at her for a lon

id of what you wil

vered by two Kings Riders in pressed shirts who stood at the clubhouse gate with their hands folded like choirboy

card twice, then

N

asking," H

s your mother

out of his hand. "Somebody in this valley is going to tell me what they

sound of a man losing an argument

ou're not out in twent

'm going to

Kings Riders territory began, all chrome and cracked neon. Nob

when she

air swept back, a leather jacket cut so well it might have been tailored, a watch that cost more t

for coming. I know the i

te. That was

d into something almost genuine.

fees and a slice of lemon meringue in f

meo said. "It's your

ght. She took a bite. It was perf

u've been shot at, threatened, and asked to pick a side by ev

yo

ouse and told to inherit it. I

flowers to

the mask slipped. T

r. Protection for you, immediately, without conditions. A voice in every decision the Kings Riders make. And influence.

et the wo

Mar

plicated co

urse i

t he's too close to you. A leader has to see the whole board. He looks at you and sees the g

hat was th

rk down slowly.

your

is a reason to distrust the man who stood between my mother and a bullet y

went ve

s fight, and I won't be passed across a table to end it. So w

le Love

nd

itimat

legit

s. The Kings Riders have power. We don't have a name. A Montague at my side tells every rid

ose

eal interest, the way a man studies a locked door. "I thought you

re smal

always sm

cket. "Thank you for the pie

hat a

I know what your father actually di

ce and was gone. He rose and offered

ands through

rossed, looking like a man pretending very hard

ve mi

ished

threat

window, where a leather jacket still sat unmoving.

tightened. "H

t you taken it all back? You have the men. You co

uld

tel

th a dragon on its door

omes, and a town that remembers who burned it." He shook his head. "Winning land is easy. Getting people to trust each other

d at him for

ike him," she

ho

aid my fathe

. Take

ove from the booth until Graham's

nto the seat across from him: Silas Crane, his second-in-com

el

ref

nd

half circle. He was smiling again, and this time the smile was real, which was someh

s a pr

The Montague name was worth a great deal yesterday. Now that

tated. "An

up. His voice was soft, almost pleasant. "She cannot keep her loyalty w