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“I don’t need your approval,” Loren replied sweetly. “But I am going to need for you to never touch him again.”

An unwilling smile ghosted across Malakai’s mouth. “She’s a feisty one. Where’d you find her?”

“It’s a long story.” Darien stepped up to Loren’s side. Loren didn’t miss that he angled himself in a way that put his body between her and Malakai. “But if you’re done throwing hands, maybe we can get some talking in.” Malakai opened his mouth to speak, but Darien continued, “And since I know you’re going to ask, I want you to know that the deaths of Tyson and Liam were an accident. We were shot at outside of Blackbird, and I acted in self-defense.”

“Did you know it was them?”

“Not until I’d already pulled the trigger. I knew it was Tyson, but I didn’t recognize Liam.”

“Bullshit,” Malakai spat.

“It’s the truth,” Darien pressed. “I would never kill a member of another house on purpose, Malakai. You know that. Do you honestly think I would go out of my way to kill them after I just brought you a peace offering?”

Malakai thought it through. The atmosphere in the room shifted, and Loren sensed the tension leaving, thank the Scarlet Star.

“You said we,” Malakai began. His intense green eyes flicked to Loren again. “Was she—”

“Involved? Yes. I wasn’t about to stand by and let her get killed. I think you can understand that.” A pause. And then Darien amended in a softer tone, “I hope you can understand that.”

Silence swelled again, broken only by the crackling of the fire in the hearth and the ticking of the noisy clock.

“If you call that an apology, I’ll accept it,” Malakai said. “But I stand by my former rule: you’re not allowed in here again. If you set one foot on my property, you are trespassing, and your blood is my fair game. Now, if you’re done, you can leave.” He began to walk away.

Darien called after him, “Although I admit I owe you an apology, that’s not why I came here.”

Malakai stopped. He turned, brow furrowing. He was still catching his breath, the beads of sweat and blood on his chest shining in the light of the chandelier.

The shadow of small bat wings fell across the floor as the Familiar hanging from the chandelier woke up with a big stretch.

“I have a business proposition for you,” Darien said.

“I’m listening,” Malakai prompted. “But I’m warning you now, my patience is wearing thin.”

“I have insider information that suggests the new Head Detective of the MPU wants to take down all the circles in the city.”

“Who told you this?”

“Detective Finn Solace.”

“Why the hell would a detective give you that information?”

“Because they want our help. If I help them clean up the streets of the stave dealers, they won’t come after us, but to do that, I need to take Randal’s position.”

The frown Malakai was wearing suggested exactly how unimpressed he was by the idea of helping Darien claim his place as new leader of Angelthene’s Darkslayers. “And where do I fit into this? If you’re planning on using me to secure your seat—”

“I want you as my Right Hand.” The title of Right Hand had belonged to Lionel Savage before, the slayer who’d assisted Randal Slade and was paid handsomely for his time.

The other Reapers in the room shifted on their feet. Glances were thrown about, but no one spoke.

Malakai looked as confused as he likely felt. “What—”

“Listen, please,” Darien said. “You and your Reapers will get a pay raise, and once I’ve dealt with the weapons dealers, cleared our names from the MPU’s blacklist, and cleaned up a few problems of my own, you can have my position as Head of all Houses. I want out of Darkslaying.”

Loren’s mouth popped open. She was aware of the tension rippling through the room, the kind that suggested Darien might not have filled his Devils in on this decision. He hadn’t spoken to her about it either, but in that moment, she felt her heart bursting with hope.

Was he telling the truth? If it was a lie, he was fooling everyone, including her.

She stared up at him, mind spinning. He kept his focus on the Reaper, likely building up a wall to block out the different emotions he could feel from the many auras in the room.