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But maybe that’s the problem…
I’ve never been able to choose before. I always tried to do both. I tried to be Mr. Black, while also protecting those I love. That’s why I always failed.
I won’t fail this time because I’ll give one of them up—the empire.
But I can’t let them be ruled by Felix. For one, we would never be safe. He’d chase us to the ends of the earth.
A plan forms in my head as I hold the two most precious people in the world. Kai rests her head on my chest, and I rest my hand over her tiny stomach. I want to take her to get an ultrasound as soon as possible. I want to see my child. But I’ll wait until it’s safe. Just like I’ll wait to have our first conversation about our baby until it’s safe.
I hated the conversation with Liesel. It was filled with worry, pain, and sadness. I don’t want that for our child. Only happiness and love will surround any conversation about our child.
So I continue to form a plan.
Kill Felix, that is at the top of the list.
Win the game.
Then change the rules, giving someone like Langton or Odette control. Maybe even have another, less gruesome, competition, so the men will believe the person who takes over is worthy.
Only then will Kai, our baby, and I run away. We will disappear. We will be safe. We will live in the woods or on a farm, somewhere where no one will find us. But it won’t matter, because all we will need is each other.
24
KAI
I KNOW the moment everything changes.
Our tiny moment of happiness—gone.
Enzo and Langston have spent the last few hours finding every man and woman on our side and getting them to this house. Our quiet sanctuary is now filled with men with guns.
“I still don’t understand. Why are so many following Felix? He tried to attack them. He tried to kill them. Can’t they see he’s evil?” Liesel asks.
“Because they are scared. They see love as a weakness. And some of them prefer a leader like Felix. He told them all he’s Enzo’s brother. So he’s a Rinaldi. They’ve seen how strong he is in a fight. And they think he will return the organization to the old ways—raping women, selling people, building dangerous weapons to sell to even more dangerous criminals, murdering innocent people,” Clifton says.
“Well, they are deranged if they think Felix is a better leader than Enzo or Kai,” Liesel says.
Clifton smiles at her. “That’s why so many of us are here.” He winks at her, giving her his dirtiest smile.
And Langston tenses from across the room. I walk over to him. “Are you ever going to do anything about your feelings?”
“I don’t have any feelings,” he answers.
I raise an eyebrow.
“I don’t.”
I shake my head but quickly forget about Langston and Liesel’s unrequited love. Because
I suddenly feel like I’m being covered by a cloud of doom.
Langston notices my reaction. “Kai, what’s happening?”
He assumes something is wrong with the baby. But it’s not.
“I think—” I start.
Enzo is by my side immediately. “Felix is here.”
