Page 58 of Killian

“I wasn’t sure I could ever forgive you for Karrisa. This new Bash is doing one hell of a job getting me there though.”

He gives me a rare smile. “Go on. I assume Enzo is waiting downstairs.”

I chuckle. “Of course. I wanted to test your bouncer. The look on his face when he realized who I was.”

Bash chuckles, shaking his head. “You always were a handful. Fuck it, give them hell, Greer. They need to be kept on their toes.”

“Wow. Don’t go giving me a heart attack with all these recent developments,” I quip.

“Get on, Greer. Don’t make me regret it.”

I give him a genuine smile before leaving his office. Walking down the stairs, I feel lighter than I have in a long time. Maybe even lighter than I ever have. Even with the uncertainty of Killian and my future, I can say I’m not upset about this recent development with Bash.

I feel like I might actually have a brother again.

“I’ll be gonea couple of days. I wanted to let you know so you can keep an eye on Greer,” I tell Bastiano over the phone.

We haven’t talked much since this started, but I wanted him to know I was taking her safety seriously. That meant giving him the heads up I was leaving.

“That’s perfect. Greer has asked to attend the fundraiser in Chicago. I was going to call and let you know she needed a couple of days away.”

She did what?

“Oh. Are you planning to accept offers on her?” I grit out.

He chuckles. “You’ve met my sister. Do you think she’s looking for any offers?”

She better not be. She’s mine.

I force a light-hearted tone in my voice. “You’re right. Well, it turns out I am also going to the fundraiser.”

“Oh, I didn’t know you attended those events.”

“I don’t normally, but my niece is being introduced into the world.”

It’s an insignificant detail I let slip for a strategic reason. If we become more comfortable chatting with each other, he won’t see me as the enemy when I take his sister from him.

“Ah. That makes sense. Well, since you’re going, you can keep an eye on Greer then. I’m sending a few of my guys and have a couple of guys on the ground there, but you know her. If she wants to sneak off, she will do it with them being none the wiser.”

I feel myself smirk. I knew that, but he doesn’t know I know her like that. His tongue slipped as well.

“She has a severe case of wanderlust, huh?”

“Isn’t that the truth. Well, if that’s it...” He trails off.

“It is. Talk to you later.”

That was the most we’ve ever talked to each other, but it was necessary. Not only is my end game his sister, but keeping our alliance is a top priority.

It hasn’t always been this way. Years before Bastiano took over, his father, Tommaso, ruled. He was a hothead that never thought his actions through. That’s what ended him up in jail. Even so, he refused to give up his position, making Bastiano his puppet until his last breath.

Back when Tommaso was out, though? He had beef with everyone. There wasn’t a war between us, but there wasn’t peace either. I would have never been caught dead talking to an Italian in those days, let alone fucking their princess. That would have been out of the question.

Not these days, though. We have a peace agreement. We’ve even helped each other out over the years. It’s the main reason I didn’t kill Matteo for retribution when my family demanded it. It’s the reason I went to bat for them, striking a deal that would keep the man alive while appeasing everyone else.

My mind wanders to Greer.

Why does she want to go to the fundraiser? I know as well as she does she won’t accept any offers, so why bother?

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