Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 96742 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96742 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 484(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
“You didn’t have to do that,” Mother says and smiles sadly. “They didn’t deserve it.”
“No, they didn’t,” I say loudly enough for everyone to agree. “But I’ve killed enough members of this family. And besides, they’ll live out their days in the middle of nowhere. They’ll never be a threat to us again. That house is deep in the forest, far from civilization.”
“They could come back,” Mother says, shaking her head sadly. “They hate you enough to try it.”
“I’ll make sure they don’t. And if they try, I’ll kill them myself, but I don’t think it’s going to happen.”
Mother hugs me tightly. “I hope not, Evander. I really hope not.”
I release her and turn to my captains. I meet their gazes, one by one. “Don’t mistake what just happened for weakness.”
“We wouldn’t dare, Lord,” Stavros says firmly. His eyes are narrowed and he nods to me with approval.
“There has been enough bloodshed in this family. Enough good Greek men and women killed in the war with the Italians. Sophia and Anissa have been lost for a long time, and now they’ve been sent away where they will be dealt with. What I did was not mercy. Death would be a kindness. They will suffer and wither away. Spread the word to the rest of the family. Tell them the Kazan family still believes in justice.”
“Yes, Lord,” my captains chorus and exit the office, one by one. My mother follows the procession out, looking lost and small.
I slump back against the desk, exhaustion falling over me like a chain around my throat.
“Are you sure you made the right voice?” Camille asks as she puts a hand on my chest and leans her head on my shoulder.
I put an arm around her waist. “I’m sure. Living out in isolation will be hell for them. I’d be shocked if they last a year.”
“Would you have done it if I weren’t still alive?”
I shake my head. “No. They’d be dead.”
“I’m glad then. I don’t think you could live with yourself if you had to kill more people in your family.”
She holds me tightly and I don’t reply.
A deep, horrible blackness sits in my stomach.
She’s very wrong about me.
I didn’t spare them because I can’t handle killing them.
I spared them because they still hold sway on some of the captains, and I can’t afford pissing anyone off at this point in the war.
But once the Italians are completely finished?
I’ll know where Sophia and Anissa are.
And they will get exactly what they deserve.
Chapter 56
Evander
I sit alone in the steam room, no towel around my waist, my arms on the bench behind me, my head leaning back against the wall. My eyes are closed, and the heavy, damp air sits on my skin, pulling sweat from my pores.
I’m exhausted. I’m more tired than I’ve been in a long, long time. The steam room helps relax me after an extremely trying day, but even this isn’t bringing me back.
It’s like everything in my life is conspiring to break me, and if I don’t find some hidden reserves of energy, I fear it’ll work.
But I’m so close. Bosco is dead along with his underboss, and word is the Pavone Famiglia quickly fell into chaos and infighting, just like I wanted. They’re squabbling with each other over who will take command of the remains of their fractured organization, and I’m hoping that by the time a strong leader takes control, they’ll be so diminished that I can either destroy them outright or demand absurd concessions in exchange for peace.
Killing them with the Yakuzas’ help will have consequences, however.
The other crime families will be less likely to trust me from now on. The Yakuza proved to be good, dependable allies, but I can’t ever be sure that they won’t turn on me when it’s convenient for them.
I’ve isolated my family even more. It’ll take years to undo all the damage that has been done.
Still, my plan worked, and I can let myself enjoy it for once.
The door to the steam room cracks open. I raise my eyebrows in surprise. I told the staff to make sure nobody bothered me in here—I need time to myself to process what happened with Sophia and Anissa.
Camille steps inside.
She’s wearing only a white towel around her middle. It barely covers her tits and her bottom. Her hair’s up, held in place by a single large clip, and she looks at me nervously, her eyes flitting from my lips to my chest to my bare cock. I feel myself stiffening at the sight of her, body held in check, but there’s not much I can do about it.
“I heard you were in here,” she says quietly. “If you want to be alone—”
“No,” I say, my voice thick with desire. “It’s okay. Come here.”
She hesitates, staring at my stiff cock, but comes over. She sits nervously, shifting slightly, and I reach out to touch the bruise on her face.