My fist bangs on the front door with a hard knock that echoes in my head. Anxiety and adrenaline are coursing through me. It was different on the phone. I was calm. I was calculated. Now I need to figure shit out. This setup is fucked. I have no one. My best bet is to trust the Valettis.

I need someone. I need backing. I can’t go in there guns blazing and take out Petrov’s entire crew by myself. That’s a fucking death wish. I’m not stupid. I’m going to need help, but I have no one.

I kept thinking on the drive over, what if I’m reading Vince wrong? What if he’s set with doing business and Felipe was a one-off? Like maybe he gets his kicks from randomly knocking off pricks. He could have the same feelings as Abram. That same nonchalant attitude that fuckers are gonna die in this business, so it doesn’t matter.

I’m not sure how Vince is going to react. I’m not sure how much I should tell him, either. I guess I’m about to find out.

As I hear someone walking toward the door, I take a glance at Ava. Her shoulders are squared and her eyes are forward. I reach down and take her small hand in mine. She faces me with a small smile, but I can see she’s worried. I lean down and give her a small kiss. I know the conversation this morning was upsetting for her. I told her everything, though. And I promised I’d get her out of this shit.

She’s a smart girl though. There’s no doubt in my mind she’s questioning whether I’ll be able to make it happen or not.

I debated on whether or not I should bring her with me. But I want her to hear. I want her in on this. It’s not good to have women involved. But she’s a part of this, and she deserves to know.

Besides, this is just me and Vince. Maybe another man or two. If they try anything, if I think anything is going to happen to her, they’re fucking dead. I can’t take out 20 men on guard, but I can sure as fuck kill two or three pricks if I have to. I told her to just stay behind me if she’s not feeling safe.

I’ll protect her. As far as I’m concerned, she’s mine.

The door swings open and a man I recognize from the initial meet at my hangar answers. He’s a bit taller than Vince. Looks just like him though. If I had to guess I’d say he’s Vince’s brother, but I don’t have to. He introduces himself right away.

He smirks as he says, “I’m Dom, Vince’s brother and the bookie.”

“Nice to finally be introduced to you, Dom.” I give a tight smile back.

“Come on in.” He opens the door wider and takes a look at Ava. She’s wearing the collar I got her, and I watch the smile on his face falter as he sees it. I wasn’t going to put it on her, but the thought of running into one of Petrov’s men without something that displays what she is to them...well, that shit wouldn’t end well.

“Ava, come on in.” His eyes soften some as she smiles up at him.

“Thank you, Dom,” she says in a soft, sweet voice. I place my hand on the small of her back and lead her in front of me. Dom’s eyes harden and narrow as he watches me. I know he’s wondering what the fuck is going on. Quite frankly I’m wondering, too. There’s something between us. Given the situation, it wouldn’t be right of me to say she’s my girl. But that’s exactly how I feel. She’s mine.

We walk in relative silence through a large foyer and down a hall to an office. The first thing I do is count how many men are in the room as Dom shuts the door behind us.

All eyes are on me when I walk in. Dom’s behind me. Vince is at the desk. I recognize Tommy to the right, leaning against the wall, and I assume the older man in the chair to my left is Mr. Dante Valetti, the former Don, and Dom and Vince’s father. I give them each a nod in greeting.

“Mr. Valetti,” I say, extending my hand to Dante.

His brows raise and he shakes my hand firmly. “Kane. It’s nice to have you here. I’m sorry for your loss.”

My chest tightens with pain. I respond with a small, “Thank you.” I walk Ava over to the chair and settle her in the seat. They’re the only two, but I don’t mind standing.

“You want Ava to stay?” Dante asks. Before I respond, he addresses Ava directly. “No disrespect, Miss Ivanov. We usually try to keep women away from business matters.” It gives me pride that they’re talking to her, but she goes still at the question, and looks to me rather than answering.

“She’s involved to an extent that I feel she deserves to know everything.” I gently place my hand on her shoulder. I look down at her as I add, “But only if you want to, Ava.” I should’ve asked. I feel like an asshole for assuming she’d want to know. Shit. I need to stop doing that.

She turns her eyes to Dante and answers, “I’d like to stay, if that’s alright.” She looks so small and vulnerable sitting beneath me.

“Let me grab another chair,” Dom says, as he opens the door behind us.

“If that’s what you want, that’s fine with me,” Vince says, exchanging a look with his father and then giving Ava a sad smile. “I’m sorry you’re in this situation, Ava.”

He looks at me and starts to speak, but the noise of the door opening and Dom carrying in another chair stops him. I’m quick to take it, but it makes me feel weak. Both hands are on the chair, and I’m in a room with four men who could kill me at any time. I quickly set it down to the right of Ava and take a seat. My heart beats heavy and fast in my chest.

I clear my throat a bit and take a deep breath. “Vince, I need to know where your head’s at.”

His eyes search mine as he places his elbows on the table and forms a steeple with his fingers. His chin rests on his hands and he deliberately looks at Ava’s collar. My fists clench, but I give him a moment to fucking say whatever’s on his fucking mind.

“I think I’d like to know where your head is first, Kane.”

“Fair enough.” I push out the words and lean forward in my seat. “I told you I won’t be the go-between for you and Abram. I told you before I don’t handle this sort of business.”

“What is that you did for the Armenos?” he asks, interrupting my train of thought.

“I was in charge of...” I trail off, and look to my left at Ava before answering. I don’t want her to know. I don’t need her to know this shit. I don’t want her to look down on me either, so I choose my words carefully. “I did the collecting mostly. Occasionally I had to help with assisting people with their memories.” I fucked people up when they didn’t pay, and when they didn’t talk. That’s the truth.

A corner of Vince’s lips kicks up into an asymmetric smirk. His eyes dart to Ava and then back to me. “You sure you want her here for all of this?” he asks.

“No.” I settle back in my seat and run a hand down my face. “But she said she wants to stay, so I kinda fucked myself over there, huh?”

The men in the room laugh but Ava looks at me nervously and sets her small hand down on my forearm. She lowers her voice and leans in to talk to me, “I don’t have to.”

I lean over the chair and give her a quick kiss. I know she likes it when I do that. “Stay right where you are. I want you to know what’s going on.”

“I’d like to know, too,” Vince says, as I turn back to him and take Ava’s hand in mine.

I give her hand a squeeze and get to the point. “Abram wants a meeting tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow,” he says, but it’s more of a question.

Before I can tell him it’s a setup, Tommy speaks up. “Told you he’d fuck us over.”

“Becca’s gonna be pissed. She knows there’s no class tomorrow.” I hear Dom’s voice from behind me, and I have to turn around to look at him.

“So it’s a setup then, Kane? Abram doesn’t want to do business? Or is this about Felipe?” Ava grips onto my hand at the mention of Felipe.

My thumb rubs soothing circles on the back of her hand as I speak. “More than likely. If I had to guess, I’d say he’s leaning toward taking over.”

“How many men do you think will be there?”

“More than a dozen. He’s bringing the new women, too.” I have to push out the last part and readjust in my seat. “I told him to.”

“You like women bringing into this shit, don’t you?”

I force myself to stay calm. “I don’t.” Fuck. That came out sounding pissed off, and I didn’t mean it to. “He was going to collect more...” I pause, fucking hating talking about this shit. “But I told him we could only take eight and to bring the nine he already has there so...” I take a breath and try to keep my shit calm with what I’m about to say next. “So I could pick one to keep for when he takes Ava back.”

It’s quiet and awkward for a moment. All eyes are on me and they’re searching for answers to questions that are obvious. They aren’t going to budge. They aren’t speaking first. Fine. I’ll man the fuck up and lay out the plans for them. “I don’t intend on going through with Abram’s plan for tomorrow.”

“What was it that you’re planning, then?” Tommy asks. Vince’s eyes stay on me. What I say next is going to determine whether or not I live or die tomorrow.

“I’m planning on killing as many of Petrov’s men as I can.”

“That’s suicide,” Vince says calmly, with a brow raised.

“It’s that, or go through with what Petrov has planned. And I’d rather die.” I take a moment to let that sink in. A cold sweat breaks out along my skin. “It’d be easier if I had someone backing me.”

“Someone?” Vince asks, with a cocky smile.

Dom laughs from behind me and smacks my back as he walks forward to stand at his father’s side. “You coming too, Pops?”

“Of course.” The old man has grey hair and tough skin with wrinkles around his eyes. But he’s still toned muscle and there’s no doubt in my mind that he couldn’t take down a man as well as I could. He only stepped down a few months ago.

“So I can count on you, Vince?” I would feel more confident hearing him say the words.

“Petrov thinks he can make deals and then stab backs,” he says, as he stands up from behind the desk. “I know all about that rat and the shit they’ve pulled.” He walks around the desk and stands in front of me, leaning back against the front of the desk. “I knew this was coming. I just wasn’t sure whether or not I’d have to kill you, too.”

A smile grows on my face. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t.” Vince’s smile widens and Tommy lets out a laugh.

“You have my word, Kane.” Vince extends his hand and I stand up to take it with my own in a firm shake.

“Can you shoot, Ava?” Dante asks to my left, taking my attention away from Vince.

“I can,” she answers confidently. I remember Felipe though, and how she held the gun with shaky hands. They’d shoot her first. They’d kill her before she got a shot off.

“I don’t want to bring her.” Even as the words leave my lips, I know I have to. I can’t react on my emotions. I have to be smart. I thought about removing her chip and giving her a head start. But according to her, they’d know. And judging by how fast Felipe was on her, having her go off with it in her wouldn’t be wise either. I have no fucking clue who else is tracking her.

“You need to. You’ll fuck it up if you don’t.” I grit my teeth and try to come to terms with this. I can’t risk putting her in danger though. When shit goes down, I’m going to be on Abram’s side of things. I’ll be an easy target. With me gone, I don’t know how Ava will make it through this.

“Promise me that she never goes back to them.” I look him straight in the eyes. I need to know he’ll take her if Abram takes me down before I can get her to safety.

“You have my word.” Vince puts a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll make sure she’s safe.”