Mad Love (Slateview High 3)

“Makes sense,” Kace said. “So what do you need us to do?”

“I’d like you to start a conversation with Claudio. Pay him a visit and deliver a gift for me.” He inclined his head toward me, a smile curving his lips. “Bring her with you. She won me over. Maybe she’ll have the same effect on him.”

I could feel the boys around me stiffen, but before any of them could speak, Nathaniel went on. He gave them instructions on exactly what message to deliver to Claudio, then pulled open a drawer in his desk and retrieved a small Manilla envelope.

“Give him this.” He handed it to Misael. “I believe he’ll appreciate it.”

My gaze flicked to the small package. It looked innocuous enough, but I’d spent enough time in this world to know by now that its contents certainly weren’t. Whether it was money or photographs or documents, it was certainly something that would benefit Claudio in some way.

“Okay,” Kace said flatly. “That it?”

“Yes.” Nathaniel nodded. “This isn’t meant to be a grand overture. If we’re going to form a worthwhile alliance, it will happen slowly. Let me know how it goes.”

He dismissed us, and all four of us headed downstairs and back out to Bishop’s waiting car. As soon as the last door closed and Bish cranked the engine, the tension I had felt gathering in all of them broke.

“Well.” Misael huffed out a breath. “This is some bullshit.”

“I know,” Kace growled.

I glanced into the back seat at the two of them. “What? What’s wrong with the assignment?”

“It’s not the assignment they’re pissed about, Princess,” Bishop said quietly, reaching over to rest a hand on my leg. “It’s the fact that Nathaniel is trying to use you as a bargaining tool now. We never should’ve brought you to his house in the first fucking place.”

I blinked, considering his answer. It was true, I supposed. Nathaniel was using me. But for some reason, I didn’t really mind. It occurred to me that even though we were

leaving the house of one crime lord on our way to see another, I felt less anxious than I did every day I stepped through the doors of Highland Park Academy.

As if I belonged in this world more than my old one now.

“It’s okay,” I told them. “I want to go. Besides, you’re just starting a conversation, right? It’s a peaceful mission, so I shouldn’t be in any danger.”

Bishop’s grip on my leg tightened, and although he didn’t say anything to contradict my statement, I could feel the answer resounding through the car.

In this world, there was no such thing as guaranteed safety.

But that was the same in my old world too, wasn’t it? The wealth and privilege of my social class was hardly more than an illusion of security—and that too could be ripped away at any moment. Personally, I’d rather live my life without the illusions. I’d rather see the danger and deal with it at face value.

We drove in tense silence to a nightclub on the west side of the city. It was barely noon when we pulled up outside, but it didn’t matter that the club wasn’t open yet. We weren’t here for dancing anyway.

Kace led the way as we walked around to the side of the building, and when we reached a door at the back, we were allowed inside by two burly men with tattoos creeping up their necks from under the fabric of their shirts. They seemed less than impressed at the sight of us, but none of the Lost Boys appeared ruffled by that at all.

Bishop told them why we’d come and who we’d been sent by—and I watched the men’s faces transform instantly. Although their reaction wasn’t overt, I could tell that Nathaniel’s name had just made all four of us a lot more worthy of attention. I just hoped it was the right kind of attention.

“Come with us.”

One of the men jerked his head, leading us through the back hallways of the building until we reached the main part of the club. I had expected to find Claudio behind a desk like Nathaniel usually was, but instead, the two men led us toward a man standing behind the bar and pouring himself a drink.

He was younger than I’d expected, although maybe that made sense if he was an up-and-comer like Nathaniel had said. He had black hair and deeply tanned skin, and his arms were covered in tattoos too. He couldn’t have been older than late-twenties or mid-thirties—or maybe it was just that he had a slightly boyish face.

Claudio looked up as we approached, raising his glass to his lips before looking at one of the men who’d escorted us.

The man answered without even needing to hear the question. “Nathaniel Ward sent them. They say they’ve got a gift and a message.”

“Well, I love gifts.” Claudio grinned broadly, jerking his head to gesture us all forward.

The boys all took a seat on the barstools facing Claudio, keeping me close to them and slightly behind them, as if trying to put their bodies between me and the small-time crime boss.

They needn’t have bothered. Claudio’s gaze passed over all of us, but his expression wasn’t hostile. In fact, he looked curious more than anything.