Page 71 of King of Praise

Seb pushes away from the wall he’s been leaning against. “Want me to pay Michael a visit?”

“Not yet.” Zeke’s response is quick and firm. “We need to know if he’s working alone or if the whole Gallagher operation is compromised. Micah, what was Francesca’s reaction when Sullivan started running his mouth?”

“She shut him down fast—too fast. Like she didn’t want him revealing specific information. But she didn’t seem surprised by his knowledge.”

“Suggesting coordination and prior knowledge,” Eli concludes.

I nod. “My read is she’s been cultivating assets within multiple families. Building a network of malcontents and opportunists who might be useful when she makes her move.”

“And now she’s seen you at her gathering,” Zeke says. “How did she play that?”

I fill them in on the conversation, articulating the subtle dynamics of our interaction. “She’s taking my measure. Probably wondering if I might be turned.”

Zeke’s eyebrows rise. “Turned?”

“Think about it—I’m your enforcer, your right hand in many ways. If she could flip me, it would be a significant coup. Destabilize our operation while strengthening hers.”

“She clearly doesn’t know you very well,” Seb remarks with a hint of his usual humor.

“No,” I agree, “but she’s smart enough to recognize the potential value. I’d bet good money she starts making overtures soon. Probably through intermediaries at first, testing the waters.”

Zeke absorbs this information with characteristic intensity. I can almost see the strategic calculations running behind his eyes. Finally, he nods decisively.

“This could work in our favor. If she’s focusing recruitment efforts on you, it might blind her to other moves we make. We’ll need to be careful though—she’s not someone to underestimate.”

“No.” My mind flashes to the calculated intelligence in Francesca’s dark eyes. “She’s playing a long game. Building alliances, gathering intelligence, positioning pieces. When she finally moves, it’ll be comprehensive.”

“Then we need to be ready,” Zeke says with authority. “Eli, start discrete surveillance on Sullivan. I want to know everywhere he goes, everyone he talks to. Seb, reach out to your contacts in the other families. See who else might be vulnerable to Francesca’s recruitment efforts.”

They nod, accepting their assignments without question. The hierarchy we’ve built works because each person knows their role and executes it with precision.

“Micah.” Zeke turns his attention back to me. “If Francesca really wants to turn you against me, we need to control the narrative. Let’s keep Francesca wondering where you are. I don’t want her finding you before we’re ready for that conversation.”

“Got it. Let me know what you need me to do next.”

“I will.” He squeezes my shoulder. “We need to cut her off before this goes too far.”

With the meeting concluded and our assignments give, I leave the club, heading toward my truck and the road that will take me back to Hocking Hills. Only then, do I allow myself to acknowledge the anticipation building within me.

Not just relief from escaping the tensions of Columbus, but genuine eagerness to see Naomi again.

The drive toward Hocking Hills passes in a blur of dark roads and scattered thoughts. My mind keeps circling back to this morning and how fucking good it felt to have Naomi’s warm pussy wrapped around my cock.

The memory of her responses to my praise, the way she blooms under my dominance, creates a hunger for our emotional connection.

Dangerous territory, old man.

The warning echoes in my head, but it feels hollow now. I passed the point of no return days ago, perhaps the moment I found her huddled in my apartment, covered in Lucas’s blood.

Everything since then—every shared meal, every lingering glance, every moment of passion discovered—has only deepened a connection I neither sought nor expected.

Chapter 19

Devotion’s Offering

Naomi

My heart skips with nervous anticipation while arranging for Micah’s return—the soft pillow beside the bed, the candles scattered throughout, the romantic ambiance I hope will please him.