Remi unzipped his fly and pulled out his cock. It lay flaccid in the wedge of his open pants. A thin chain of jade stones sat bared across his pale, jutting hips. “Tell you what. You suck me off, on behalf of the No Peak clan, and we have a deal.” He locked eyes with Anden. “You want to do it anyway. And then I’ll do what your cousins ask. I’ll take your side in Resville.”
A prickly heat spread up Anden’s neck. Outside the curtained booth, the muffled bass from the dance floor downstairs throbbed. Anden could feel it through the soles of his shoes, reverberating all the way up his spine to his head. Slowly, he shifted closer, until he was next to Remi on the bench. The man licked his lips, watching Anden’s every move with anticipation.
Anden said, in a low voice that he did not entirely recognize as his own, “My cousin, the Pillar, told me to figure out what you want and to give it to you.” He brushed Remi’s hands aside and cupped the man’s balls. Remi’s cock began to stiffen. “It took me a bit of time to understand what that is.
“You want your own power. You want to live by your own rules, not as a tool of others, not according to the terms set by people who look down on you from both Kekon and Espenia. You’re only a Resville kespie thug, so you have no choice but to choose between the big Kekonese clans at your door—but you want do it with a member of the Kaul family sucking your dick.”
Anden’s grip tightened on Remi’s testicles. The man’s eyes widened and his jade aura swelled, its sharp edges grating across Anden’s Perception like steel filings.
“Forget everything I’ve said so far.” Anden had never been on the military side of the clan, but he’d been raised as a Kaul and been around Fists all his life. So he knew instinctively how to speak in the calm, decisive way that commanded attention, that suggested violence. In that moment, he thought of his cousin Lan and tried to speak exactly as the former Pillar would have. “Here is the real offer. You get nothing, except this: a promise that No Peak will stay out of Resville, so long as the Mountain is gone from the city as well. Whatever you take from our enemies, you keep for yourself. If you need money, people, jade, or anything else to accomplish that, we can help with those things. Otherwise, we’ll confine our activities to Port Massy and other parts of the country. As long as you maintain respect for Dauk’s authority and other Green Bones, Resville will be yours. You have my word, on behalf of the Kaul family of No Peak.
“If you decide instead to side with the Mountain, we will send our own people from Janloon and Port Massy and go to war over this town. We’ve done it before in Kekon and we can do it overseas, even if it costs us. One of the clans will prevail, or maybe the Crews will take advantage of the situation and drive us both out, but whoever wins, it won’t be you. You’ll be in the middle, just street muscle, even lower than the barukan.”
Anden pushed the man’s cock back into his pants and fastened the zipper with a yank. He stood up and looked down at Remi sprawled on the sofa. “My flight to Janloon leaves tomorrow evening. My cousins will be expecting to hear from me before then. If you want to be a hireling of the Mountain, there’s no need to do anything. If you want something else, call me before noon.”
Anden walked out of the booth. He half expected Remi’s two bodyguards to stop him, but they did not move to do so. He went down the staircase and out of the Blue Olive. Only when he was inside a taxi, out of range of the other man’s Perception, did his heart begin to race as adrenaline emptied into his veins, as if his body had held back any reaction until it was sure he was safe, so that in the important moment, not even a Green Bone could’ve sensed his fear and rage.
CHAPTER
17
Enemies
Juen Nu was summoned to a Seventhday brunch meeting at the Twice Lucky. It was not one of his preferred places to eat; he personally thought the restaurant was overrated, riding on its long reputation and a few admittedly excellent signature dishes. Newer, more interesting dining options existed in the city. But the Twice Lucky was a Kaul family favorite, and it was impossible to be the Horn of No Peak without essentially becoming an associate member of the Kaul family, so Juen had no choice but to eat there more than he would out of personal inclination.
At least, thank the gods, there was now air-conditioning throughout the old building, so the dining room was a welcome refuge from the oppressive summer heat. When he arrived, the Pillar and his wife, the Weather Man and her husband, and their cousin Anden were at their usual table near the back and already partway through their meal. Whenever the Kaul family ate at the Twice Lucky, the proprietor, Mr. Une, ensured the tables nearby remained empty, and a painted folding screen cordoned them from sight of the rest of the dining room, so they could talk freely.