Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 88114 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88114 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 441(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“You wrecked Tara’s cottage. Maybe it wasn’t you personally, but you ordered it done either way. Don’t sit there and fucking pretend like you’re innocent. I think you did it just to show her that you have the power in this situation and that you can make her life miserable if you want to. You did it to scare her away from me.”
“Did I?” He steeples his fingers, grinning. “I hadn’t thought about it that way.”
Anger threatens my composure and I have to shove it away. Hugh wants me to lose my temper right now because that’ll only undermine my cause. He wants me to act like a rage-filled street thug—that way, he can convince all the captains that I’m not worth following because I can’t control myself.
He’ll trot the staff out like trained dogs and have them all tell the story of Kellen screaming in the office, breaking things, shattering glass, making a scene. Hugh will gleefully use that against me, even though it would feel good to pay him back ten times what he did to Tara.
The Hayle family is as much about control in the board room as it is about control on the streets. I’ve proven myself out there where violence and death rule—but in here? I have work to do. Shouting at him right now will only play into his plan.
“Tara is off limits,” I say, leaning forward to look into his beady little rat-like eyes. “I understand you want to use her for your own agenda, but I’m telling you to back away.”
“Interesting,” he says, tilting his head.
“I know what you’re thinking.” My fingers tense on the top of the desk, the knuckles turning white. “You’re wondering why I care so much. You’re thinking you can use her against me now because she’s my weakness. Maybe you think you can threaten her or maybe even hurt her. But I’m looking you in the eye and I’m telling you, if you fuck with her again, I’ll kill you. Do you know the easiest and fastest way to take control of a mafia family? All you need to do is murder the current chief, and you seem to forget that we live in the same house. I haven’t put a bullet between your eyes yet because I’d rather have the Hayle family intact and avoid a civil war, but I’m not above it. So leave her alone.”
Hugh digests my speech, smiling the whole time like I don’t fully intend to follow through with my threat if he crosses that line again. He knows my reputation and he knows what the men that work for me can do. Finn alone could sneak into this house and cut Hugh’s throat without waking anyone up. Hell, I’d just have to walk down the hall, kick in his door, and slaughter him myself. It wouldn’t be difficult—Hugh truly is soft.
I have more killers, men faster and deadlier than even Finn, men with fewer morals and men willing to do terrible things for the right price. I can burn this place to the ground.
I don’t want to. That’s the only thing stopping me from ripping Hugh to pieces, and I can’t tell if he’s figured that out yet, but he will soon.
“What is it about her, Kellen?” he asks quietly, studying me. “Is it just that she’s useful? Or does she remind you of the man you used to be before Cait died? Or something simpler, maybe. You just happen to like her and are protective of the people you care about. What is it, Kellen? Are you a ruthless monster willing to use her to get what you want? Or do you have a heart buried inside of that blackened ribcage of yours?”
“The answer doesn’t matter, only what happens if you decide to go against me. I won’t warn you again.”
“Threats won’t work everywhere, you have to know that. If you want to rule the Hayle family, you need to be smarter. You can’t be a petty thug your whole life, and besides, I have my own muscle. I’ll admit that you’ve earned quite a reputation for yourself, but I’m the chief of the Hayle family now, and that means I have more resources than you can imagine. I’d be careful who you threaten, Kellen.”
I turn and walk to the door. There’s no reason to stand here a second longer. I said what I wanted to say and he heard me, and if he decides to test my limits then I’ll show him exactly what my word means.
I step out into the hall, but before I shut the door, he calls out, “Nothing’s beyond my reach, Kellen, not even your pet gardener.”
I slam it and seethe.
That might’ve done more harm than good. Now he knows I care about her and caring is always a bad thing in this line of work. Caring means you have a weakness, and weakness can be exploited, only I’m not sure if Hugh is smart enough to find a way to do it without making me flip out and put a bullet in his guts.