AllFreeNovel
Share Us
eighty-six
Draven
One week later...
"So we're in compliance with what must be done?" Augustus asked, sitting firmly at the head of his table within his own compound. In a neck brace, he suffered severe whiplash that hurt more than he'd ever let us know.
Carlo cleared his throat, indicating he had something to share with those of us still here. "We're talking about playing the same level of dirty they've been doing to all of us."
"If you have another option, I'm all ears," I said, provoking him to understand we'd been over every avenue already. Nothing remained outside of stooping to their level. "If I have to place a few pawns on their board to manipulate them off ours to save those I love, I will. My most trusted men who are left have already volunteered. After what my father did, they're more than happy to deliver the same treachery."
"I'm with Draven on this one," Augustus grunted. "There's more within my own ranks that have flagged. Someone knew I'd be taking Millie in a separate car when I arrived to get them out. That someone needs to be dealt with. By placing our moles into their inner workings, we might be able to figure out who a little faster than trying to divulge false information to catch them."
"It's getting trickier to do," Tony agreed. "But we all need to understand the risk involved, the families who might not have a returning loved one."
Turning his head, it fixed on the volunteers we'd called in. Our brave few who would be doing the unthinkable. I joined my lover with his idea in hopes of uniting our families even deeper. They didn't know one another other than their new mate came from a different security detail under each head of the families who remained. "You will need to understand this might be a one-way ticket. We will always try our hardest to get you out, but it might not happen."
"We're ready." Stepping forward, Levi had come from this city, but he'd worked for my family for over a decade. Losing his brother in the raid against my home, his thirst for vengeance couldn’t be quenched. He spoke the native languages known to the rest of us, and he knew how to stalk without being caught, trained by Costas. The other few joined his comradery, willing to risk it all for the sake of our safety and retribution for our fallen. Going into the ranks of our known enemy, we had a plan devised to crack our whips. Penance would be called for, paid in the blood of all those who betrayed us.
"Good. We will pay you for your extra work and protect your families, as we always have. Thank you for your service to the table." Augustus sat back a little better, waving our select men to leave the room for our other business. They marched out, knowing their mission would be starting the second we gained them an in with the wrong crowd. With serpents, it was usually easy enough to gain entry by badmouthing a common enemy. That enemy would be the room hosting us. "Now, boys, I know this will be a weird thing to ask, but Carlo and I need to know what's going on with the girl."
Having our opening, we knew they'd ask because we shared her. Braving this new world for the first time, I set my palm open on the table for Tony to grasp. He did so like the perfect sub he'd always been. Smirking at him, the other two caught on faster than our own families. "Tony and I have been seeing each other for years. No one has ever known because of the scrutiny we'd face. Now that we're rewriting the rules and fully in our two chairs of power, it's time for everyone else to know it too. Emilia Carmichael is our girlfriend, and Antonio Russi is my boyfriend. Some might not understand, but we work."
"So you're a threesome?" Carlo's eyes widened, but he held himself together pretty well. "How will this work with your seats at the table?"
"Our seats are still our own. We're not legally bound to each other and hold the right to our seats," I answered the second part.
"Draven and I are with her as a trio, yes, but she has also claimed the heart of my head of security." Tony let that bomb drop to answer the first part of his question.
"Costas?" Augustus reared back, wincing from the pain in his neck.
"Yeah, it caught us by surprise too, but she slipped right in."
"Must be a magical pussy," Carlo muttered, shaking his head.
"No, she's Sunshine," I corrected, feeling the warmth of her love spread through me. My mother set the woman on my path, knowing I'd need her and Tony to battle my own father. She sent her guardian angel and let me keep the light. Everything within the ranks of this group readjusted to make room for our declarations. Accepted, the others had no problems with our newer polyamorous ways. They supported it, no longer having to hide our simple touches ever again. The world would know I'd burn it down for either of them.
"And your legal status there?" Carlo changed the subject, not being one for romance.
"Fixed. We found a way around the American system when Dr. Carmichael revealed his own pieces in play." Shrugging, we'd be surprising that on Millie tonight with our other news she'd enjoy. Gifting her the world would always feel like gifting myself.
"Then I think that's all we need to cover?" Augustus stood from the table, holding a noticeably large manila envelope. "I have some debts to collect today that I missed over the last week from being in the hospital." He and Costas spent the week there for their injuries. Luckily, our brute only had burns to be treated and nothing broken. Once they got the worst of it down, they let him come home in bandages down his leg that got pinned.
"I think we're squared away?" I let my gaze friend Carlo.
"Other than picking a new seat to take over the Alexander’s spot. Are you sure Costas doesn’t want the seat? It’s his from killing the Lombardi family."
“He’s made it known that as my brother, our family will work as one seat. I do plan to co-chair with him because his insights are everything.” Tony commended his half-brother.
“Well, I guess we still have our work cut out for us, but we've shortened the list.” He stacked some papers with our remaining candidates on his end of the screen. "We will need to watch them for a bit and see who has it in them to be strong enough to be one of us."
"Maybe we need to host a competition?" Tony toyed with the idea that came to him as we chatted.
"Oh?" Carlo hummed, nodding his head. "I might look more into that idea, but we can discuss it another day. I'm needing to background check my own men from all the corruption in your ranks."
"We will speak soon," I promised. Signing off, we left Augustus to handle his personal business. Walking out hand in hand, many gasped when we passed, but it felt nice to no longer hide our love. Kissing Tony's knuckles that were laced through mine, I knew he felt the same way I did. This would bring change to our dynamic for the better.
"I'm not sure I'm dreaming or if this is real," he murmured as I opened his side of the car.
