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Maxim looked around. The Sons of Hell were allied with the Russian Bratva. Banks, a patched brother, was the youngerbrother to Alexandr. But now that I was with Duncan, they would be allied to the Boston Mob as well.

If a war broke out, I wasn’t sure which side they would be on. Despite having my back today. I was Dimeter’s sister, but I wasn’t a member of the club like Banks.

“Miss Malpas, I see you chose to ignore my advice. I hope it doesn’t come back to bite you in the ass.” He turned to Sal. “I want Kelley.”

“Not an option. Kelley is no longer available.”

Maxim clenched his hands into fists. Vladmir stepped forward, his hand on Maxim’s shoulder. “Boss.”

“My wife deserves justice.”

“Your wife has more than justice. She is raising her brother’s son,” Maddie reminded him.

Maxim exhaled, and the tightness in his shoulders visibly loosened at her words.

“I deserved to know.”

“And now you do. It doesn’t change anything. You got the man who killed your wife’s brother. And I got the man who took everything from my niece,” Sal firmly said.

I looked at Maxim’s men. They all stood alert. Despite knowing they might be outnumbered if things went to shit. They were ready to fight for their boss. Their loyalty was commendable.

This was the life I would be a part of. Enemies came from every corner. But family stood firm. Maddie would be my family now. And because of that she would have the Sons of Hell at her back. Unless it meant dealing with the Bratva. Then it was anyone’s guess.

I wasn’t well-versed in the dealings of the underworld, but I was about to learn. And what I saw from this one unscheduled meeting, was that the lines between allies crisscrossed.

Nothing was black and white. We all lived in shades of gray.

“Kelley is gone?” Maxim asked.

“Gator bait,” Sal said. And given what I had witnessed at the ball in New Orleans, I knew exactly what Sal meant. I looked at Caity, who appeared unaffected by the news.

Maybe she was. Nolan Kelley had betrayed everyone. Not just the Irish. When I looked at Maddie, tears slipped down her face. But she stood resolute. And I wondered if the tears had more to do with giving up her son than the loss of her father.

“Miss Kelley, my offer still stands,” Maxim said.

Maddie didn’t respond. She didn’t accept nor reject his invitation. When it was clear he wouldn’t receive the answer he was looking for, Maxim Federov turned and walked out of Duncan’s office without a word.

Cian closed the door with a mumbled, “Asshole.”

And my brother asked, “What the fuck was that?”

Chapter Thirty

Freyja

“That was nothing that concerns you. Duncan is back now. You can all go. Thank you for coming to my rescue, but it was unwarranted, and Athena never should have called you.”

King hid a smile behind his hand and coughed.

“I don’t like this, Freyja.”

“You don’t have to, Dimeter. This is my path, not yours. Yours is in Virginia with Henley.”

“If you need me, you call me. Don’t wait for Athena to do it.” My brother hugged me tightly. When he was done, Priest and Frank did the same.

King stood in front of me and said, “I’m in a tough position here, Freyja.”

I laid my hand on his chest. “You’re not. Club comes first. I know that.” I looked over at Duncan, then Maddie. “It will all work out the way it’s supposed to, King. Remember that.”