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“Your keeper is on his way back.”

I nodded. “I better head back to the shop.”

But Ashe’s hand clasped around my wrist as I stood. “Wait. Do you think you could try talking to Toni again?”

“Why?” I frowned.

“I’m giving him one more chance to listen to you.”

“Ashe—”

“Look, neither of us needs another war right now. I know that The Family wants it to be over just as badly as we do. But if they’re gonna be too stupid and stubborn to listen to you and try and figure out who’s really behind this, then we’re gonna have to take it into our own hands. We don’t need their blind retaliation right now for shit we didn’t even do. Prince is killing himself trying to fix the bullshit that King got the club into, and he can’t do it with this on his shoulders as well.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Talk to Toni. See if he will listen to reason.”

“If he doesn’t?”

“Then I’ll pick you up later tonight and take you to the clubhouse. We will talk to Prince together before it all gets out of hand.”

“I—”

But I didn’t get to finish my sentence, because Ashe stood, reached out and tangled his hand into the hair at the nape of my neck and tugged me forward into a kiss.

My nervous refusal died on his lips, and I was left wordless and breathless when he finally pulled away and rushed out of the restaurant without another word.

* * *

It was rare that I was nervous to see my family.

My mother? Sure. My siblings? Never.

But that afternoon, I stood in Antoni’s driveway, wringing my hands together and looking up at the house instead of heading inside.

Theo had driven me here, of course, and had headed inside maybe five minutes ago. I even called ahead, letting Toni know that I needed to speak with him.

I could tell by the sound of his voice that he was confused and maybe a little suspicious, and I was sure he was probably assuming that I was coming to ask for money or a favour or for him to finally call off his guard dog.

But I never had to speak to him like this before. Not in a capacity that directly involved myself in his business, in The Family’s business. I wasn’t sure how to make him take me seriously, but I had also asked for Rome to be there, knowing that she would at least listen to what I had to say before flying off the handle at the fact that I had still been in contact with Ashe.

My breath was shaky as I stepped through the door. The house was fairly empty for once, and only a few people littered the living area. But I headed straight upstairs for Toni’s office, knowing that he would be waiting for me there.

That made it worse, somehow, and I wished that we could’ve just sat around the kitchen table and chatted instead of feeling like this talk with my brother was official business—except, it was.

I knocked a few times before opening the door and forcing myself to head inside.

Toni was sitting behind his desk, gazing up at Rome who sat perched on the arm of his chair. All these years and that puppy dog look he watched her with still hadn’t faded. I hadn’t noticed Theo standing in the corner until he moved closer to me, pinning himself to my side.

I pretended not to notice.

“Zar,” Toni said by way of greeting. “What’s going on?”

I took in a deep breath to steady myself.

“Your phone call honestly worried me a little. Are you?—”

“I’m not in any trouble or anything,” I said quickly.