Page 24

They were always on the same page, to the point that it was kind of annoying to everyone around them. So this almost-argument was a little hard to watch.

I knew that the situation was probably uncomfortable for Toni, and I was sure he wasn’t enjoying the fact that his baby sister’s sex life was now a topic of conversation in what was essentially his business.

“He’s not handling this situation well,” Rome said once she was sure he was gone.

“What? Me and Ashe?”

She shook her head. “He thought we had dealt with them, you know? He thought it was over. His first big win as Don. But now,” she shrugged, “they’re back and more ballsy than ever.”

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

“They seem to be taunting us. Cryptic letters. Little figurines of motorbikes at our drop houses. Suppliers are magically ‘drying up’, but we still see and hear about their products out there. Certain long-time buyers no longer want to even speak to Toni or Ren. Not to mention the whole almost getting blown up thing.”

Rome got a faraway look in her eye then, and a few beats passed before she shook it.

”They’re making a show that they’re not gone. They want us to know that they’re somehow on our tail and waiting for us to fuck up.”

“What for?” I breathed, leaning forward in my chair.

It was so rare that someone let me in on this information that I was gobbling it up, hanging on Rome’s every word.

She looked at me silently for a few beats and then her eyes dragged away and she shrugged.

“Who knows?”

I nodded slowly.

“Look, Zar,” she sighed, crossing the room and sitting next to me. “Just, take the protection that Toni gives you, okay? It’ll make us all feel a whole lot better.”

“I don’t even know who this fucking guy is,” I snapped quietly, pointing towards the door where I was sure my new shadow was standing.

“Theo’s fine,” Rome waved a hand dismissively. “He’s new, he’s learning, but he’s here to serve The Family. And that means you.”

I pursed my lips.

“I don’t know what it is, Rome. But I’m serious. I don’t trust the dude.”

Rome looked at me again for a long while, contemplating. It was a tick of hers that I had to get used to, as it made for some awkward situations at first. Now, I knew that the blank stare was just her thinking face. And at least she was thinking about it, where Toni had just brushed it off completely.

“Okay,” she nodded after a while. “I trust your gut. I’ll talk to Tone.”

“Thank you,” I sighed, feeling lighter now that someone had fucking listened to me.

“But for now,” she stood, pushing the stool back in towards the bench, “just ignore him, okay?”

I rolled my eyes but nodded anyway.

It was a little hard to ignore someone who followed your every move. It was like being voluntarily stalked, butnotin a hot way.

It wouldn’t be too bad at the shop, because I was busy enough that I could probably kind of fade him out.

I was just grateful that Toni had accepted my boundary that I would not need him at my house. I lived in the same apartment building as Larissa, so I always had someone nearby should I need help.

There were cameras in every hall and elevator, and no one even knew where I lived. I hadn’t taken Ashe back to my house. I went to his. If anything, he was the more vulnerable one in the situation because I knew where he lived.

I pursed my lips, thinking of all the things I could do with that information. But more so, I was surprised that Toni hadn’t asked about it yet, and I considered offering up the details.

No.