“Why couldn’t I have called just to catch up?”

“I’m out.” Carter’s eyes flashed a warning. “What’s happened?”

“You’re not that out,” Gene sighed. His wide shoulders hunched forward as he slid his hand into his front pocket. He pulled out his phone and checked the time. “You know why I’ve called.”

“His murder was called in.” Carter’s jaw clenched. “What happened to the caller?”

“Disappeared.”

“What do the Bertal Elders say?”

“They aren’t saying anything, which is why I need you to come back in.”

“No.” The answer was swift.

Gene growled, “Check your attitude, boy.”

“Check yours!” Carter snarled back. “You’re not calling the shots for me. You haven’t for a long time.”

“Fine,” the older man bit out, his teeth ground against each other as his hand fisted around his phone. “We’ll do this your way.”

“I want a meeting.”

“That’s not smart.”

“They didn’t hold up their end. A body was supposed to be delivered to me. It hasn’t and now their man disappears?”

“Franco is probably alive. You know that. It doesn’t mean they’ve reneged.”

“I don’t care,” Carter lashed out. His eyes took on a murderous glint. “I’ve held up my end. I’ve already given them their royalties. If they don’t agree to a meeting, I’ll go to f**king war.”

He started back for his car.

Gene called after him, “You’d do that for her?”

“I’m doing that for everyone. You, included. The Bertal family will either work with me or I’ll go against them. It’s their choice, but they will be told of my intentions.”

“You’re going to stir up a shitstorm. You know that, don’t you?”

Carter went to his car. The door was opened for him, but he turned back. A dead calm was in his gaze as he met his friend’s. “Shitstorm’s always been there. If we have to, it’s time to take them down. We know they’re weak right now.”

Gene sighed as Carter got into car and left.

The man beside him asked, “What are you going to tell the Elders?”

“To prepare for war.” Gene cast a shrewd glance over the younger man. He was new. He didn’t know the lengths Carter Reed would take to insure his win. And this woman of his had only made him even more lethal, no matter how often he teased him about going soft.

Getting out of the car, Amanda was right behind me. I glanced back to make sure she followed the rest of the way inside Joe’s and she was. Biting her lip and tugging at her sleeves, she rolled her eyes. “Why am I here? I don’t work at The Richmond.”

“You’re my friend.”

“But I don’t work at The Richmond. I’m not going to fit in.”

“Come on. You’ll be fine. Theresa’s already here. She’s holding the table.”

“Oh my god,” she groaned as we went through the door. “You are both nuts for making me come here.”

I shrugged. “It’s Friday Wine Night.”

“No, this is not Friday Wine Night. That happens at home, with pajamas, with the three of us, lots and lots of wine, and pizza. Not here. Not with your stuck-up co-workers and definitely not with your boss here. He’s my boss too. It’s still uncomfortable for me. Noah owns the cafe, remember?” She inched closer and hissed again, “I shouldn’t be here!”

“Oh, hush. You’re here. You’re going to have fun. And you’re teaching again.”

“I’m going back over the break. He’s still my boss.” She grumbled again, “Seriously, Emma. I feel so out of place.”

My hand grabbed her arm and I latched on. “You’re coming.”

She had to, she was my plus one. Carter would’ve caused too much of a commotion. Since getting free from the Mauricio family, his name and image was everywhere. The media’s interest in him hadn’t lessened. It’d been leaked that he had been released from his mafia connections. The news spread fast he’d been made into the poster boy for redemption.

I had a gut feeling that the news loved to report on him. He raised their ratings every time, but when Noah asked if he’d come since Theresa had somehow blackmailed him to going to Joe’s for Friday Karaoke, Carter had laughed before punching him.

They’d been sparring.

As we went inside, I wasn’t surprised to find the place full. Most of the workers from the hotel were inside. Varying expressions of nerves were on most of them, a few were eager and another handful determined—I wasn’t sure for what, but the night would be interesting. Noah Tomlinson was going to make an appearance at Joe’s. The rumor had gotten out. He was rarely in the office since he preferred to work from his home office so it was the first some of the workers met the Big Boss in person.

Theresa popped up from a stool and waved us over. She almost slipped off her stool and pitched forward. Noah grabbed her arm, sitting her back down with a deep scowl over his face.

Amanda started giggling behind me. “He looks miserable.”

“See.” I threw a grin over my shoulder to her. “Nothing to worry about.”

“So says you whose boyfriend is even more intimidating than the boss.” She nudged me with her elbow. “We should go over. Theresa’s going to come over and get us if we don’t march over there.” She paused as we watched our friend start laughing. She hit the table with her hand and kept laughing, even as she spilled some beer from her pitcher.

Noah grimaced as he lifted the pitcher out of reach.

She kept laughing.

Amanda amended, “That’s if she can walk.”

I shook my head. “Let’s go.”

Leading the way, a few people said hello when we moved past. I extended a polite greeting, but I never wavered. Since my promotion people had been friendlier, but there’d been a time when they froze me out. I wouldn’t be forgetting that.

As I rounded the table of girls that I once considered casual work friends, it was the same reception. All of them were warm and a couple gushed to me, but they’d been the worst.

Bitches.