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He raised a brow, but did what I asked for once without complaining and handed me a glass full of bourbon before taking the seat in front of me.

“Let’s not be our fathers, Killian,” I started, and before he could say anything, I held up a hand. “Kenny’s not your father, I know, but you saw him as one all your life. And the sudden revelation isn’t going to change much, but you and I, we can change this.”

He scoffed before taking a large gulp of his drink and setting it on the table with a loud smack. “Didn’t realize you were great with pep talks.”

“This isn’t one. You don’t need to retaliate against me. I’m not coming for you or the Covent. Nor will I interfere with your business in the Lowers. You can continue doing what you do, and I won’t step in unless it affects innocents.”

He gave me a skeptical look. “Is this your idea of a joke, Cous…Stormhold? You expect me to believe a word out of your mouth?”

I sighed. “Believe me or don’t, but actions do speak louder than words. And as you can see, I haven’t interfered when you very well know I can,” I reminded him, but it came out more as a threat.

“That’s more like you. For a second, I feared someone had robbed your body.” He laughed. “Fine, let’s say I believe you’re leaving the Covent alone, not like I’m letting you take it away from me. What do you want in return?” His laugh stopped abruptly as he leaned forward with narrowed eyes. “I know you fucking Stormholds love to trade.”

“I want to know who the White Hand is,” I said, a hard edge in my tone.

“Wrong person.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “I’ve no clue who that motherfucker is. Hell, thought I was the fucking White Hand all this time. Guess we’ve all been played for fools.”

Just as I thought, Kenny and Heath kept him only as a decoy.

No wonder Kenny kept screaming in his death that I would never find him.

“That motherfucker tried to have me killed at the Rose Ellen to start a war with you. Do you really think he’s shown me his face?” Killian blew out an exasperated breath. “All this time, I thought my so-called father and uncle were protecting me, but all they fucking cared about was power and greed.”

“You must know something, Killian.”

“Look, all I know is what they told me. I was simply a fool who did my da… Kenny’s bidding.”

“What about the Serb deal? And the Surmans? Invictus?”

He contemplated for a second. “Heath told me it was all for something exciting if things don’t go as planned.”

“As in, if the White Hand doesn’t get the painting back or the codes?”

“Yes, that’s all I fucking know.” He jumped to his feet, throwing back the last of his drink, and started to walk away. Almost at the door, he stopped and turned back, something serious in his eyes. “He said it will happen when you least expect it, and I’m assuming it’s for your head, so I’d watch my back if I were you.”

I slowly nodded as he left, the door closing with a soft thud behind him.

I wondered if I just killed myself, then all of this would be over, but I knew the chase for power was like cutting the head of a hydra. If one were gone, then two more would come, turning the game into a vicious cycle.

After spending another hour tying up work, I finally returned to my loft. Only recently, it was the last place I wanted to be in because every inch of it reminded me of her.

I found myself on the floor where she liked to sit, staring out the window, holding a book she left behind like a lost fool. Even Buddy recently adopted a grim attitude. It wasn’t like he was cheerful, but ever since Bella was gone, he’d been twice as worse.

I didn’t know how late it was when my phone went off with an alert. My bones stiffened. Mikhail only used that tone for emergencies, and the last time he called was when Alessio died.

Something gripped my chest as I took the call. “What is it?” I could hear Mikhail exhale on the other end of the line, and my knuckles turned white around the phone.

“It’s Ms. Esteal, sir. The Surmans have invaded her home. They’ve already taken out our men.”

For the first time in a long time, I felt an unfamiliar emotion.

Fear.

The fear of a world without her. And fear of the kind of monster I would become in a world without my Bella.

CHAPTER 34

BELLE