Chapter Twenty-Three
“I thrive off weakness of others in a way that scares me, and yet I wouldn’t want it any other way.” —King Campisi
Ivan
“I can feel you staring at me, just get it over with.” I stared up at the ceiling, huh, never saw my death going this way. Nice hotel.
Gorgeous woman in the other room I wasn’t allowed to touch but kind of sort of did.
And blood in my future.
I failed him.
I failed my Family.
“You swore.” Tank grated out, stepping away from the door and sitting on the bed, at least he didn’t have a weapon out, then again, he probably knew I wouldn’t fight him anyway, an oath was an oath.
I sighed. “I also swore to her, and she’s my wife and wanted one thing for herself, so I gave it, like a good husband. Nobody asked her what she wanted. I did. I fucking did.”
Tank let out a rough exhale. “I know. Any more intel outside of the picture you have?”
“Underground, yes, still pulling strings. The worst has in fact happened, and you’re probably on everyone’s ‘let’s go on a killing spree’ list, good guys included.”
“Yay,” he deadpanned. “The picture is still going under diagnostics, we can’t see a face, they’re wearing a hood and a beanie, the car’s blacked out, no traceable plates.”
“Right.” I bit down on my bottom lip. “And the information that leaked toward Junior massacring Family members and embezzling money?”
Tank snorted out a laugh. “More good news. All traces link to him, if the rest of the bosses found out they’d think he did exactly what she did—betrayed the Five Families but we know he didn’t have it in him, not even when death stared him straight in the eyes. He was set up.”
“In such a grotesque way.”
“Actually…” Tank scratched his face and reached for his phone, then tossed it to me. “…figured you’d want good news?”
I grabbed the phone and sat up. “What am I looking at?”
“Bank records. All of the money was sent to his account, not a penny was withdrawn and then, as of his death, not a cent left.”
“But he was dead.” I tossed the phone back.
“Exactly. So where did the money go?”
“Not to a corpse,” I whispered. “And he wouldn’t touch blood money. How much was it?”
“Everything the Five Families promised to the De Langes for staying true to the treaty and it’s about to get doubled since you just resigned. They’re filling the Family coffers. The only question is who’s pulling all the money from them.”
I ran my hands through my hair. “Yeah. Keep digging, and I’ll keep looking weak, stupid, and easy to manipulate, as power hungry as possible and as much of a monster as I can that makes sense, within reason.” I’d also spend the shit out of whatever I could get my hands on just to piss whoever it was off.
Oh, good, well within reason. The more I hated myself, the more I wanted her.
“Don’t hurt her,” Tank whispered. “I genuinely like her and think she’s a good person, it’s not her fault she was the easiest target in all of this.”
I scoffed. “And me? What about me? I am quite literally bleeding all over the place while also sitting like a giant fat-ass duck ready to get shot for Christmas dinner, shit I’m in the Christmas Carol.”
“Does that make me Tiny Tim?”
“Tiny Tank.” I laughed.
“I think they prefer ham for Christmas now though, right?” Tank ignored me, as if perplexed over what the main course should be.
I frowned. “Weird. I would say turkey. The Brits like duck, no?”
“Good to know you still have your sense of humor. Try to get some sleep I have the trusted captains on the outside, tomorrow’s going to be hell. I already marked a few of the guys that are taking orders, some of the supplies are missing, it checks out with what happened before.”
I sighed. “And is it true? Is he the main target?”
“Them.” Tank corrected. “Both of them, from what I’ve heard whispered.”
“Why not take out the Capo?” I asked. “It would cause more damage?”
“Because.” Tank sighed. “It’s personal.”
“How many more will be targeted?”
He was quiet. “All of them.”
“All of…” I didn’t want to assume. But I knew. It was a repeat, only this time they’d cleanse every single family line, leaving only a few behind to tell the story. It was why Junior was so spooked, why he’d had no time left before the treaty, it forced them to regroup but time still wasn’t on my side.
“All.” Tank repeated my worst fear. “It’s the last thing I could give you before—”
Before it happened. Before Junior died.
“We need to talk to King.”
“He’s a good actor, but Ash has a temper.”
I smiled to myself. “That might play in our favor, especially if Maksim turns it on for us. Yes, let’s… start the game and make the first move and see what happens. Oh, and do me a favor and buy a house, a yacht, and a new car.”
“Huh?” He glanced over his shoulder, green eyes squinting in confusion. Yeah, I’d be confused too. I didn’t need nor want any of those things.
“Make it look like I want the money and power and am going to be drunk off my ass twenty-four seven, easy pickings, in fact, leak some heart condition, that sounds nice. A weak heart brought on by a poor lifestyle…”
“I see why he trained you.”
“Because I’m insane?”
“No. Because you’re smart and embrace the insanity like a Christmas Goose.”
“GOOSE!” I yelled. “Not duck, thank you.”
“Any time.”