"You shattered both his legs. You call that a little discipline?" My voice cut through the hall. "Dennis, have you forgotten who took a bullet for you when your enemies had you cornered?"
Several of the senior syndicate bosses lowered their heads in shame.
Being called out in front of everyone was more than Dennis could stomach. His face twisted, and he snarled through clenched teeth.
"Margot! Don't push your luck! You're a convicted felon now—you can't touch a single piece of business in the East District!"
He jabbed a finger toward Nellie's belly, using it like a shield for his betrayal.
"Nellie comes from a clean background, and she's carrying my child. She's the only one who can sit in that chair and keep the brothers fed!"
"A clean background?"
I couldn't help it. I laughed—loud and sharp.
"She's an illegitimate daughter planted here by a rival syndicate, and you're standing there talking to me about clean backgrounds? Dennis, is your skull packed with nothing but shit?"
"Shut your mouth!"
Nellie shot to her feet, finger stabbing toward my face.
"You worthless convict! Dennis doesn't want you anymore—what are you doing crawling back here like you have no shame? Someone get her out of here!"
A handful of Dennis's new inner circle closed in immediately, weapons already in hand.
I didn't move. Didn't even lift my gaze.
Christian's men drew their guns in the same breath. Cold, black muzzles leveled directly at the skulls of every last one of those lackeys.
The air in the hall turned to ice.
Dennis pulled Nellie behind him, glaring at Christian.
"Christian Finley! This is the East District! You think you can pull this here?"
Christian adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses with deliberate slowness. A mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips.
"Mr. Henson, I'm simply accompanying my wife to collect what belongs to her. As for your little crew—they're not worth dirtying my hands over."
He turned to me, amusement glinting in his eyes.
"Margot. Get it done. Don't waste time."
I drew a deep breath, forcing down the pain churning in my abdomen, and pulled a battered flash drive from my pocket.
"Dennis, you really thought freezing the accounts and crippling Tyler would be enough to make me bow?"
I held the flash drive high, my voice dropping to something glacial.