Carter Reed 2 (Carter Reed #2)(22)

My jaw clenched. “Get to the point.”

“You’re a man in between. You’re in one world, but you’re trying to live in another. Living like that will make you sloppy, and that makes you dangerous to anyone around you. If you’re out, you’re out. If you’re not, you’re not. Choose.” He gestured to me, his hand moving in a sharp, savage motion. “You would’ve killed me last year because of her, but you’re the one who’s going to get her killed. Make a definite choice. If we’re going to war, you need to start preparing for it.”

“I am,” I growled.

“You’re not. I made a few calls. Your woman was drinking wine at one of your restaurants.”

My blood ran cold. I saw where he was going.

“She was laughing with her friend. If they weren’t drunk, they were tipsy. They drank three of our bottles. And now, where are we going?”

My eyes narrowed. “Stop, Gene.”

He didn’t. “I know about this sister of hers that’s appeared. I can make phone calls, too, and I know that’s where you’re going right now. You’re going to check out this person yourself. You want to make sure she’s the real deal before letting your woman anywhere near her. You’re running an errand for your lady when you should be stopping all of it.”

He was right. My blood turned from cold to boiling. He was right, and I hated that he was the one to call me on it. I should’ve made these decisions long ago, when I first heard about Cole’s attack. I hadn’t. I’d wanted Emma to keep living in freedom, as much as she could, but he was right.

“Send her away. She’ll be safe. Stop this fool’s errand right now. You want her to be safe, but she’s not because you’ve grown lazy.”

Goddamn, he was right. “Stop.” I closed my eyes. The need to protect her was right there, lying just under the surface. It was right next to the Cold Killer. I was best at assassinating my enemies. He’d been kept in check, shoved down, but as Gene kept talking, I felt him crawling back up inside me.

Gene was right. Emma had to go away. As we flew from New York, I decided I would allow Emma to have a few more days while I got organized. The war was coming. We all felt it. And there were things I needed to do to prepare for it. When I was done, I would call for her, and she would go into hiding. Once she went, I had no idea how long it would be until I could be with her again.

A few days. I would give her a few days.

When I woke the next day, there was a message from Carter. He needed to fly home to take care of business. I didn’t like it. He’d kept his New York home from me, and now he wasn’t telling me what was going on. Cole had been initiated, so I knew that portion of business was done, but this was Carter. There was so much I still didn’t know, and sometimes, when I was honest with myself, I wasn’t sure I wanted to learn all of it.

“Okay!” Theresa came into my room, clapping her hands. “I talked Amanda into flying here. Noah sent the jet for her, so she really didn’t have much of a choice.”

“It’s Wednesday.”

“And tomorrow is Thursday. She said she could do work on the plane and then take tomorrow off.” Theresa’s smile stretched from ear to ear. “We’re going to have the triad. I need you, ladies. And you know what this means?”

“We’re going to the gun range?”

“Oh.” She perked up. “No, but we should do that, too…after we go dancing. Noah told me Carter has a friend who owns a nightclub here, so guess where we’re going Thursday night?” She snapped her fingers twice in my face. “Turn that frown upside down and get your dancing face on, because that’s what we’re doing. Drinking. Dancing. And….being divas.” She laughed. “I had to think of another D word, but it fits.”

“It fits you,” I told her.

Theresa turned back for the door and waved at me over her shoulder. “I’ll take it. I already knew I was the diva in the group.”

We were nearing our thirties, but we were going dancing, we were going to drink, and we were throwing the word diva around. As I lay back down in my bed, I couldn’t stop smiling. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

However, when Amanda arrived the next night, my smile had disappeared. I hadn’t been thinking about her since I got to New York. My thoughts had been focused on Carter, my sister, and the impending war. Since he’d gone, my thoughts had been only on Carter and his absence, but now Amanda was coming up the elevator, and I kept remembering she had a cop boyfriend.

The elevator pinged its arrival, and Theresa squealed as she went to meet it in the private entrance. I stood and followed at a more sedate pace, as did Noah. Theresa waved her hands in the air in excitement. Noah and I shared a look. Only Theresa.

Then the doors opened, and Amanda came inside pulling a piece of luggage beside her and carrying another large bag slung over her shoulder, along with her purse. Her eyes were wide as she took us all in. She choked out a laugh as Theresa flung herself forward, wrapping her arms around her in a tight hug.

“You’re here. You’re in New York. The triad is together again.” Theresa kept holding her, rocking her back and forth.

Amanda laughed again and stepped back. Frowning, she reached up to shake some of the snow from her hair. “I am, and it’s snowing outside. Are we really going dancing? It’s crazy out there.”