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I wasn’t afraid of killing someone, to be clear. I’d done it many times in the past when it had been necessary, but that wasn’t the case right now.
With a heavy sigh, I pulled my gun free, and he gritted his teeth, sneering at me with hatred. I placed it down on the table and took a step back. Immediately, he looked confused and uncertain.
“I understand that I didn’t come to the head of this family in the traditional way that you are all accustomed to,” I began.
No one said a word. Even Ronaldo was wise enough to keep his mouth shut.
“I’m going to give you a single chance to take the position, Ronaldo. If you can beat me in a fight, then you can have it.”
The room was silent. Ronaldo was something of a brawler. He’d used his fists to work his way through life and he hadn’t left that behind when he’d been granted the title of underboss. I’d been serving as Mike’s consigliere back then, but Ronaldo had always had a reputation as a fearlessly strong street fighter.
“After dinner, you and I will meet in the gymnasium,” I continued.
“You got it, boss,” Ronaldo replied. He had a cocky grin on his face. His body radiated with overconfidence.
Mila glanced up at me nervously. Her eyes narrowed and I squeezed her shoulder, wanting to alleviate her concern.
“Is there anyone else that has anything to say?” I asked loudly, letting my obvious displeasure be known to all. Many averted their eyes or shook their head, not wanting to get in hot water themselves.
“Good,” I huffed, and I took a seat beside Mila.
Several butlers strode into the room pushing rolling carts full of covered platters. They served me first, then Mila, followed by the rest of the table. In a flourish, they uncovered them all at once, revealing incredibly delicious-looking plates of food.
A thick juicy filet was the star of the show, but the oven roasted vegetables were just beautiful. Every plate was a kaleidoscope of colors. There was a scoop of fresh whipped butter on top of the steak that was already beginning to melt.
I cut a piece with my knife and fork and the meat parted with virtually zero effort on my part. I took a bite and looked out at the table, chewing thoughtfully.
There was still obvious tension in the room, but it had dissipated at least somewhat. I had to rid them of it the rest of the way.
“I’d like an update on the Reznikovs. Have we been able to identify what they’re moving through the factories?”
Matthew cleared his throat. I lifted my gaze toward him. He was one of my capos. He was also as loyal and trustworthy as they came. I nodded once in his direction, and he began to explain what he and his men had uncovered.
“It’s been difficult to ascertain exactly what they’ve been moving in and out of the warehouses. Usually, it’s sealed up tight in wooden crates, wheeled in and out under the cover of nightfall, but one bloke opened one of them while I was watching them on the security cams I hid in a nearby building. It appeared to be full of bullets and assault rifles, automatics by the looks of them.”
“How much are they moving?” I asked.
“A lot, boss.”
“I want the footage available for me to look over tonight. Anything and everything that you flagged, Matt,” I directed.
“I’ll send it right away,” he replied, dipping his head in respect.
“Thank you. I’d appreciate that.”
The rest of dinner went smoothly. Ronaldo was preening in his seat as he ate his meal. He probably thought he had my position in the bag, but he didn’t know me as well as he thought he did.
I was familiar with Ronaldo’s fighting style. He usually threw himself into combat without really reading his opponent and in this case, it was going to be me. Growing up, I’d been a successful boxer and when I’d gotten older, I had competed in several competitions and came out the winner. I didn’t speak about it to anyone, but I had a flawless record.
Even though I was growing older now, I’d kept up with it. I was strong and I’d taken several lessons with highly respected coaches during the years since I was active in the circuit. They had taught me a few different fighting techniques, including karate, taekwondo, and Krav Maga. I’d never really broadcasted my involvement to the rest of the men, so I was doubtful that any of them were even aware of it, Ronaldo especially. He tended to be a bit self-absorbed and definitely liked being the center of attention.
I understood why Cyrus had put me at the head of the family over him. Ronaldo tended to make aggressive choices and he didn’t always think about the repercussions of his actions until they came back and smacked him in the face.
Mila slid her hand onto my thigh, and I grasped her fingers in mine. Her eyes were wide and a bit scared.
“Don’t worry, Mila. Have faith in me,” I said under my breath.
“I don’t want you to fight,” she whispered hoarsely.
