Wyatt had always assumed Sykes wanted to have his way with her, but from what he’d seen, there was nothing between them. She worked as many shifts as she could, lived in a crummy apartment a few streets away, and kept herself to herself.

That feeling of doubt was back.

Jonathan Cooper, which Wyatt doubted was his real name, was a monkey wrench. He clearly was trained; the video was all the evidence he and Sykes needed to agree he was a dangerous man. The clinical efficiency with which he took apart his men was as impressive as it was worrying.

How did Alex know him?

Two weeks ago, he had no idea who Alex Stone was. Now, with the pressure of an impending war with Vasquez and a DEA team sniffing around, the mysterious Cooper shows up looking for her?

Wyatt didn’t sit on his throne by accident.

Nothing was left to chance.

As Alex offered him an awkward smile, Wyatt lifted his empty bottle of beer and wiggled it slightly, indicating he wanted another. The Pit didn’t offer table service, but Wyatt was a different story. Quickly and obediently, Alex shuffled over with a fresh bottle of beer. Wyatt gratefully took it and took a swig.

‘Thank you, Alex.’

‘No worries, boss.’ Alex offered her best smile and turned to leave.

‘Hold on a second,’ Wyatt said calmly, with just enough menace to assert his authority. ‘You know I need to ask you a few questions, right?’

Alex nodded, shuffling awkwardly on her feet. A few interested patrons turned, excited to see the fallout of Cooper’s visit. Wyatt’s venomous glare soon sent them scurrying away. He took another sip of beer and then regarded Alex with a smile.

‘Who is Jonathan Cooper?’

‘Who?’

‘So that’s not his real name, then?’

A penny dropped in Alex’s mind and she silently scolded herself.

‘Oh, Johnny.’ She tried to correct herself. ‘He’s just an old friend.’

‘You have many ex-military British friends growing up in the Bronx?’

‘Ex-military?’

Before Wyatt said a word, he spun the laptop to face Alex and clicked play. She instantly recognised the High Five, Mason, Donnie, and Jay. She watched as Sam systematically took them apart in a matter of seconds. She’d seen him do it before, months ago, when they’d both been blackmailed by Trevor Sims to join the now defunct Blackridge. She’d read about their dissolution after the death of General Ervin Wallace.

Alex was sure Sam had been responsible for it.

This confirmed it.

He’d won his fight and was back to keep his word.

With all her might, she stifled the smile that threatened to creep across her striking face, and she turned to Wyatt, whose face bore little emotion.