Some men flinched when he walked by, making sure to catalog each person here. Others stepped backward, away from me. The message written on most of their faces was so clear.
We were losing them.
Fuck.
“Oh, yeah? Got the whole place booby-trapped again, Max?” I asked. “How unoriginal.”
He shrugged. “Maybe, maybe not. But I’d be more concerned about Chiara right now.”
My jaw clenched and my stomach plummeted to my feet. “Where is she?”
“Safe with me. For now.” He paused, glancing at a cobweb hanging from an old ceiling fan. “If I don’t leave this place alive? Who knows, then?”
“Always have to use tricks, traps, and hostages to fight your own battles, huh, Max,” Cas said through gritted teeth. He still hadn’t lowered his weapons.
The army watched them both, waiting to see who would emerge victorious.
“I just use my brain to ensure I’m the one who walks away,” he replied with a shrug. “That I’m the one who wins.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about walking away tonight, Max,” I said.
“Right back at you, Leona. I don’t take kindly to people trying to poachmymen.” Hetsked his tongue as he strolled the room. Alessio flinched as Max paused in front of him. “Mymen, Leona. Not yours.”
“They belonged to me the moment you killed my father?—”
“No. They’ve been mine for far longer than that.” He lifted his chin and spoke to everyone in the room. “I get it. You wanted to come see the princess, hear what she had to offer. I don’t blame you. A spectacle is a spectacle. Even a train wreck makes a good show.”
My eyes narrowed.
“This time I’ll be lenient.” Max lifted his hand, pointer finger extended up. “Onetime. Back out of here and get back to your assignments where you belong. No grudges, no hard feelings. That’s it.”
I scoffed. “Yeah, right, Max. You all think he’d just forget about this?” I shook my head. “Nope. He’ll kill you just for being here. Might as well switch sides and help me take him down.”
Even Giulio faltered, eyes shifting between the two of us.
I was still operating under the attitude they were here for me.
They weren’t. And they certainly weren’t going to risk their lives for me.
But they’d already proved they would for Cas.
Make the decision.
Fuck. Fuck this. Fuck being in this position.
I raised my head high and let my voice cut through the tension in the room. “The Family isn’t just mine. It’s Caspian’s, too. It’s ours.”
Silence. Eyes shifted from side to side. Giulio tensed, exchanging a glance with Alessio and Romolo.
Max’s eyes flashed. “Oh?”
“That’s right, Max.” I lifted my chin.Shit. It had to come to this. I wasn’t going to get them on my side without it. “Cas and I are engaged. It’s always been me and him, and now the whole Family gets to see it.”
I didn’t look at my guys. I didn’t turn my head as Ryuji glared at Cas. I didn’t glance behind me at Ciel, who had just welcomed Cas into the Shadows with open arms. And Idefinitelydidn’t look at Obi, who’d used me like a piece on his chessboard. But I could feel all their gazes boring a hole into my back.
I had to choose this marriage. It was the only way I was going to get these men on my side—if this even worked.
But what was it going to do to my guys?
