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“Wait, wait, wait.” Dex’s fingers were pressed to his temples. “There’s an elite circle of assholes within the criminal world? Like all the organizations we know aren’t the only ones?” he asked, disbelief in his voice.

Ryan’s hair brushed my arm as she nodded, tempting me. All I could imagine was her locks splayed across my pillow. But her following words killed that line of thinking.

“Yeah. The top of the top runs everyone else. Our organizations bow to them, whether you realize it or not. They’re the overlords with billions. Their dirty fingers are wrapped up in different things, both legal and illegal. These assholes are still trading their daughters and nieces like chess pieces,” she seethed.

“Up here, you have the Circle. Elitist assholes—untouchable.” Ryan used her hands to represent the order of power. “Then you have this level. That’s the Four Families in New York and Los Muertos. But Sergio doesn’t rub shoulders with them…or he didn’t.”

I interrupted her lesson. “How is it that you know all this?”

“Yeah, I’ve been with the Skeletons for five years, and I’ve never heard this shit,” Dex threw in.

The corners of her plump lips pulled up into a smirk. “The Four Families run New York, Dex. You’ve got the Yakuza, the Bratva, the Irish Mob, and the Italian Mafia.” She ticked each one off on her fingers. The hair on my arms stood on end at the information being dropped. “Their organizations are so big that they caught the attention of the Circle. Same as Los Muertos. The Circle has demands that we play their games…or face the consequences. They’ve got lots of power. For example, Sergio has cargo planes that are given unrestricted airspace and a cleared-out runway to land right at billionaires’ estates. Blow makes the best party favors for the rich,” she commented.

Dex’s brows furrowed. “How did I not know any of this? Well, minus the Families. I know who those fuckers are.”

“Because the Skeletons are third on the power hierarchy. I only know about this because Mario has complained for years about Sergio not taking advantage of the opportunity…looks like he finally did.” Her tone was bitter and full of rage.

“You think the girls in those pictures were being sold to the Circle,” Dex stated, his fist balled up on the table, knuckles turning white.

“No.” Ryan shook her head. “I think Mario’s trying to become a big enough name in the skin trade that he gets noticed by the Circle. He wants to be invited to the table too. Only Sergio has had the offer extended to him.”

“But he’s not going to because he’s caught the attention of law enforcement,” I stated, nodding as all the pieces were coming together.

“Supposedly. That’s what Scar thought, at least. But I don’t know if those fuckers are doing anything,” Ryan seethed, throwing another shot back.

Dex met my eyes over the top of Ryan’s head. “Well, this is a bit of a shit show now,” he commented.

“Good news,” Ryan piped up, “is that when we kill Mario, we won’t be assassinated by the Circle since the asshole hasn’t been initiated,” she said in mock cheer.

I opened my mouth to answer when Lolli came striding up.

“What’s this bitch doing here again?” she called out, words slurring.

When we got back, the clubhouse had been relatively empty, but I knew it wouldn’t stay that way. Over the last hour, more and more brothers and bunnies had trickled in, but we were tucked away in a corner where we should have been left alone.

“Stick your tits out a little more, Lolli. Maybe someone will want to touch them.” Ryan drew her eyes up and down the intruder. “Probably not, though. Now run along and sexually harass someone else,” Ryan said, shooing her away with her hand.

A scoff left Lolli’s lips while a bark of laughter left Dex’s.

“Listen here, you trashy bitch. These two don’t want you around. They have to be around you because Pres is forcing them. But they won’t have to for long,” Lolli spewed out.

What the fuck was she going on about?

My hand traveled up Ryan’s back, landing on her neck, my thumb tracing along her skin. Lolli’s gaze darted to the movement, a flash of insecurity in her eyes.

Ryan’s eyebrow quirked up, her eyes lighting in mischief as her elbows hit the table and her chin came to rest on top of her hands. “Lolli, you think your Pres also asked Gunner to fuck me until I saw stars? Oh, you didn’t know that part, did you? I didn’t think so, based on the shade of red your face is turning. Well, let me tell you, it’s a pleasure to work on Gunner,” she said condescendingly.

I chuckled at her choice of words while my dick twitched.

“You fucking whore,” Lolli shouted, her eyes wild.

Her reaction put me on alert, but Ryan was unbothered.

“Well, that’s a bit ironic, isn’t it? A little like the whole pot calling the kettle thing,” Ryan mocked, utterly unfazed by the tantrum Lolli was throwing.

“Are you fucking both of them?” she shrieked.

“No,” Ryan and I answered simultaneously.