“An exchange. Information for a life is hardly an even trade,” he said slowly. “So, I give you this, and I ask you make it fair, kind, respectful.”
I was going to be sick. “What are you asking?”
“My death,” came a familiar voice.
I nearly choked on my next sip.
He emerged from the shadows. “Don’t come behind me like a damn assassin, face me like a man, let me leave this world on my own terms. That’s all I ask.”
Phoenix looked between us. “I’ll leave you two to discuss. And Louis, I do hope you know that no matter how deep the cut of loss, no matter how innocent your brother was—taking this life won’t bring him back, and poking the bear just wakes it up.”
“I know what I’m doing,” I said, keeping my voice even.
“You don’t,” Phoenix said dryly. “But by God, you will when this is over if you do this poorly.” He lifted his glass. “Play nice.”
When his footsteps stopped, I finally turned to Dante. “How’d you know?”
“You ran.” Dante crossed his arms. “He yelled at me for shooting him and said you’d come back for him. We tried—” His voice cracked. “He was gone, it was too late. My aim had been wrong, I’d been trying to hit the man we thought was your father. He lied about his whereabouts so I took your brother out instead. We could sit here and toss blame all day. The truth is, I made a mistake. A life for a life is how we do business, and the minute I recognized you and you so cheerfully said yes to my terrorist of a daughter, I knew my time was limited.”
“She’s not a terrorist.” I snapped.
His eyebrows rose. “So, you do have feelings for her? I guess I can die in peace now that I know you don’t just want another pretty thing to put on your shelf.”
I snorted out a laugh.
“Pretty things like her are the most dangerous. You want to touch them, then they show you the dozen knives they have hidden on their person. She’s the type to laugh while cutting you to ribbons. It’s terrifying.”
“I taught her well.”
“Too well.”
Dante studied me. “And how does this end? You and her. Does she know?”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “She knows it’s someone she loves.”
He stared at me for a long moment, then sighed. “I’m just going to say it.”
I frowned. “Say what?”
He shook his head slowly. “I wouldn’t have picked you. Out of all the men in the world, I wouldn’t have picked you for her.” Hepaused, then added quietly, “and yet—I can’t imagine her with anyone else.”
I said nothing.
“She walks all over the men who are weak. Manipulates the ones who let her. And the fear has always been that she’d fall so hard she’d do something stupid.” His mouth twitched. “I don’t think you’re attractive enough for her to be that blindly stupid.”
Insulting. Wow.
“I’m stunning,” I said dryly. “But thank you? I think?”
He made a face. “Women used to faint in my presence, so forgive me if I’m not impressed. Have you ever given a seventy-year-old woman a heart attack—only for her to say ‘thank you’ before she died?”
I burst out laughing. “Wait. You’re serious?”
His smile was real. Raw. “Wasn’t on purpose. Weak heart. I like to think she died happy.”
“No shit.”
He inhaled slowly. “For what it’s worth—I’m sorry.” His voice lowered. “When this is over, try to make her see reason. As much as you can.”