Page 25 of Beastly Armory

Quietly, carefully, Cal speaks with narrowed eyes. “How sure are you that it was Strauss who killed your parents?”

A small gasp leaves my mouth. “What do you mean? Who else would it have been? Your father? Donovan?”

Cal shakes his head. “There’re other players than our three families vying for his power, Max.”

“What are you talking about?”

His expression grows wild, as if he’s been sampling the product line he peddles. The irises in his eyes are large, like holes leading to an unknown universe. “Who controls Strauss?”

I scratch my head, then rub a hand over my stubble. Had Cal lost it since I’d been gone? He was always soft. Now he’s talking like some conspiracy theorist. “I-I guess I never thought about that.”

A sudden change comes over him as he settles back in his seat. Maybe the look on my face let him know how crazy I thought he was, but the change in his demeanor into this King of the West is strange. “What brings you over today? I’m glad you’re here, but after last night’s action, I would have thought you’d be in hiding?”

“I can’t afford to hibernate any longer. I need a meeting with Strauss himself. Not one of his lackies. I need to get my businesses back… And my guns.”

Cal’s mouth flattens into a line. “I was afraid you were going to say that. You know I don’t condone weapons usage. I think if we each stay on our sides, he’ll leave us alone.”

“Cal, come on! Youknowthat’s not true! He found my fucking parents, man! He had them killed! People aredyingout there. They need protection!”

His eyes soften as he responds, “As I said, I’m not convinced Strauss did it. And I think spreading the guns around will only lead to more death.”

“Be reasonable.He’sthe one who has them all now. He can pick us off any time he chooses. We won’t be able to protect the people from him. We won’t be able toprotect our families.”

Cal bends over in front of a mini-fridge and digs out a bottle of water. Holding one up, he offers it to me, and I take it from his grasp. Grabbing one for himself, he cracks it open, gulping a large swig. The action gives me pause to lower my temper.

Gently, he pleads with me. “I want you back here, Max. I do. I want you to get your businesses back and togive jobs to these starving people. They need the work. Your family always had a great thing going with the motor industries. But I can’t help you get a meeting to get weapons. I just can’t, Max. I’m sorry.”

This was exactly what I expected he would say. But I wasn’t here to convince Cal to get me a meeting with Strauss. I was here toaskCal for a meeting with Strauss, knowing he would refuse… The rest of the ruse was already set into place just by me being here. Foxes are easy to snare once you set the right trap.

“I understand. Thanks for hearing me out.”

“Will you come over for dinner sometime? You and Arianna?”

“Yes, definitely. And we’ll have you two, um,both, over once our household is up and running.”

A corner of his lip twitches into a smirk. “She’s not changed much, has she?”

Did I dare tell him his sister’s body has definitely changed? That I want to fuck her whenever I was around her? No. I’d kill him if he said that about Ari. “Her kicks feel the same, I can assure you.”

The laugh that escapes his chest reminds me of all the times we played tag out on the lawn. “Can you hang out?”

“No, I’ve got a lot to do.”

Cal smiles and nods. “Let me walk you out.” Clapping a hand on my back, he leads me to the front of the store. I chug the water, the bottle perspiring in my hand, which I wipe off on my jeans. When it’s emptied, he takes it from me. “Don’t be a stranger. I’m serious.”

“You ever speak with Ace?”

Cal’s face falls. “No. He’s busy with, well, being Ace now.”

I nod. “Surprised he hasn’t losteverythingin some gamble.”

“Not yet, anyway.” Cal walks backward from where we came from. “See ya, Max.”

“See ya.”

Inside the car, I gun the engine, heading back toward East Side. Just as I start to wonder how long it will be before my brilliant plan takes hold, a blacked-out Aston Martin Victor pulls up close behind me. There’s my girl. A sexy car for a sexy gal.

Livia weaves her front end around the sides of my car as I pretend not to notice. We race along the road, cars honking and flipping us off as she tries to gain on me by pulling into the opposite lane. Of course, her car is more powerful, but she has to swerve around the other drivers. Eventually, we make it onto a deserted side route, and I gun it to ninety miles per hour, the muscle in my car rumbling loudly. She follows close behind, then overtakes me and slides her beauty sideways as I slam on my brakes to avoid a collision.

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