AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Don’t worry, Chase. You’re in good hands,” I told him. “Step away from my soldier, fuckhead.”
Andres did as he was asked, tossing the pillow halfway across the room. But when he spun around, in his hand wasn’t a gun but a grenade.
Just like the one that had been tossed into the warehouse.
He was ready to pull the pin, the grin on his face pissing me off more than almost anything else.
“Why?” I asked, studying his expression as if I’d gather any answers.
“Why else? Money. Power. Does it really matter?”
“Nope. It doesn’t.”
“The best thing for you to do, Sabatino, is to walk out of here. Then maybe you can return to that whore you claimed.”
Okay. I’d been called many things in my life, had endured levels of torturous pain that would destroy almost any man, no matter how strong they believed themselves to be. However, no one, and I truly meant that, no one was allowed to disparage the woman I loved.
I cocked my head, studying him intently. There was no time for twenty questions, no desire to play that game any longer.
So I did what any decent man would do to protect the honor of the woman that meant the moon and stars to him.
I fired a single shot, catching Andres between the eyes.
Perhaps it wasn’t the most satisfying kill, but I’d have that with Rico.
And I intended on doing just that, taking my time to remind him as often as I desired that a decent man never harmed a lady.
For any reason.
The Brotherhood.
Men of power.
Men of wealth.
Men who’d formed an alliance based on brutality and violence, turning it into something that almost resembled a decent organization.
I’d no more wanted to be a part of the organization than spending time in a dentist’s chair, which happened to be the single limitation of agony I could tolerate.
However, it seemed everything in my life had changed in the last three weeks. Everything.
Not only had I learned the benefit of being able to count of those who truly understood every aspect of the business I was in, but to know the Brotherhood had my back when I wasn’t even a member meant something.
Of course, the kindness and generosity of the woman I cared for more than I’d ever believed possible certainly had something to do with the change of heart.
As I exited my vehicle, staring at the building owned by Constantine Thorn in the heart of my city, I grinned. The old me would have demanded the man leave town for fear of facing my retaliation. Maybe my father had been right in his declaration that the Brotherhood was the way of the future.
He’d even mentioned the possibility of a corporate conglomeration between all parties, which had seemed even more ridiculous than joining the alliance. Now I was beginning to wonder if everything he’d told me over the years wasn’t in the best interest of those in my family, my employ, and my life.
I was a changed man and I had Georgia Ingalls to thank for it.
The last ten days had been an interesting blur of activity, ensuring Andres’ poison hadn’t infected the other ranks tops on my list of activities. He’d acted alone thankfully. While I’d likely never learn the truth about why, it truly didn’t matter at all. That was yet another change in my world.
Chase had been spared, on his way to recovery, his mother in full remission. Sometimes bad things happened for a good reason. What I did need to learn was the reason Rico had ordered my wife and child to be killed. That would haunt me until the day I died.
However, I’d come to terms with the fact I might never learn all the reasons why a madman did the unthinkable.
As I walked into the warehouse, I was surprised how much had already been done to the interior. It would seem Constantine had plans on bringing additional money into the renovation process in Baltimore. The building also served as a prison for Rico. The thought of the bastard being in chains, secured in a dark room kept the adrenaline flowing through my veins.
