting down her guard, she sighed. “You’re right. You have changed. You don’t smile anymore.”
I didn’t comment. But I thought of a little trespasser’s unguarded smile.
Maila’s gaze drifted, and I got a glimpse of my sister. “I understand that you’re going to do what you’re going to do. But the danger? You can’t control that, Will.”
Yes, I could, but I didn’t retreat or retread. I cut to the heart of it for her. “You’re worried about Alpha.”
Her gaze came back to mine. “Of course I am.”
She’d lost everything else in her life. I knew what I was asking of her. What she didn’t know was that I wasn’t Alpha. I no longer operated by the code of conduct we’d both had drilled into us. If I encountered a threat, potential or active, I neutralized it. “I understand.”
“You can’t possibly.”
I could. Which was why I was here. But I couldn’t—wouldn’t—tell her a damn thing more until I’d secured a location.
One where I could control and mitigate risk.
One that wasn’t an isolated remote locale or floating in the ocean.
For my purposes, that meant Miami. She was here.
Alpha and AES were here. Another security firm, Luna and Associates, run by a former Marine sniper I’d met downrange, was also here.
This was why I’d come home.
Backup. Family. Trust.
The one place in the world that could be my safety net.
I needed it, and I needed it fucking yesterday, but I didn’t show my hand because this was no longer about me.
I looked my sister in the eye. “I’m staying, Maila.”
Assessing, scrutinizing, she didn’t reply. She stared at me as our waiter approached.
Setting two plates between us, he presented both to my sister. “The gulf prawn cocktail and our crudo du jour, seared bluefin tuna with winter black truffle. Enjoy.”
The waiter retreated, but neither of us reached for the food.
Swirling the glass of Eagle Rare, not drinking it, I waited her out.
“You said everyone,” Maila finally stated. “Who do you really need safe, Will?”
Lifting the bourbon to take a swallow, a flash of red caught in my peripheral, and I glanced past my sister.
The hostess walked into the dining room with a woman on her six.
Our eyes met.
My plan went to fucking hell in a nanosecond.