“And that code is what?”
“There’s actually a book, but the bottom line for this conversation right now is: Loyalty and life above all else. You steal, you’re out. You betray us and that results in putting someone in danger, Hunter or civilian, you die. It’s brutal, but it’s the only way we keep order in a business this rogue and driven by money.”
I like that he’s included civilians in that code, but even more, I admire his passion as he speaks of life and loyalty. “Have you ever had to kill a Hunter?”
“Once. A massive payday was in play and the Hunter killed his partnering Hunter, a good man with two kids. I found our betrayer, ended him, and I have no regrets. And the money from that treasure went to that man’s family.”
“You kept none of it.”
“You know I don’t need the money, nor would I sleep at night had I kept it. More so, my people need to know they come first, to follow me. But the real moral of this story is that after that, there’s no one who questions my willingness to back that code up—and you, my Lady Hawk, are an extension of me. If you face anyone who dares threaten you or one of our own, or even a civilian, you deliver the message that code requires, and you do it with my support. Don’t hesitate because it’s someone you’ve sat across from and thought you trusted.”
My mind goes to my father’s bloody, lifeless body and my certainty that someone close to him stabbed him in the back before the bullets landed in his chest. “No hesitation,” I assure him.
“Then go shopping. Show the world that Lady Hawk is in the city and she owns it. The message to anyone Garner Neuville might have watching is that you’re so unconcerned about them, you’re shopping for lingerie for me. Feel free to actually do that, by the way.”
My lips curve. “Lingerie.”
“Yes. Think of the entire shopping experience as a final ‘fuck you’ to Garner Neuville before I put a bullet in his head.”
sixteen
On Thursday, Nathan heads to Milan to deal with Gallo, and Kayden spends much of the day in the War Room with Carlo, coordinating the aftermath of Alessandro’s rule, and then deciding to take Carlo to Paris with him. I sit on the opposite side of the War Room with Matteo, learning the ins and outs of dispatching, truly impressed with all the resources at our fingertips. Matteo manages the process well, but it turns out Sasha was wrong about me pulling Kayden into the day-to-day operations. He’s already involved in them. Every action Matteo takes is fed directly to a console Kayden keeps live on his phone and iPad, and as I watch, he actually intervenes and declines a job Matteo intends to take.
Matteo’s reaction is similar to when I questioned him about security. He doesn’t like it, but of course Kayden can’t see this reaction, with the technology wall between them. And he thinks he hides it from me, but my father used to turn people into puzzles I had to solve. And while I understand having pride in your work, it rubs me wrong and I make a note to talk to Kayden about it.
However, when finally Kayden and I retreat to our private tower and sit down to a light dinner Marabella has left for us, his focus is wholly on the life-threatening mission ahead of him, and talking through plans and backup plans, rendering Matteo’s pride a less-than-important issue. My mental note made about Matteo, I am more than eager to help Kayden prepare for Neuville.
We’ve just finished eating when he finally gets a call from Nathan, who’s in Milan with Gallo. When the brief call ends he tells me, “Gallo accepted five million dollars to just go away.”
“You don’t seem pleased.”
“He took it too easily.”
My brow furrows. “It’s five million dollars, Kayden.”
“It’s a gut feeling, sweetheart.”
“Well, I hope it turns out to be nothing.”
“It won’t,” he says. “I feel it.” He reaches for his fork. “Let’s eat before I lose my appetite.”
We both dig in and it’s not long until we’re pushing aside the plates and he’s fixed me with a long stare. “What?” I ask.
He grabs the tube sitting next to him and pulls out a blueprint. “I’m going to ask you to do something uncomfortable.”
“What?”
“I have a blueprint of Neuville’s house, but I need to know what might be different. I need to know details that other people might not tell me or know.”
I scowl at him. “Stop acting like he makes me a delicate flower.” I grab the blueprint and we get to work, but the interesting part in going over the details with Kayden is the absence of even one flashback. It’s just . . . odd.
I’m still thinking this when we fall into bed, my back to Kayden’s front, his body wrapped tightly around mine. If there’s still some big emotional explosion waiting to erupt in my mind, keeping me from finding the necklace, why did talking about Neuville’s house, where most of my hell happened, not trigger a single image of those things?