“I can accept that as long as you promise that she won’t end up like Maya .”

I jerked up and bent over the table, grasping him by the throat and shoving him back against the bench. His face turned red, but he held my gaze. “Careful, Christian. In this city, my word is law. The protection of your father, and even that is limited, ends at the borders of Baltimore.”

“I don’t need Jaxon’s protection or I wouldn’t be here, working under you,” he pressed out. “Ayla is my little sister. I’m going to try to protect her as well as I can.”

I tightened my fingers on his...