Page 67 of Devil in Disguise

“Gotta say, brother.” Nav smirked, leaning back in a chair as we sat in the kitchen while Dante had his session with Haizley. “I’ll be fucking happy when you are back at the helm. How you deal with everything on a daily basis boggles my mind. I can’t catch a breath.”

I nodded. “It’s not easy, that’s for sure. So, I take it the underworld is still oblivious?”

“All but Reaper and Montana. They don’t know it’s me, but they know it’s someone close. Which reminds me, when they learn it was me that helped you, I expect you to protect me. Montana has already threatened to scalp me bald.”

I chuckled. “He’s all talk. It’s Reaper you need to be worried about.”

Nav grimaced.

“How are things with Harbor Security?”

Sighing, Nav leaned forward. “About as you suspected. Law and Alpha Team have stepped off the radar. Without the Microdrive, they can’t do much. Bravo and Charlie Teams are still overseas, and Delta Team finalized the purchase of the land in Montana. They have already started construction on the new compound and should have it up and running within a few months.”

“And the mole?”

“Gone to ground,” Nav stated, then added, “As for the rest, you’ll be happy to know FIRE completed their assignments. No one is the wiser. Logic and Emma are in the wind. I was able to get word to Luc before the table learned of her existence. It was close, but they got her out fast. Cesar Vitale assured me that Massimo has eyes on Miranda. She is still blissfully unaware, as are the Vitale Brothers. Fedorov and his crew have decided to sit this war out, as their past is catching up with them fast.”

“That’s good,” I muttered. “And the Brotherhood?”

“Gone silent. Take that as you will.”

Leaning back in my chair I asked, “Anything else of importance?”

“Well, not that you need to be concerned with this, but shit hit the fan in Virginia.”

I groaned. “The wedding?”

Nav threw his head back and roared with laughter, nodding. “The wedding.”

“Do I even want to know?”

“Let’s just say that the South rose again and Rosewood will never be the same. Oh, and before I forget. Carnage sent you a message.”

I smirked, thinking about the little brat and the chaos surrounding him.

“Apparently, the little shit overheard you were hurt. He said get well soon.”

Shaking my head, I muttered, “That kid is going to rule the fucking world one day, Nav. Mark my words. He’s gonna be worse than Reaper.”

“God help us all, then.”

“Okay, you two. I would like to talk about your daughter. Danika.”

Smiling, I looked over at Dante, who, like me, had a beautiful grin on his face. Just thinking about our little girl—the fragile perfection of her, the way her smile could chase away the shadows—it was enough to almost make me forget.

Almost.

But the knot in my stomach tightened, a familiar ache of guilt.

“She’s so beautiful.” Dante smiled, his eyes lighting up. “She looks just like me.”

I had to agree. Danika was the spitting image of her father. Right down to her curly blonde hair and warm chocolate eyes. She was going to be stunning when she got older. The thought should have filled me with joy, but instead, it sharpened the edge of my deception.

“How did you learn you had a daughter?”

And just like that, Dante’s smile faded. The vulnerability in his eyes, the raw hope... it hit me harder than I expected. My hand trembled as I reached for his, the simple act feeling like a betrayal.

“It was a... a calculated dick move, really,” I began, my voice barely a whisper.

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