Page 62 of Honor and Claim


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Everyone sits in silence, all eyes on our table. I pull out my phone, causing a few people to tense up. I press the button to open the doors. The click of them unlocking is loud in the still room.

"See how easily Z did that," War says, standing from his chair. His tone is flat and unyielding. "This isn't a threat. It's a warning. Your secrets are safe," he tells them. "For now, but don't think just because you kill Z or me that it will keep them hidden." Tova gasps. War leans over, kissing the top of her head. "Even in death we can expose you."

War lets that linger in the room for a long moment. Then he claps his hands together. “Now.” He smiles. “We’re here to celebrate; my wife is pregnant, and my sister has gotten married.”

“Same.” Cosima lifts her glass up over her head. A few people smirk.

“You’re pregnant?” Rochelle gasps, her eyes lighting up with excitement. Cosima nods.

War motions for the two bodies to be removed. “Have them bring out the next course,” he says.

“Yeah, I don’t think anyone is going to eat the soup now,” Cosima says, and a few people snicker, helping some of the tension bleed from the room.

“Dinner and a show?” Tova glares at War, who only kisses her in response.

“That was badass.” Cosima turns to say to me. “And I got a souvenir.” She holds up the gun.

“All right now.” I chuckle, taking the gun from her. Dario is smiling and shaking his head at us.

“I told you that it would all work out.” Dario says it loud enough for the whole table to hear.

“I think your father is bored in retirement. He’s now a matchmaker.” Rochelle is shaking her head but fully smiling.

“I’m more nudging people along. War was dragging his feet, and these two?—”

“Wait, you planned this?” Cosima asks. “But what about the Sal stuff?” Dario shrugs one shoulder.

“I made that deal before I saw what was happening between the two of you. But Sal still came in handy.” There is a smugness to his tone. He winks at me. His way of saying he's good with how things have played out.

“What about that one?” Cosima points across the table to Ronan, who is once again on his phone.

“All in due time.” Dario says it like it’s a promise.

I don’t think he’s wrong either.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

COSIMA

Imake Z mingle with everyone to put them at ease a bit. He’s always appeared to be the more laid-back one, but now everyone is leery of him. I mean, they should be, but it was more a warning shot to the other families. Don’t fuck with us and get out of line, and we won’t fuck with you.

It doesn’t take long with my dazzling charm and Z relaxing to get the temperature of the room to come back down. Even War is being extra chatty. It’s still crazy to me how much his demeanor has changed since he and Tova tied the knot. Then there is Ronan who remains as stoic as ever.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” I ask Tova.

“I bet my life I am not thinking what anyone else in this room is thinking.” Yeah, she’s still reeling from that whole scene. “Dinner and a show.” She shakes her head, and then a giggle bubbles out of her. “All right, what are you thinking?”

“That we need to read all the tea Z has on everyone. I bet it’s so juicy.”

“I don’t know if I can handle any more tonight.”

“All right,” I sigh. “Maybe next weekend. We can do a girls’ night.”

“Right,” she snorts a laugh. I bump my shoulder with hers.

“Look at us two married broads and knocked up too. Not to mention my dress. It’s killer.”

“Not as killer as your hands,” Tova deadpans.