Page 57 of Her Ruin

“Friendly discussion,” Angelo corrected. It was the first time he had spoken. He was expressionless as he lifted his glass. “Just a friendly discussion.”

Fuck me. One of them was going to die in my club tonight.

I arched a brow. “That so?”

Angelo was a cool, calm,deadlystone beside me. “He wants in on the shipments.”

I fought the sigh. Mercutio was such a fucking idiot. He might as well have signed his own death warrant.

“Seems…bold,” I murmured, seeing Rye come through the door. He took one look at the room and left again. He would go to the entrances and let the guys on duty know that no one else was to be permitted into the lower-level club until instructed. Knowing that was in hand, I turned back to Mercutio. “Are you sure that’s wise?”

Angelo took another drink, and I knew I was now the official mediator for this meeting.

“Angelo’s boss runs a very controlled operation,” I reminded Mercutio, my voice dropping lower.

Mercutio cocked his head. “He needs to learn to share.”

God, he was an idiot. I leaned forward, resting my forearms on the table. “Let me explain this to you.” My voice was calm. “You don’t sit at this table and ask for a seat at another. That is not how his business works. Or yours.” I looked between the two of them. “Ormine.”

Mercutio sucked his teeth. “I’m just saying, McCabe,” he said, his voice holding a hard edge, “there’s room for more than?—”

“There isn’t.” I cut him off with two simple words, my voice dipping into something colder, sharper.

Mercutio’s gaze flicked to Angelo, who hadn’t looked away from him.

Leaning back, I surveyed my club. Too many witnesses. “You walked in here to be seen.” It was a wild stab in the dark. “You want to be seen sitting across from Angelo.” I saw a tick of his jaw and knew I was right. “You didn’t come here to deal; you came here to be seen. You’ve done that. Now walk away.” I jerked my head to the door. “While you still can.”

Mercutio hesitated for a second too long.

Angelo smiled. “Or don’t.”

The unspoken consequence in those two words hung heavy over the table.

Mercutio exhaled lowly, lifting his hands slightly in mock surrender. “No harm, no foul.”

I downed my Scotch. “Get the fuck out of my club.”

Mercutio didn’t argue. He downed his own drink and stood, muttering something about seeing me around. He wouldn’t. Because the more he pushed Angelo or his boss, he wouldn’t have the chance to see anyone.

Angelo let out a huff of amusement when Mercutio disappeared through the exit, and the whole room seemed to let out a soft sigh of relief. Angelo turned to look at me. “You ever get tired of repeating yourself?”

“Some people never learn.”

He finished his drink. “They really don’t.”

It was not my role to push, but there had been an awful lot of witnesses to this exchange tonight. “Neutral ground?”

Angelo gave me a look with a hint of amusement in it. “Everyone needs an alibi at some point, Zayn.” He stood and clapped me on the shoulder. “Never forget it.” He walked to the back of the room and went behind the heavy divider to the back bar.

I knew who was back there, and like a true host, I let them get on with their own business without any interference from me.

Rye came over and took a seat beside me. “And the oak flooring survives another night without bloodshed.”

I snorted, my reply bitten back when I saw Julian walk in.

“More drama,” Rye mock whispered.

“Shut up, dick,” I grumbled.

---