Page 37 of Caught in the Crossfire

“Start.”

“No.”

“Max—”

“Enough!” he shouted. I moved Leona behind me, blocking her body with my own, while I struggled to tamp down my anger. If I was a less controlled man, that would have been enough reason remove his limbs and dump him into the murky water.

Ryu pulled one of his knives and held it against Volpe’s throat. “Bite your tongue, or I will cut it from your mouth.”

He glared. “I’ve done what you asked. I’ve told you about the Albanians, and how it’s my job to contain them. That’s all the information I owe you. Now take me back to the city.”

Ryu pressed the blade hard enough to draw a tiny bead of red. “The only reason I’m not ending your miserable life right now is because she has seen too much bloodshed for one day, and she deserves no more.”

“Try it, then,” Volpe snapped. “You’ll get one drop of blood before I have that knife in your chest.”

Ryu’s lips curled back in a snarl. He cocked his fist back and punched Volpe square in the jaw. Before any of us could react, Volpe pulled a pistol from the back of his pants and aimed it atRyuji’s head. Where he’d gotten the weapon, I did not know. Caspian and I reacted immediately. I didn’t want to fire a weapon in the closed quarters of the ship, but we had to restrain him.

“Stop!” Leona shrieked.

We all obeyed.

We stared at one another, frozen by her command.

“You’re not in any position to threaten us, Max,” Leona said after seconds of silence stretched on. Her hands fisted at her sides.

“Maybe not,” he replied cooly. “But this is my last warning. Stop sticking your noses in business that doesn’t concern you. If you want your space in New York, you’ll have to take it from me. If you want to fight, then fight. If you want to kill me, then do it. But I will not let you ruin everything I’ve worked for.”

Leona looked at me.

Did we kill him? Or did we let him go?

Was that choice mine… or hers?

Even if we weren’t already enemies, Max Volpe allying with the Camorra would put us on an eventual collision course. Iwouldeliminate their organization and all who supported it. It was the only way I could safeguard my family’s future. The Camorra had far extended its reach and needed to be culled and controlled.

On the other hand, the Albanians would face our wrath, not only for trafficking under Luciano Vero but for everything they’d done to harm our queen and brother. Whether they’d allied under one banner, the Vokshi, didn’t matter. We’d burn them all to the ground.

So what was the smarter choice?

Kill one enemy only to create another in the Camorra?

Or let him go and regret it later?

There was no right answer.

“So what’s it going to be, Leona?” Volpe cut through the tenseair. “Are you going to kill me? Or are you going to take me back to New York?”

Leona looked at me, with the same thoughts running through her mind as well. Her eyes darted between mine, a frown on her face while she chewed on her bottom lip. The dark, sunken circles beneath her eyes drew my attention. The gash still dripped blood down her face. Cuts and bruises covered her neck and shoulders. The toll on her body of whatever happened on that cargo freighter was so starkly clear. She needed medical attention, and so did the women still within the ship.

She’d only survived because of Volpe. Because they had each other. According to him, he’d earned his freedom through their bargain.

Her eyes were resigned. “You saved my life, Max. I’ll give you yours back just this once. Now we’re square.”

I pressed my lips together. “After you leave this boat, we’ll be hunting you next.”

“Looking forward to it,” he said tightly.

I wanted vengeance. Leona deserved it. My brothers thirsted for it.