Page 51 of His Fury

My phone was on the desk, and I picked it up, scrolling through the list of messages and calls I’d missed since I came home last night. Enemies. Allies. All the people who needed reminding that I was still the one pulling the strings.

“We have a meeting with Angelo and his boss tomorrow,” I told Rye, my voice calm. “That takes priority. Then I’ll handle Delaney my way.” I looked up to see him watching me, his hands lightly gripping the bookcase as he leaned against it. “After that, I’ll start tightening the screws on every bastard who might think to use her as leverage.”

“You’re going on the offensive,” Rye muttered.

“I’ve never really played defense.”

He was quiet for a second. “You’d better be sure about this. About her.”

I didn’t blink as I met his look, my voice steady and calm. “I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

He rolled his eyes, his sigh loud. “Ugh, keep that shit for the bedroom. I don’t want your lovey-dovey shit ruining my mood any further.”

I grinned as I watched him struggle to come to terms with what I had just told him.

He saw my smile and shook his head slightly as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing even though he knew he had. “You really think you can make her part of this?” he finally asked, crossing his arms, the lines around his eyes tighter than usual. “Reallylet her in?”

I set the phone down. “That’s the thing, Rye. She doesn’t want in.”

“She’s alreadyin, Zayn. The second they took her, the second you went nuclear to get her back—everybody in the club saw it. You showed the whole damn food chain where your weakness is.” He pushed off the bookcase, frustrationsimmering beneath the surface. “You should’ve let me handle it. Should’ve let her walk away before this got?—”

“What?” I snapped, pushing myself to my feet. “Messy? Uncontrolled?Human?”

He gave me a flat look. “Don’t twist it.”

“What are you saying, Rye? That I don’t know the stakes? That I haven’t considered the possibility that any one of those bastards could make a move against her, just to see if I’ll bleed?” I held his stare. “You think I haven’t thought through every single tiny detail of my life with Isla in it and what that means for her?”

Rye’s jaw worked. “So what’s the plan, then? Lock her in this house forever?”

“No. I give them something else to focus on.” I walked around to the far end of the study where a folder still sat half-open from last week. “We shift. Pull a few projects forward. The distribution warehouse we’re planning, let’s start making it happen.”

Rye narrowed his eyes. “That’s a logistics play. Boring. Respectable.” He paused. “Legitimate.”

“Exactly. Let them see me doing what Ialwaysdo—build something visible and clean. I’ll still be in Elixir, handling the pressure points. If anyone tries anything, I’ll be there to push back. Hard.”

He considered it. “Stay the same while building something new. A distraction.”

“Building something for my business that saysI’m still in control.”

“And Isla?” Rye asked, quieter now. “What’s she supposed to do while you play with smoke and mirrors?”

“What she’s always done,” I replied. “She works. Builds her brand at The Grand and gets her world back on track.And if anyone tries to fuck with that…” I looked him dead in the eye. “I’ll make them sorry.”

He sighed, rubbing his hand over his face. “You need to stay the same, you know that?”

“I know.”

“Having Isla in your life will make you change.”

I didn’t hesitate. “No it won’t.” I spoke over him when he looked like he was going to interrupt. “I will not change who I am in business, Rye. If I give my competitors a reason to think I’m weak, they will try to exploit that weakness. Isla will never be used as a pawn against me. For any of those who are watching me, to see how Isla makes me weak, then they’ll see nothing but the same cold-hearted bastard they know and love.”

Silence once again settled between us.

Rye exhaled, nodded once, and picked up the folder. “Fine. I’ll start on this first. Place is crawling with wannabe arsonists. I’ll deal with the little fire starters still buzzing around. You need to keep eyes on Delaney’s side. If he evenblinks?—”

“I’ll know before they do.”

Rye had already slipped into strategy mode. “Yeah, I know you will. But I’m telling you now this game you’re playing? It only works if youwin. There’s no middle ground here.”

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