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"Which side?”
"Our side. A foot soldier barely twenty-two. He just became a soldier three months ago." I know this is only the beginning.
"What happened?"
"Patrol last night. The kid was off duty. He was in a bar. An Irish said something, and he reacted. The details are still coming in, but apparently, it was three Irish against one Scot."
“Why the fuck was he alone at a bar? I ordered for no one to be alone. I gave specific instructions.” I run my fingers through my hair.
"We are trying, but we can't control everything." This is my issue with working with the Irish. I can’t control everything.
"Does he have family stateside?"
"His mom and a little brother."
"See to it that they are taken care of." He stares at me in silence. "What now?"
"Our father doesn't want funds used for anyone in the lower levels. All soldiers are on their own."
"Is he losing his fucking mind? We take care of our own." My anger is boiling. This is the shit I'm talking about.
"He isn't thinking clearly. His relationship with Cillian is growing. Cillian has somehow become his right hand.” I start walking to the door.
"Meet me in the office in fifteen minutes. Let me take a shower."
I don't know where to start. My anger is leaking all over. My father has always been a hard man, but to stoop this low is unprecedented. We have always taken care of our own regardless of their rank or time they have served in the clan. The minute a man joins the Manarch Clan, he becomes family. No man is more important than the other. We all bleed the same color, the Manarch Clan blood.
In the shower, under the showerhead, a million thoughts are trying to break through. This shit is getting out of hand. If we aren't careful, we will have our own civil war. Perhaps that is what Cillian is trying to accomplish. Destroy us from the inside out. But it's more than that. It's like war isn't enough for Cillian. He is looking to eliminate the Manarch name. I need Ava. She brings the clarity I desperately need right now. I need the strength she gives me.
"Viktor, you can't do that and not expect some kind of retaliation." Ava's mind is incredible. She is so smart.
"What do you know?" I tease.
"Standing up to your father means creating a greater divide."
"Yes," I say even though she isn't asking.
"Standing up to him means you are standing up to your entire family. What happens when people start choosing sides?" I give her a look to continue. "You will create a divide that will alter the dynamic of your family. Think about how nothing is going to get done because you are in the middle of chaos. You will be facing war. You won't be able to achieve peace. The resolution comes only after both parties find a compromise where both sides get something."
At that moment, I couldn't have been more proud or fall deeper in love with her. She was born to be my partner. It isn't just love that connects us. She isn't just a submissive or wife material. She brings a perspective that I lack. What is it that they say? Behind every great man is an even greater woman. Being with Ava showed me what I was missing. I've never claimed to be a perfect man, but with her, I am. She is everything. When I'm with her, I want to be a better man. It’s not just about the Manarch name. There is more to life than the clan. She taught me about love and how there is strength in it. With her, I can face anything and conquer the world. Seeing her drive off that night was harder than I could have ever imagined. I just need to tell her the truth, my truth. I am in love with her. I need her by my side.
I need to find her and make things right. But I also need to stop whatever Cillian is up to. The longer this continues, the more men are going to die. My father might not care about the clan, but I do. I will not let him or Cillian destroy the legacy of the Manarch name.
Chapter Ten
Viktor
I’m sitting in my office nursing a drink thinking about everything that has happened since the night Ava left. I am a grown man doing his father’s bidding. I am married to fucking Fiona because of my father. I wonder if things would have been different if I would have never met Fiona.
Looking back in time the signs were there about who Fiona truly is. She has always been self serving. Everything always had to be her way. She has cost me everything. Because of her Ava is not beside me. I drain my drink and stand to pour another one. There is a knock on the door.
“Come in,” I say.
“Hey,” Oliver says walking inside.
“It’s late. Why are you here?” I ask pouring the drink.
“I thought you might want to talk.”
