Page 9 of Explode
I rubbed my hand over my forehead. This was a fucking nightmare. Ifwe did nothing, the Bianchis would attack, and then what? Would we go to war against them? But we weren’t ready to launch our own attack on Hollows Bay. Not without more men in our corner.
My head pounded as I tried to think, tuning out the conversationgoing on around me. But then, an idea popped into my head. A crazy, stupid idea that burst from my mouth before I had time to stop it spewing out.
“We need to get them on our side, try to get them to workwithus asopposed toagainstus,”
Every set of eyes snapped to where I was sitting, and my cheeksheated in embarrassment.
I was a fucking idiot.
“Riley, the Bianchis aren’t a family we can trust,” Miles huffed, mybody recoiling into my chair from the withering glare he shot my way. “They hate us. For a start, we couldn’t set one foot in Forest Point without our heads being blown off, and secondly, even if we did get as far as getting them on side, we couldn’t trust them. They’re likely to stick a knife in our backs as soon as they’re turned.”
“It was just a suggestion,” I muttered, resisting the urge to storm outof the room.
Why was I even here anyway? It’s not like I had experience in thissort of thing. Ask me how to hold onto a pole with only your thighs and I’d be able to tell you, but strategies on how to deal with the Italian Mafia, not a damn clue.
“Actually, it’s not a bad idea,” Jack said, his eyes finding mine fromacross the table and offering me a kind smile. “We have contacts who could reach out and arrange a meeting.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Miles barked, turning his wrath on Jack.
“No, I’m not,” Jack replied calmly. “The enemy of my enemy is myfriend, right?”
“And Hendrix would never see it coming. Like you just said, theBianchis hate the Wolfes, he’d never consider for one moment they would work with you. Get them on board, and if the rest of the plan doesn’t go the way we want it to, you’ve got a ready-made army,” Tank said, also offering me a reassuring smile.
Huh. Maybe it wasn’t such a stupid idea after all.
All eyes fell on Miles, and I was surprised to find his brows pulledtogether like he was trying to solve the world’s hardest math problem. It was his thinking face.
He was considering it.
“They’ll never go for it,” he eventually said.
“They might, if you offer them something worth their while. Nicholasgot them on board all those years ago, there’s no reason you can’t. Especially if you tell them thewholetruth.”
Jack held Miles’ eye, an indecipherable look passing between them. Ilooked from one to the other as they silently communicated, and got the distinct impression they knew something I didn’t.
“What do you mean, the whole truth?” I asked, curiosity finally gettingthe better of me.
Miles broke away from his staring competition with Jack and turned toface me. He paused, choosing his next words carefully.
“We tell them you married Kai, and he left Hollows Bay to you. We tellthem that you are the real heir to the city.”
Not this bullshit again.
“Miles, I’m not-” I started, but the asshole rudely interrupted.
“Riley, you can deny it all you like, but Kai left Hollows Bay to you. Ifyou want to do something as crazy as making a deal with the Bianchis then you need to make it damn clear what your position is. Otherwise, neither of us hold any weight, and we may as well roll over now and let them take the city.”
“Why can’t we tell them you will be in charge of Hollows Bay once wereclaim it?” I said, getting fucking frustrated that we were having this conversation again. Jack, Tank, and Ash stared from across the table, watching the argument unfold between us.
“Because Kai never left Hollows Bay to me,” Miles snapped.
“But you are literally the only person on this planet who knows whatKai said. Why can’t we just tell them he left everything to you,” I fired back in frustration, my fists clenching under the table.
If Miles didn’t shut the fuck up, he was likely to get another bloodynose.
He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment beforeopening them again.
“I know you don’t understand it, Riley, but without an appointedsecond in command or a child to take over the line, you became Kai’s heir the minute you married him and took his name. Whether he said anything to me or not it doesn’t matter. Your marriage was binding. There’s a marriage certificate to prove that you married him, you can’t deny that, nor should you want to.” He paused to let the words sink in, and a heavy weight descended over me.
