I pull into a parking spot outside of the club about half an hour later. Right next to Max’s car.

End this war, babe. Don’t wait for them to end it for you.

Sometimes I wonder which war I’m supposed to be fighting.

I slam my car door shut, pull out my key, and unlock the back door. Duke and some of the other guys are moving crates of liquor to the bar area, prepping for tonight’s ‘anything goes’ crowd.

“You seen Max?” I ask.

He nods and points toward the staircase. “He’s downstairs.”

I don’t bother with my elevator key. I take the stairs two at a time and head into the exclusive labyrinth of kink I’ve single-handedly created. Me. Nobody else.

I did it by myself—raised all of the money, built all of the buzz, hooked all of the clients. And they’re all hungry for more of what I have to serve. I built the kingdom, and I fucking rule it.

Nobody is going to stab me in the back in my fucking domain.

Nobody.

“Max!” I yell, not bothering to search him out. I want him to come to me. Best friend or not, he really fucked me today, and Christ only knows how many times he’s done it in the past.

He pops out from one of the private rooms, hands stuffed into his pockets. “Yeah? What’s up?”

I let out a dry laugh. “What’s up? Well, let’s see. Other than me finding out that you’re fucking mouth can’t be trusted to stay shut for even twelve hours? I don’t know, why don’t you just ambush me again right now and go two for two?”

Max lets out a sigh. “Look, I’m sorry—”

“Sorry? Don’t give me that bullshit!” I slam a hand against the wall. “I told you not to say anything to anyone, much less your father. But he’s the first one you ran to with the news about Carlo. Why the fuck would you do that?” I inch closer. “Unless he has something up his sleeve, and he pulled you into his fucking trap. What’d he promise you, Max? Money, power, pussy? All three? Your own fucking empire?” I shout.

“He didn’t promise me anything!” Max yells. “He has a right to know if his daughter is in danger. He has a right to protect her. You know how he feels about you two being together. And you’re too involved in this shit to think clearly. Luca is a fucking psychopath and if he gets his hands on Shaye…” He shakes his head. “She’s my sister, Nico. My sister! Do you know what Luca would do to her? Do I need to say again that she’s double-fucked because of you and my dad?”

“You think that doesn’t keep me awake at night? Every fucking night?”

“Well, let me tell you, if something happens to her, you won’t have to worry about insomnia ever again.” He inches forward, a murderous look in his eye, the same one I’ve seen a million times before. The one I know he’ll act upon without a second thought.

I clench my fists. “Don’t you fucking threaten me, you asshole. You see all of this? I gave it to you! I made a place for you here! And you have the fucking nerve to challenge me, here of all places?”

“You’re always so focused on what you’ve given to me. You want me to kiss your fucking ass every time I see you? Would that make you happy? Yes, I fucked up awhile back, and yes, you pulled me out of the shit. You took care of me, and I’ll always be grateful for that. But you don’t control me. I’m not your fucking puppet. You wanna pull strings? Pull Rocco’s. He’s not far enough up your ass already.”

“Is that what this is about? You’re pissed off about Rocco?”

Max fists his hair and lets out an incredulous laugh. “You’re a real piece of work. This is about Shaye.”

“Is it? Or does it have to do with the fact that I brought in Rocco to help run things here?”

“This is my job, Nico! And he swoops in here like he’s your fucking number two. Do you remember why he was banished in the first place? Because he’s a slimy piece of shit who would rather steal from other people and lie about it than do actual work. He crippled me, Nico. And you let him inside. But you didn’t stop there.”

“He saved my life, Max. Or don’t you remember that night?”

“So, because I didn’t shoot myself in the stomach, I’m not worthy? Is that how you gauge loyalty now, Nico? Should I just let you slit my throat? Will that restore your faith in me?” Now he’s pacing and pounding the wall as he stomps around me. And the murderous look is still in force. “You told Rocco everything the other night! And then you made him lie to me. About my own sister. You let him take her back to your place in the city, and you didn’t even have the decency to let me in on it. That crazy motherfucker was lurking, and I could have helped! But you didn’t invite me to the party. Nope, you saved it all for fucking Rocco! But,” he sneers at me, getting right in my face. “You don’t have control over Shaye. And you didn’t tell her to lie to me or my dad.”

That’s how he found out. I didn’t even think about telling her to keep things quiet that night. My only concern was keeping her alive. Good to know that my girlfriend was responsible for the ambush on me. Gotta love the irony.

“How do you like that, brother? Shaye is the one who fucked you. Not me. Not my father.” He twists around and walks toward the staircase. “You sit on your high horse accusing me of all sorts of shit before finding out the real story.” He snorts. “Typical. You’re an entitled asshole who got this far because of his bloodline. Not because you have any clue what the hell you’re doing. My father was right. You’ve got no backbone. For someone who’s so concerned about the family, you’re not doing dick to protect it.”

I rush toward Max and shove him into the wall. “Fuck you! Don’t you dare talk to me like that! I fucking made you!”

“Yeah, you made me alright…into a fucking peon! You kept me nice and close and turned me into your bitch!” He shoves me backward, and I stumble, tripping over some BDSM prop laying in the middle of the floor.

“You sonofabitch!” I launch a fist at his jaw and he blocks it so fast and so hard, the fist almost flies back at my own face. I take another swing and he ducks out of the way before I can make contact. I leap toward him, backing him against another wall with my chest, and he elbows me in the ribs. I clench my teeth and clutch my side. He stands over me, barely out of breath. I’m smart enough to know I’m out of my element here and that there will be no mercy shown if I launch a full-blown attack on him.

“Don’t mess with me, Nico,” he hisses. “I won’t go easy on you. I will fuck your shit up.”

I drag myself up to face him. His jaw is tight, eyes narrowed. I’ve seen him pummel plenty of people into the ground over the years. He’s always been the muscle. Today is no different. And he might have punctured a lung with that elbow, fucking asshole that he is.

“Get the hell out, Max. I don’t want to see you here again.” I rake a hand through my hair and lean back against the wall, my breathing labored.

“Good, ’cause I’m fucking done with you, asshole. And when the rest of the family figures out the truth, that you’re a big fucking pussy who can’t do shit to keep his people safe, you’re gonna be done, too.”