I kiss her, enjoying the way she relaxes against me. Her lips parting and allowing me entrance. I savor the moment, enjoying every second of the car journey, as unfortunately, fun will have to wait until after we settle business. After a few minutes, she breaks the kiss, breathless and panting, resting her head on my shoulder. We remain like that in comfortable silence for the rest of the journey until we get to the house.
Eliza’s brow furrows when she sees all the cars outside the mansion, glancing at Budimir. “Did you arrange a welcome home party or something?”
“I invited my enemies here,” I say.
Eliza’s expression turns furious as she glances at me. “You did what?”
I shrug. “The war needs to end.”
“On the day you get discharged from the hospital?”
“No time like the present.”
She releases a frustrated little sigh as the car comes to a stop. “My brothers aren’t here, are they?”
The mention of those two bastards sets me on edge. “Not over my dead body.”
Tension eases from her shoulders. “Good.”
I watch her as she gets out of the car and gazes at the house, arms crossed over her chest. My throat tightens as I get out and stand next to her, leaving the crutches behind. It may hurt to walk in there without them, but those fuckers won’t see me as a cripple.
Eliza glances at me, brow furrowing. “Where are your crutches?”
“I don’t need them.”
She rolls her eyes, but takes my hand in hers. As I look at her, I struggle to believe I found someone that I’d back down to these assholes for. Her safety means more than the power I’ve accrued, and yet I still get to keep her and the empire I stole.
“Ready, boss?” Budimir asks.
I nod and squeeze Eliza’s hand. “Let’s do this.”
We walk in together, the three of us, and head toward the ballroom down the hall where my enemies should be waiting for me. Along with the shells that they believed housed real ballistic missiles.
I straighten my spine and ensure my shield is in place so they don’t detect my weakness, my pain. And then I stride in there.
“Thank you all for coming,” I say, drawing everyone’s attention to us. “As you all know, our last meeting was clearly a trap for me and one that went to shit, so I called a new meeting.”
Uncle Spartak’s eyes narrow. “To what end?”
I nod at the shells. “I trust you’ve had time to verify that I was indeed telling the truth. They are empty.”
Massimo steps forward and nods. “Yes, what of it?”
“You no longer need to view me or the cartel as a threat and as of today, the blockades at the border have lifted. And I will let you out of the deals you agreed to with Hernandez.”
Rourke looks skeptical as he crosses his arms over his chest, his two brothers flanking him. “Why?”
“Because we have shed enough blood.” I pull the peace treaty out of my pocket, which sets everyone on edge. “My lawyer has written up a peace agreement. I think we can all accept that this war has cost all of us more than it’s gained. We need it to end, and I’m not standing in the way anymore.” I place the copy down on the table. “You each have a copy.” I nod at the table in the far corner.
Massimo is the first to walk over there, followed by his brother Luca. They take a seat at the table and lift the paper, scanning the document.
Rourke shakes his head and follows shortly after, but my uncle glares at me. And then walks toward me, instead of the table.
He stops a foot away from me, but I hold his gaze. I won’t cower to him in my home. He thrusts his hand forward. “Well played.”
I arch a brow, glancing at his hand. “What?”
“You’ve become a real man, Adrik. A man after my own fucking heart. Ruthless and determined and perhaps a little crazy. I’m saying I’m proud of you, even if you have been a fucking pain in the backside.”