“Stop it, both of you!” I take a deep breath. “You both know this can’t continue,” I say. “So, we’re going to find a compromise. I suggest you name your price, Barretti. For this to be done with, once and for all.”
He raises an eyebrow. “My price?”
“Yes. Caleb will pay you out of your claim to the business. But then I want you to be out of Sterling Cross’s affairs. Forever.”
Caleb shakes his head. “Juliet—”
“No. Caleb. This is the only way,” I tell him. “Swallow a one-time cost and put this behind you. You have enough to worry about with Wolfe’s takeover attempt.”
Caleb scowls. “I don’t like it.”
“And neither do I.” Nero says.
“Good. That’s what makes it a compromise.” I say, sounding braver than I feel. “So make the deal and walk away.”
Nero looks thoughtful.
“All right. Fifty million.”
“Twenty.” Caleb immediately responds.
“Thirty-five.”
“Done.”
I can’t believe it. I look back and forth between them, waiting for the catch. But they’re both glaring fiercely at the other, not happy.
But not shooting each other dead, either.
My heart races.
“Shake on it,” I order. “No going back.”
Another pause, then they both reluctantly grip each other’s hands.
“You’ll hear from my attorney to iron out the paperwork.” Caleb says.
“Bet on it.” Nero scowls back, before his gaze drifts to me. I’m shocked to find something that looks like admiration in his eyes. “You’ve got some balls, I’ll give you that. Nobody’s ever walked into my club and given me an order. Not without leaving on a stretcher.”
“I do what it takes to protect the ones I love,” I tell him. He nods.
“I can understand that.”
I don’t stick around to push my luck. I grab Caleb and we get the hell out of there. With every footstep, I’m expecting someone to stop us. For Nero to change his mind about the deal, and decide it’s easier to be done with us. It feels like the longest walk of my life, but eventually, we make it out of the club and into a cab back to Caleb’s.
It’s not until we’re halfway across town that I realize: he hasn’t said a word to me.
I look over, but he’s ignoring me. Staring out the window like there’s something more than darkness and neon speeding past.
“Caleb?” I ask, but he doesn’t reply.
I frown. I thought he would be happy. Well, relieved, at least. I thought this would be a load off his mind.
But damned if he doesn’t look more tortured than ever before.
But this is probably a lot to take in, I tell myself: the news about Roman, and his mom’s affair. Everything he thought he knew about his family is a lie, and now he’s forever connected by blood to one of the most fearsome mafia families around.
That’s a lot to process.