When he’d first told me of their argument, I wanted to laugh. He looked distraught, but dumbstruck. He was in love. I understood. Hell, I grinned to myself now. I hadn’t given Emma a chance to think about it. I told her she had to move in, but I’d been worried that after everything was done she would want to get her own place. She hadn’t. She seemed content to remain with me, which I was continuously thankful for. But now this long-lost sister was a future concern of mine. Who was she? What was the real story? They’d found Emma because of me. It wasn’t a stretch to consider that they might be trying to use her to get to me, or that they were working for the government somehow…

“He’s here.”

I’d brought Michael with me, and his voice now alerted me to the headlights coming toward us. When the car drew to a halt and Gene got out, I nodded. Michael opened our door and led the way. Another guard came behind me, but when Gene motioned that he wanted privacy, I stopped both of them and kept going.

After another ten feet, my mentor came to a stop and scanned the warehouses around us with a wary eye. He stroked his jaw before he said, “I don’t like this feeling.”

I knew what he meant. “Until they make a move, we have to be cautious,” I said. The Bartels could strike again—against anyone, at any moment. We were all playing the waiting game.

“And Cole?”

“What about him?”

“You’ve pushed for his place to be reinstated. If he makes the first move—”

I narrowed my eyes. “Which he can. They killed two of his friends. He has the right.” And the power. That’s what everyone was reluctant to give up. They’d enjoyed having their power, but now it was mostly Cole’s. His decisions—unless overthrown by a majority vote—would be the fate of the Mauricio family now.

“I know. We get it. We do, but everyone’s nervous.”

This was why he’d called. “We’ve been talking this over for weeks,” I told him. “It’s time.” Too much more time and our family might be dead. “You’re moving too slow. Decisions have to be made in an instant. This is the right move.”

“He’s been gone for too long.”

“He’s been learning in those years.”

“I don’t like it. No one does.”

It was done. “The time to complain is over.”

Gene shook his head. “They sent me to appeal to you one last time. Stop this, Carter. If anyone should lead, it should be you.”

“No.” I’m out. “My job is done. Cole will take over tomorrow.”

“You’re the go-between. No one trusts him. They trust you.”

“I’m out, Gene.” My voice rose. This wasn’t a point of discussion. “Everyone knows this.”

“And if they attack you?”

“Well...” My voice lowered, and I’m sure my eyes grew cold. “Then things will change. But unless that happens, I’m out. For her.”

He nodded. “I know, I know.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “People are antsy, that’s all. They’re concerned. What if he’s a bad leader? What if he makes the wrong decisions and gets all of us killed? We all have family—”

“No one understands the value of family more than Cole.” Did I need to remind him? “His father was one week. His mother the next. Each of his three brothers. Then his eldest sister. His two little sisters. One after another, Gene. It would do the elders good to remember that their own brother was murdered.”

“I know.” His voice was laden with regret. “I do. I loved William. He was my brother, too.”

“And Cole’s your nephew.”

“I know.” His shoulders rolled back as he continued to nod to himself. “I know. I forget. There are others in the family who are…” He hesitated. “They’re forgetting, like I am. He’s our blood.”

I was the outsider, yet they treated me as if I were Cole. “He’s your blood.” Not me.

Sensing the unspoken sentiment, Gene shook his head. “Don’t think that. You’re just as much blood as him, more even. This family would follow you anywhere, and we have, but you’re giving someone a lot of power, someone who’s been outside the family for five years.”

“I know, but I trained Cole before I left him. It’s time for him to return to the fold.”

“Yeah. Okay.”

“Is this really why you wanted to meet tonight?”

“Yeah. Well, I talked with Anthony. He’s concerned there’s another traitor in the family. I know we caught the other one, but how’d they find Cole?”

“No.” I was the only one who knew where Cole had been. “It wasn’t from the family. They found him another way.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” I didn’t want to think about another traitor. I’d almost lost Emma because of the last one. “But if there is one, he’ll die.” I would kill him myself.

Gene grew silent. He turned to look around us again; the wariness had never left him. “This life, Carter, it gets to you.”

I knew, maybe more than he thought. I understood. “I’ve been watching Cole.”

“You have?”

I nodded. “He’s ready.”

“I trust you.” Not him, I knew he added silently.