Page 75 of Love & Power

It took everything in me not to burst out laughing, but the irritation that crackled off Armond told me that would be a terrible idea.

“Armond, I appreciate what you were trying to do and understand why you felt the need to correct your daughter. However, if you presume to know my feelings about a situation again, I will take it as an offense,” Dom threatened. “If I have an issue with how someone is speaking to me, I will address it.”

If there was ever a moment a person could replicate what a human boiling over with anger might look like, it was this.

“Then you should have no problem with me telling you that I have a big fucking issue with how you’re speaking to me right now?” Armond exploded, shoving to his feet and knocking his glass off the table, where it shattered on the floor. “No one tells me how I can speak to my daughter, much less a man who my daughter had to smuggle a sex-trafficked woman away from.”

Holy fuck, he did not just say that.

Dom’s face turned to stone. All the walls came crashing down, and there sat the man who was willing to do whatever it took to take over his grandfather’s place in the Family. This was the person I’d expected to meet, not the charming prince who stopped by for lunch.

“Armond, I’m going to give you five seconds to make the right choice and leave this room. If not, then I will, and all agreements come to an end. I’ll find my own way to get what I want that doesn’t include dealing with you,” Domenico stated, his tone cutting as he stared the older man down. “One… two… three…”

In a fit of rage, Armond kicked his chair over and let out something that was between a roar and a scream of frustration. Having gotten that out of his system, Armond charged out of the room, slamming the door to the conference room so hard the wood groaned under the assault.

“Anyone else feel the need to make a dramatic exit?” I asked, looking around at the men and women still left at the table. When no one made any move to leave, I took that as their agreement to play nice. “Great, glad to see we have some people who know how to work as a team.”

“I apologize for how that went down, but I know Von and how she is. What her father refuses to realize is the reason they butt heads so much is because Von is far too much like him,” Dom shared.

“What I want to know is if you were serious?” Ryker questioned. “If he didn’t back down, were you going to let this whole thing blow up in our faces?”

Dom turned to look at Ryker. “I don’t say things I don’t mean.”

“So you would have walked away from all of this?” Braxton pressed.

“Without a second thought,” Dom answered. “I’ve learned a long time ago the only way to win a standoff is to not be the one bluffing. If I threaten to do something, then that is exactly what I do… no one questions my intentions. Armond knew that which is why he walked away because he couldn’t risk fucking things up between you and me.”

Hearing him say that, I realized I felt very much the same way. If no one believed what I said or promised to do, good or bad, then what was the point of saying anything at all?

“Is this why you’re struggling to tell your mother there’s a change in plans?” I inquired. “Because from where I’m sitting, you never said that was your plan. She made it your plan.”

“True, and no one but my mother and I know of this ultimatum,” Dom agreed. “Doing things the way I originally planned might prove that I’m not my father to my mother, but it does nothing to further my standing with anyone else. I know who needs to be dealt with and removed from the Family to make the transition easier. However, with the plan you presented, I could handle that matter at the same time you take out everyone on your list.”

I smiled, knowing he was finally seeing things my way. “Well then, Domenico, when do I expect to hear the news about your grandfather’s passing?”

Cedro and Dom turned to look at Ivy who returned their gaze cocking her head slightly. “Yes?”

“Am I wrong in assuming you’d like to be the one to kill the man who originally bought you?” Dom questioned.

“No, but I suppose I was waiting to be asked instead of just assuming once more that I would be the one pulling this off,” Ivy countered. “Remember, you two are clients. I don’t do anything without a formal request, along with upfront payment. This is a high-risk job, after all.”

“Name the price, and you will have it in your account tonight,” Dom assured her without a second’s hesitation.

Ivy smirked, leaning back in her chair as she crossed her leg over the other. “Five hundred thousand is the price. If it shows up in my account tonight, then you’ll be grandfather-free within the next twenty-four hours. Work for you?”

“Deal,” both men answered simultaneously.

In a manner only Ivy could do, she gracefully stood, shook their hands, and turned her attention to me. “I hate to run before our meeting is over, but something important has come up that I must attend to. Any chance I could borrow a car? Mine might be a little too flashy for what I need.”

“Help yourself. Whatever is mine is at your disposal,” I answered. “Call me if you need anything else.”

“You’re a doll,” she said with a wink and blew a kiss before heading out of the room.

Once she’d left the room, I leaned forward, arms resting on the table. “Well, gentlemen, I believe we have some events of our own to plan for while I get things settled here so we can shift operations into the city. The birth of a new age is coming for the criminal world, and we have a week to make sure it goes off without a hitch. Now get to it.”

twenty-nine

It was Monday morning when the news Rocco De Santis had passed away in his sleep at the ripe old age of eighty-six. The funeral would be held at the Dosal Cathedral in two days, and I knew for sure I wasn’t going to be on the list of invited guests. That was fine with me since I had five days to get everything in order for the party Domenico would host on Saturday.