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His eyes widen. “Evander, are you sure? He betrayed us—”
“Zale betrayed us. The kid followed orders. I spared his life, which means he owes me. From now on, he’ll pay his debt by making sure Camille is never alone when she leaves this house.”
I sense Lycus’s discomfort, but I have a feeling about the Alonzo kid. I’ve always been a good judge of character—it’s one of the traits that has served me well over the years. Now I’m relying on my gut instinct, even though I understand why Lycus might think this is a bad decision.
“You’re going to let her go somewhere?” he asks, cocking his head. “After this?”
“She’s not a fucking prisoner. She’s my wife.”
Lycus nods slowly, giving me a strangely appraising look, like he’s revising his opinion of me. “All right, boss. Whatever you say. Just doesn’t seem like it’s your style.”
“It’s not what I want.” I release him, turning away. “But I’m a married man now, and I need to learn how to compromise.”
I stalk off down a side hall, deeper into the house. My mind’s racing a thousand miles per minute. The scum Italians attacked my people, at my home, and they had to know this would ratchet things up.
The heat’s going to burn Chicago to the ground, but I won’t be the one taking the blame.
They tried to kill my wife.
Now, I will slaughter them all.
It takes me a little while to find her. I have to poke through every side room, every little nook and cranny, before I spot Cousin Sophia sitting in the gym recovering after a bike ride. She looks up, surprise and fear in her eyes as I stand in the doorway.
“Did you hear what happened?” I ask, doing my best to keep my voice level.
But she sounds terrified anyway. “Evander, yes, I heard. Everyone’s talking about it. Believe me—”
I take a step into the room. She flinches back like I’m holding a gun to her head.
Which I am, in some ways.
“Whatever game you’re playing behind the scenes, it stopsnow.” I hold up a hand before she can deny it. “Zale was a step too far. Now he’s dead, and more men will end up dead if you keep riling the captains up against me.”
Her eyes narrow as her face hardens. “That’s what you do, isn’t it? Evander Kazan, big scary crime lord. You solve all your problems with violence, but what’s that ever gotten you?”
“It got me the fucking throne.” I stride across the room. She scurries away from me like a rat. I want to kick her in the throat, kick her until her nose breaks, her teeth snap, her skull caves in. But I only stand there, staring down at her, barely managing to keep myself under control. “The games endnow.”
“Or else what?”
“Don’t think I’m above killing members of my own family. We both know I’m not. You’re a woman, Sophia, you and your mother both. So far that has kept you protected. I find it dishonorable and distasteful to hurt women. But I am not beyond it.”
“Of course you’re not. You’ll do to me what you did to my father and my brother, right?”
I lean forward and show my teeth. “Worse. They got the honor of a quick death. You will not. Back off, end the games, leave my wife alone. This is your one and only warning.” I turn and stride to the door.
“Everyone can see you for what you are, Evander,” she calls out. “You’re a brute. You’re nothing but violence. You’ll lead this family into a war it can’t win one day, and we’ll all end up dead.”
I stand in the doorway, gripping the frame.
“I’d rather be dead than a coward. You’ve been warned.”
Chapter42
Camille
Ophelia stares around at the entryway to the Kazan mansion like she can’t believe what she’s seeing.
“I know,” I say before she has a chance to speak. “It’s a lot.”
