Page 14 of Tragic Empire

The phone call ends quickly and Nico begins to silently sulk while I think of our next steps. Ana needs to be under our protection, no matter how trustworthy we find thisGerardto be. I will not let my daughter lose her best girlfriend on top of everything else. Jade has been through enough.

Even if the two girls weren’t such close friends, I would feel inclined to step in. Protecting women is something that Moretti men will always do. We’re called to it. It’s in our blood.

Turning to Apollo, I find him already watching me. We don’t need to say a word to know that we’re on the same page. We can read each other better than anyone else. I’ve taught him everything my father taught me, and in turn, he’s taught me more as he’s grown. I may currently be in the position of Capo, but he could step in at any moment and run The Outfit confidently and without hesitation.

“Keeping Ana and Killian safe has to be our main priority.” My words are firm, a command, not a question or suggestion.

Apollo slowly nods. “Well, Killian is as secure as he’s going to get. He’s with doctors in the same place any one of us would be if we were dying. He’s not going to get any more protected than where he is.”

“What do we do about Ana?” Elio asks, looking at his brothers and then to me. “She can’t just hide out here. The Kings will assume we took her.”

“Let them think what they want,” Nico says menacingly. He doesn’t care about angering people.

“Too bad we don’t have a formal alliance,” Armani mutters. “That’d be really fucking helpful right now.”

Apollo’s ears seem to twitch at that.

Cassio notices it, too. “You just thought of something. What?”

“We don’t have a formal alliance, but we could make one,” he notes casually. As easily as he makes the suggestion, I can tell that he’s still mulling it over in his head, unsure.

Cassio arches a doubtful brow. “How exactly do you propose we do that with no Bron and no Killian?”

“Funny you should use the wordpropose,” Apollo remarks, tilting his head at his brother.

“You want her to marry into the family?” I gather, badly masking my surprise. Far be it from Apollo to suggest anything having to do with an arranged marriage. He’s been avoiding one himself for nearly a decade now.

He merely shrugs. “It seems like the simplest solution.”

“You’re not serious,” Elio protests.

“Why not?” Apollo challenges. “If she’s married to one of us, it’s quite clear we’re protecting her, and her friendship with Jade is an easy explanation for a relationship forming between our families. Whoever she is attached to can stand in Bron’s place until Killian is awake. We’ll have a connection to keep her safe, and a reason to snoop in The Kings ranks for information about who’s responsible for this fucking mess.”

“She’s bound to be traumatized and you want to throw her into a marriage,” Armani grimaces. “Is that really the best idea?”

“It’s not like any of us are going to expect an actual wife out of her,” Apollo argues. “At least not any time soon. She’ll be like a roommate.”

Cassio looks wary. “I don’t know…”

“Someone is going to need to make sure she doesn’t hurl herself out of her penthouse,” Nico mutters darkly.

“That’s so fucked.” Elio shakes his head.

“This whole situation is fucked,” Nico counters.

That it is.

Armani scrubs a hand down his face and groans. “Who exactly are you suggesting she marry?”

“I’m suggesting we give her a choice between two of us,” Apollo decides. “Give the girl a sliver of control over this disaster and it just might make her feel safe.”

“I’m not volunteering,” Elio says immediately. “I have no interest in going to New York to run a syndicate of Brits who’ll hate my goddamn guts.”

“Pussy,” Nico scoffs.

Elio glares at his younger brother. “You fucking marry her then.”

“I scare her, good luck getting her to agree to that match.”