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She chuckles behind me, barely able to keep up with my pace but not complaining. I guess she’s choosing her battles. Although, I’d have thought by now that she would have realised she’s not about to win any. “Because that’s what you would have done,” she scoffs.
“Fine,” I concede. “I’ll take you home.”
“Fuck no. That’s worse.”
I grind my back teeth as we finally make it to the car park.
“Rhea,” I growl. “I’m not taking you with me.”
“Did you hear me ask? I don’t want to get involved with your little games. Leave me at your building, I’ll go hang out with Daemon as I doubt he’ll be allowed out to play.”
The need to demand she tells me where she gets all her information from burns through me. But I push it aside. Her snooping is the least of my worries right now.
“Fine,” I sigh, not even bothering to point out just how unimpressed Daemon will be by this. After all, she’s right. He’s not going to be heading to this meeting in person. He’s more likely to be on video link, and I’m sure he’s capable of hiding that from her, if there’s even any point. It seems she already knows everything. “But move fucking faster,” I bark, picking up my pace even more as my car comes into view.
“Dad really spared no expense with this, huh?” she mutters when she drops into my passenger seat.
She’s right. Of course. Damien replaced my written-off car with the newest model out, and it seems he’s added every extra on offer.
I’m grateful. I am. But it also sends a huge wave of guilt washing through me every time I think about what I did that night.
“I deserve it,” I state confidently, voicing the complete opposite of my thoughts.
“That’s up for debate,” Rhea scoffs.
“I’m sorry, did you want a ride or what?”
“Like you’d leave me here. I’m assuming you noticed we skipped out on my security detail.”
My grip tightens on the wheel as my eyes lock on a blacked-out Range Rover behind us.
She might think she swerved her protection, but she’s underestimating Damien’s need to keep her safe.
“Don’t fucking tempt me.”
The engine roars before us and I floor it out of the space, catching the Range Rover pulling out behind us before I turn the corner, heading for our building.
I don’t bother getting out to deliver my cousin to what I assume will be a pissed-off Daemon. As amusing as that meeting will be, I don’t have time for it. Instead, I barely wait for her to disappear through the door in the underground garage that leads to the lifts before I take off again.
Nothing will happen to her; she’s got eyes on her from all directions. She doesn’t need me as well.
My heart is in my throat by the time I’m ascending through the Empire in the lift.
The need for retaliation burns through me, making my mouth water and my fingers ache to cause some pain. Ricardo Mariano has no idea what’s heading his way. But he needs to be aware of one thing. It will be me who puts him in the ground. And it will be us who wins this motherfucking war.
I’m a fucking mess by the time I finally spill out of the lift. Thoughts of Dad and that night still have the power to consume me, to bring down a cloak of darkness like I’ve never experienced before. And being on the cusp of shedding some Italian blood only makes my need for vengeance stronger.
I barely notice the men who are working security as I march toward Damien’s office, but the second I push the door open, inviting myself in, I sure as shit see the faces staring back at me.
Damien, Galen, Stefanos, and my boys—all bar Daemon—study me with understanding and the same need for revenge burning in their eyes.
No one speaks until the door falls closed behind me with a loud click.
“We’ve got this, bro,” Theo finally says, breaking the silence.
“Come and take a seat, son,” Damien says, gesturing to the empty chair beside his son, right in front of him.
It’s only as I move toward it that I realise Alex, Seb and Toby are standing.
