Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 73250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73250 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Once upon a time, there was a king, but now the unclaimed throne sat empty.
When I asked why, Tor simply explained that once a year each seat gets a vote and, like those who want power, they each vote for themselves. Nobody wanted one to have power over the many, especially not if that person was Roam.
My husband relayed rumors about the men sitting at the head of the table. That people said they were crazy. That they’d all met in an institution. And when I chuckled at the notion, I quickly sobered because Tor wasn’t laughing with me.
Now, as I glanced at them all together, I wasn’t laughing anymore either.
“New business,” was all my husband responded with to the man they called The Demon King.
Roam considered that and when he leant back in his chair, it creaked. He was a large man. The tallest I’d ever seen. “Fine.” He appeared unimpressed when he checked his wristwatch. “This bullshit costs me half my day and a single minute of my time is worth more than all of you combined. So, get a fucking move on.”
I couldn’t stop looking at him. It was dumb and dangerous, but I simply couldn’t. There was something about him that was magnetic and although new business was being discussed, I couldn’t hear much of it. Even less when Roam seemed to feel my eyes on him and met them with a probing gaze of his own. I felt my neck heat and when his slow smile revealed sharply pointed canines, my gut clenched and a shiver stole down my spine.
The man definitely looked like his bite was worse than his bark.
I swallowed hard and glanced away and as each seat went around the table airing their grievances with one another’s men or the overstepping of turf, it wasn’t long before Roam called on us. “Tor, your new business had better not run long.”
“It won’t,” he assured the man, and what Tor said next was for my ears only. “Just as we practiced. You can do this. Cool, calm, collected.”
When I stood and cleared my throat, there were equal looks of surprise and confusion as I addressed the table. “A lot of you knew my father. I know some of you had close, personal relationships with him and I think for the most part, he was a good man. The seat he fell into,” I motioned to where my sister now sat, “fit him perfectly. He was loyal and happy, and he never demanded more than his share of things.” Vincenza glared at me then, knowing it was a stab and it most definitely met its mark. “There has been a great amount of unpleasantness surrounding the Vero name and with good cause. Some would say the change in management has been,” I hesitated to say it out loud, “a let down.” Vincenza’s jaw steeled, but I went on. “My sister doesn’t always go with the grain, but to be fair to her, I don’t think anyone could properly fill the shoes my father left behind. I know the mockery that is being made of our name and I have a request if council would so grant it.”
I took a moment.
Oh, Lord. This is not going to go down well.
They listened intently. I stood tall, straightened my spine and said it. “That seat is as much mine as it is hers and,” I glanced at my sister and hoped she could see the apology looming in my eye, “I wish to claim it.”
“Excuse the fuck out of me?” was Vincenza’s furious response as she shot up out of her seat.
“Sit the fuck down,” uttered Roam with little to no heat at all, and it took her a second but my sister acquiesced, and if that didn’t speak of the power he held at this table, nothing did.
Light chatter began as Roam drummed his nails on the edge of the table. He pondered a moment and when he spoke, the chatter stopped and he was heard. “I will have you know the reinstatement of the Vero seat is not something I support of and I, for one, did not give an aye.” Uh oh. Not a good start. “But you have me curious. Vincenza is the eldest and entitled to the seat. Why should we grant it to you over her?”
Take a breath. Keep calm. Speak slowly and clearly.
I lifted my chin and did my best to hide my emotions when I stated steadily, “I was sold for that seat. Without me as payment, it never would have been brought to council nor reinstated. I don’t think it’s an unreasonable request to wish to claim what I paid for.”
Murmurs of agreement sounded and Enza glanced around, looking a little shook. “Vicky, no,” Vincenza uttered. “You can’t do this.”