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CHAPTERTWENTY
LUKE
Ilooked at Dylan, expecting him to turn around and see my annoyance, but he didn't. He stood motionless, watching Ethan walk up the stairs. He still had crumbs of a smile on his face when he looked at me.
Whatis this?My eyes questioned him, and I noticed his smile fade. It was comforting that my son realized he had done wrong, but I needed him to respond. This discussion could not take place in the mansion. Both of us could die if it reached the wrong ears.
"We should go home and let your cousin rest." I placed a firm hand on Dylan's shoulder and led him to the front door. "We'll come back in the morning."
The men at the door opened the door and moved aside as my son and I walked out of the mansion.I looked back, not for envy of the mansion's architectural beauty, but for what it represented. It was the don's residence.
Dylan remained silent as we walked to the car. He looked very different from the last time he'd been in Chicago. He was bigger and stronger, with broader shoulders and eyes that reminded me of myself when I was younger.
We climbed into the backseat of my Mercedes and drove away. I didn't waste any time in asking,
"Why is Ethan stillalive? That was not the agreement."
Dylan faced me squarely, as I had taught him to do. "If we're going to kill Ethan, why not have some fun while we're at it?" he asked, a smirk on his face.
I didn't mind his sadistic proclivity for murder. What concerned me was his loose adherence to our plans.
My mind was already trying to turn his actions to my advantage. Dylan became more candid when he realized I wasn't impressed by his words.
"I wanted to gain the men's trust. They would comply if we killed Ethan, but we need them not to resent us. One way to accomplish this is to play the hero," he said. "The men trustme. And I'm sure they'll all respect me tomorrow."
I nodded, acknowledging his motivation. It was reasonable, and I was proud of him for planning ahead of time. It was his ability to see the big picture that set him apart from Ethan, and it was something I was proud of.
"Well thought," I said, looking away as the massive gate loomed ahead of us. It was tall and pointed to the heavens. It was designed to make anyone who came across it look up and be intimidated.
"Father," Dylan said abruptly, and I looked at him.
"What are our next steps?"
It made me smilejust thinking about it. I had faith in my son's obedience. It was a dynamic I wished I could have shared with Ethan's brother Paul and with Ethan himself.
Ethan would have been ideal to lead thefamily,but he grewtoo independent and brash. It was only a matter of time before he killed everyone. That was something I couldn't allow, not while I was still breathing. "The Mullen attack was a distraction. They are a minor annoyance to our family because Ethan murdered Sean's brother, so other families would look the other way. They are not powerful enough to crush us.The Irish will finish the job," I told Dylan.He was as surprised as I had anticipated.
"The Irish?"
"They'll attack while we're distracted by the Mullens. In any case, the Mullens will be held responsible for Ethan's death, and the Irish will aid in the annihilation of all those who oppose us.No one willsee the Robinsons coming."
"How did you get the Irish to agree to this?" Dylan asked,impressed.
"Ethan is highly flammable. If we don't kill him soon, someone else will with his desire to cause trouble wherever he goes. Ethan kidnapped agirl affiliated with the Robinsons, a White. Disrespect tothem is disrespect for the Irish family. She is their leader's niece."
"Ethan can be quite irrational at times," Dylan observed, softly rubbing his chin.
"He can be."
"But you're not theemotional type. What's the business catchhere?" he inquired.
"They will dominate the Levine market. Ethan is popular among family friends, despite his messy relationship with our enemies. The majority of the city's wealthy clients are preparing to buy drugs, weapons, and other illegal necessities from Ethan. The Robinsons, our closest competitors, are the next big thing. They'll take over."
Dylan was content until we arrived home and sat on my balcony for a drink. I liked sitting there at night and watching the city come to life in front of me. I had grand plans for thefamily and the city, but I would never be accepted as a don because my paralyzed arm renderedme incompetent.
"The Irish have a lot of guns, but everyone is on high alert after tonight. It would be difficult to reach Ethan. I doubt he'd even leave the house," Dylan said.
"On one particular day, he must. It's family tradition. On the family's anniversary, all Levines go to the cemetery to pay their respects to all those who have given their lives for us," I said.I had been pursuing an alliance with the Robinsons before discovering someone working with the Irish as well.
