Page 181 of Celestial Combat

Then on Zane’s arm around my chair.

“They’ve been trying to shake us up since the summer,” He said, finally looking away. “Zach getting shot and Maria too almost. Cyberattacks on us and the Morettis. Kali’s kidnapping. Then that stunt at the DeMone sit-down.”

“It’s clear they’re coming for all of us,” Carmen spoke from the other side of the table. “They went for Kim last time.”

“Well, at least that was avoided,” Gìo spoke with a small smile, squeezing his brother’s shoulder.

Tony’s jaw clenched, not once looking up from his food.

“So we agree,” Zach spoke from my other side, starting to sound a little bit impatient. “Whoever Ruiz, Tao and the New York Yakuza worked for, also has the Bratva working for them,” He finished, holding Maria close as she leaned her head on his chest.

Matteo leaned in, resting his forearms on the table, finally showing interest in the problem. “So, what’s the play? We go for the Russians?”

Trevor spoke. “We’ve got people in every city. They come for us again, we answer harder.”

Matteo shook his head.“What I mean is, how do you know it’s the Bratva?”

“Gang tattoos.”

“So, all we know is that they’re Russians,” Matteo chuckled. “Not what Bratva clan. Or if the Pakhan even approved it. What if it’s a stray gang like the New York Yakuza, operating without the knowledge of Tokyo’s leaders? You don’t wanna go for the Bratva for no reason.”

“We’ll have a sit-down with the New York Boss when we get back,”Francesca agreed. “And maybe we finally find out who the hell’s pulling the strings. Someone always is.”

Carmen nodded, cool and composed. “I bet it’s a new group that wants to take over New York. They’re not only arrogant, but idiots if they think they can push out all the big families.”

Everyone agreed, with a smooth kind of confidence that came from years of navigating danger and staying ten steps ahead. This wasn’t new. We’d been through and survived worse.Just another storm we’d walk through in tailored clothes and loaded safes.

As the food kept coming and laughter picked back up, I glanced around the table – family, by blood or vows. We weren’t worried. We were ready.

Maria and I had slipped into our own little conversation, and eventually the inevitable.

“Why didn’t you tell me about the attack five years ago?”

“There was just so much going on. I had to talk so much about it with my family and… When I was with you and the girls, it was the last thing on my mind.”

Her hand slid over mine and gave a soft squeeze. I squeezed back.

Maria’s voice dropped lower, almost cautious. “I heard you eventually found out who it was? Last fall, right?”

“Yeah, Zane took…Care of itfor me.”

“He’s been taking care of a lot of things for you, huh?”

“Shhh!”

She giggled, reaching for her drink.

I reached into my bag and pulled out my phone. The screen lit up as I opened the folder Zane and I kept – faces, names, blurry surveillance. “Him.”

Silence.

Just the sound of plates clinking and Gìo cracking some joke on the other side of the table.

But Maria had gone still. Her eyes didn’t widen. Her lips didn’t move. But something shifted in her energy. Her hand slowly withdrew, her lashes lowering as she blinked once… twice.

Violence, especially in situations of sexual assault, had always been a trigger for her.

I immediately turned the screen off and put my phone face down on the table.

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