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“It was you.” He narrowed his gaze, cocking his head slightly.
“Me what?”
“Who she whored herself to before she married me?”
Without blinking an eye, I responded with, “The Angel never whored herself to anyone.”
I spoke the truth. What Xander and I shared with her would never be something dirty as this bastard wanted to make it. Unconventional, yes. Dirty, no.
“So she lied when she said she’d given herself to others?”
“I wasn’t there to know what she said to you. And it looks as if you’ve chosen to believe what you want. We, the original Angelos soldiers, know she has never been nor will be the whore you labeled her.”
“Did you forget that all of you pledged your loyalty to me?”
“No, we pledged our loyalty to the Angelos family. Not you, specifically.”
“And you think that one of you will replace me by getting rid of me?”
“None of us want your seat. As I stated, treat her right, and we won’t have a problem.” I stepped back, aligning myself with Xander, who still hadn’t gotten himself under control enough to keep from lunging at Andraius if he dared to go after Nerine.
“Stay in your room with your expectant paramour or leave, but do not go anywhere near Nerine.”
“And the event at the botanical gardens in a few days. The Drakoses expect us there since she spent the summer working on it with Nyx.”
“You’ll meet Nerine there per the itinerary sent to you earlier in the week.”
“Not everyone in the family is as loyal to her as you believe. Remember, I came into power with assistance.” A calculating smile touched his lips.
“True. But that loyalty only lasts as long as you keep all the betrayers happy. You haven’t delivered on any of the promises you made them.”
“The Drakos deal will accomplish this.”
“Which happened because of Nerine.”
“No, I orchestrated it.”
“Are you so sure? I suggest researching the histories between the Drakos and Angelos families.” Xander shook his head.
Instead of waiting for Andraius to say anything, I decided to enlighten him. “Theios Peter helped Drakos ascend to power when his uncles tried to keep him from taking his seat after his grandfather’s death.”
“And,” Xander added, “right before you murdered him, Theios Peter sent soldiers to assist Drakos in a territory war with one of Drakos’s cousins. Drakos viewed Theios Peter as a mentor, and you took that from him.”
Concern flashed on Andraius’s face. “You knew this and said nothing?”
“I’m loyal to the Angelos Family. This deal is best for them. Drakos knows the organization is poised for a hostile takeover and wants to honor Theios Peter by preventing such an action from happening.”
Taking hold of my shirt, Andraius jerked me in his direction. I let him, wanting to see what he’d do. The idiot knew that with a single punch, I’d knock him out cold.
“All of these months, you allowed Drakos to play me. I bent over backward to please him.” He glowered into my face, the fury almost comical.
Grasping his wrists, I twisted his hands and released his hold.
“Bullshit. You ignored every piece of advice I gave you. Do you remember when Xander and I told you to keep everything on US soil?” I shoved him back and then straightened my shirt. “You made all the decisions, and we all went for the ride. Or did you forget the number of times you informed us that we worked for you and not the other way round?”
“You betrayed me.”
It took all my strength not to clock him for his hypocrisy. “I have always remained loyal to the Angelos Family. I have never done anything to tarnish its legacy or its standing for the future. Can you say the same?”
