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Victor paused for a moment, letting me reconsider, but when I stood with crossed arms, he nodded to himself. “I understand.”
He hadn’t even finished standing when Ash’s voice rang out. “Wait.”
The determination pouring off her struck like a stone sinking in my stomach, and I fisted my hands. “You don’t need to do this,” I whispered so only she could hear. “I’ll find another way.”
“We don’t have time for another way anymore. You obviously need his help, or you wouldn’t have let him in.” When I still didn’t respond, she gripped my forearm. “Will it end this?”
Truthfully, yes, but I wasn’t going to tell her that. “The answer is no, Aislynn.”
“It’s not your decision,” she said firmly. “With my father, I didn’t have a choice. My place was at the altar. Even with him, I knew it was my only way out, and I don’t regret it. This time, it’s my choice. I choose to do this for you and for our family and for the city we both love.”
“You’ve done enough. You’ve been through enough.”
Ash rolled her eyes. “I’m not going to fall in love with him.”
I saw the way Victor flinched behind her before he schooled his face into something neutral.
Fuck, I did not need my best friend getting tangled up with a cartel leader. “Mari, if we say yes, we have a chance to negotiate terms we both want. If we say no and have to crawl back for help later, we’re fucked.”
Meaning, he could ask for her anyway, and I wouldn’t have room to refuse. Fuck.
“I don’t want you to do this,” I admitted.
“I know, but it’s done. What’s one person in the grand scheme of things?” Ash asked.
The words hit me directly in my chest. Hadn’t I just said that as I watched Kosas grieve his son and daughter-in-law? Two people I’d put in danger to end this war. Being willing to sacrifice his family while refusing to risk my own felt too hypocritical to condone.
“I’ll be fine.”
“If you’re not, they all die.”
“I know.” She smiled before turning back to Victor, who watched her with what I could only call admiration. “I’m married.”
He didn’t even glance at her ring finger. “You’re a hostage, not a whore.”
There was no doubt he was borderline offended at the idea that he’d use her like that, and it increased my opinion of him. I knew some made men didn’t care about things like consent. That Victor did was an unexpected boon.
I sat back down on the couch next to Aislynn as she squared off in her seat. “What are the terms?”
Victor watched her with something verging on obsession, the way a king coveted what he wanted to own. It didn’t ease my nerves at all. “Room and board. Money to spend. Freedom within reason.”
“For how long?”
“A year.”
Ash’s eyes widened almost imperceptibly before they shuttered, and I wanted to end the negotiations now. My skin was itching with the need to do something, and I felt terrible knowing that I couldn’t. I’d never felt more helpless in my life, and I’d watched my men get shot.
This is her choice, I reminded myself. Didn’t mean I had to like it, though.
“Can you promise my safety?”
Victor’s glare was icy, making me realize just how warm it had been before. “Of course. I wouldn’t bring you to my home if you were in danger.”
“Your home?” For the first time since she’d decided, Aislynn looked uncertain. She probably assumed she’d be in some apartment somewhere, locked far out of sight as the timer counted down, but I had no doubt Victor would keep her underfoot as much as possible.
He pulled out his phone, scrolling through it quickly before walking around the coffee table. I was tensing to shove myself between them when he dropped to his knees at her feet. No doubt my mouth was wide open, but what else was I supposed to do?
Ash hadn’t released the gun in her grip. This powerful man was giving my friend all the power in the world to end him. Happily, it would seem. It was nearly unheard of.
