Page 110 of Wicked Knight (Knight's Ridge Empire 1)

If Marco isn’t paying, then it could mean…

I shake my head, not wanting to consider the possibility.

Things have been good between the Cirillos and the Marianos for years. Almost all our lives. None of us really remember a time when they were fighting for dominance over this side of the city, but the losses from back then can still be felt. We lost good soldiers. Family members. Friends.

The last thing we need is the Marianos getting fed up with the small patch they ended up with and beginning to push back once more.

We knew there was a chance after their boss stood down a couple of years ago, handing power to his eldest son.

“It’ll be fine. He’s probably just going through a rough patch or something.”

“You willing to put your life on the line for that?” Theo asks, his voice tense, his patience on the verge of running out. “Thank fuck,” he mutters when the front door to Alex and Daemon’s house opens.

“Why the fuck isn’t Daemon doing this shit?” I murmur my thoughts out loud.

“Fuck knows. Boss said he wanted us. He didn’t say the words, but you know it’s some initiation bullshit.”

I groan, briefly remembering the other shit we’ve been forced into to prove our worth, our dedication to the Family.

“Great. Couldn’t have done it on a day when we’re not all hanging out of our arses, no?”

“Exactly why he’s done it, man.”

“Who the fuck is that?” I ask, ignoring Theo when a woman emerges from the house instead of Alex. Although the more I study her, the more she seems familiar.

“Fuck this, I’m going to get him.” Theo’s got his hand on the door and is about to push it open when Alex finally emerges, shooting the woman a death glare as he jogs past her.

He’s dressed the same as us, head to toe in black, and looking lethal with the anger swirling in his eyes. Exactly what the boss expects of us.

“What the fuck, bro?” Theo barks, not bothering to wait for Alex to even shut the door before he starts backing up.

“My father’s latest fucktoy.”

“She’s hot,” I add, taking in the woman who’s now standing at a beat-up old car.

“She’s our fucking housekeeper.”

“Your dad’s fucking the help?” Theo asks, dragging his head from our impending task.

“Apparently so. She’s from the fucking Lovell Estate.”

“Not his usual type,” I murmur.

“He’s gonna need to think again if he’s planning on making this one my latest stepmother.”

“Can we focus on the fucking job?” Theo grunts, his irritation levels at an all-time high.

“Tell me what it is and maybe I could,” Alex says, poking his head between the seats and glaring at Theo.

“Marco. He didn’t pay,” Theo repeats. “We need to find out why.”

Alex cracks his knuckles. “Fine by me. Let’s go grill this motherfucker.”

The drive to the edge of our territory takes forever thanks to the late afternoon traffic, but the second we pull up out the front of Marco’s diner, we drag our game faces on and get to work.

“We don’t leave here without answers.”

“You got it,” I say, pushing the door open.