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“Too much of her mother’s blood running in her system,” my father agrees. “But I’m in the process of brokering a wedding for her. It would be bad if her skin was marred.”
“Who then?” Atlas asks, and the glee in his voice at the thought of torturing someone else turns my stomach. These two need to be killed just as much as my father. I should have done it, but I haven’t found my way around the fact that they’re my brothers. It’s a weakness that has cost me. Today’s not even the first time it cost me—it’s just the biggest apparently.
“Did Zervas say what kind of deal Marco was making with his father?” Aden asks.
I file away that information, not that it will do me any good. I’ll be dead soon. I know how my father works. He’s not going to keep anyone alive who has been plotting to kill him. Not even me, or rather, especially me.
“Only that he told his father he had deals lined up that will triple our wealth and would cut Toban in, if he provided extra firepower. Marco must learn everything must be cleared through me. He cannot play me!”
I would laugh if I could. Obviously Zervas has been listening into my conversations with his father. Too bad Zervas is the biggest fuckup around and doesn’t know what we were discussing. He has my father believing that we were talking about just another business deal. Toban is right. His son, Zervas, is a waste of air on most days. Toban has already sent him to America to handle minor property there. It was mostly to get rid of him, but I’m sure Zervas hasn’t cottoned onto that yet. Still, his screw up here, will help me. Father thinks I was just making business deals, not plotting his murder. He will view that as me working and putting my name first in the Stratakis business. That’s a betrayal, but one he will allow me to survive. The same could not be said if he discovered my true intentions.
Right now, I’m not sure if it is relief or disappointment I feel. Death is preferable to breathing the same filthy air as him.
“Why would we need firepower? We have an army at our fingers. The Stratakis name is the most feared in all of Greece.”
“Because I have plans to move outside of Greece. Our country is precious, and we rule it, but it is small. There are larger fish to fry. Mark my words, boys. You can’t be the best if you’re not always reaching for more. Don’t get satisfied with what you have. It’s the biggest form of weakness there is.”
“Yes, Father,” they say in unison.
I close my eyes and wait. As my mind quiets, I find I’m praying for death. I should have known my father wouldn’t even give me that favor.
“Bring Elias. Marco has been getting closer to him. He needs to learn this lesson as well so that he doesn’t get any bright ideas.”
I hear them all shuffle out and the cell door close. Elias can’t handle much more. He’s been close to the edge since my father’s last beating of him. There are days I worry he will become like the twins and make no mistake, Aden and Atlas are the worst evil possible. My father has reasons behind everything he does. The reasons stem from a madness that’s like a cancer in his brain, but the twins don’t need a reason. They just like causing pain. They live for it. It is also their drug of choice.
I close my eyes. There’s nothing I can do right now to help Elias. I’m just as helpless as he is. I’ll beg father to take his anger out on me. I’ll find some way to protect my brother as much as I can. Once I’m sure that’s done, I’ll go back to praying for death…
Chapter 9
Marco
“You’re insane, Marco. Jesus. You can’t even sit up. What in the hell are you doing?”
I look over at Gio and frown. “What does it look like I’m doing?”
“It looks like you’re attempting to get dressed,” he huffs. “I know this can’t be true, though. It’d be insane for you to get dressed considering your entire backside is nothing but raw flesh!”
I ignore him. He’s right of course. I managed to pull up enough energy to draw their twisted fun away from Elias and back to me. It worked. Elias was in rough shape, but Father and the twins had most of their fun with me, using their whips, belts, and knives. I only passed out twice, and I knew from experience that it could have been much worse.
“I’m fine. I need to do this. Tomorrow is Helena’s birthday. I was supposed to take her away for the weekend and we were announcing our engagement. The least I can do is send her flowers, a present and a small note.”
