Playing with Fire: A Standalone Dark Romance

Chapter Seventeen

My fingers tap on the table, eyes scanning the room of men. Sebastian sits opposite me, doing the same. One of the reasons the man is my second is his ability to turn from playboy joker to ruthless killer in a matter of seconds.

People second guess themselves when he steps into a room.

He’s loyal. Smart. Brutal.

He’s been the same way ever since we were kids.

“If you’ve all stopped gossiping like a bunch of teenage girls in a playground, we can begin,” I address the room, the stern tone of my voice zipping their lips.

“Someone a little eager to get back to that pretty wife?” My eyes fall to the man who spoke, the son of a now deceased council member and that’s the only reason he has a seat. Fucking traditions.

No one laughs.

“I can’t remember your name,” I say to him, “Remind me.”

The color drains from his face, “Samual.”

I click my fingers, “That’s right, Samual.”

His eyes dart around the room, waiting for someone to step in but they won’t.

“Do you know why you have that seat, Samual?”

“It is my birthright,” At this, he puffs out his chest.

I nod, contemplating, “You’re right, but let’s not pretend you deserve it.”

“I was trained for this!” He sputters.

I laugh, “You think your father was in any position to train you? The man was a drunk, it’s how he landed in an early grave. His poor liver.”

The end of his nose turns red, embarrassment flooding his cheeks, “You can’t talk to me like that!”

“But you can make comments about my wife?” I retort.

My grandfather, seated next to me to the right, clears his throat, “If that’ll be all. I’m not getting any younger here.”

“While we are on the topic of your wife, Malakai,” an older gentleman stands a few seats down from my grandfather. Iwan Mcdonal, a long-standing council member and giant pain in my ass.

“Yes, Iwan?” I glare at him, warning him on his next words. I don’t want Olivia to be a topic of discussion at this table. Ever.

“This organization has a long-standing history of arranged marriages happening within this circle,” he says.

“Okay.”

“While it is not part of the rules to marry within, it is preferred.” I glance at Hank who’s smirking like he just won something. Prick.

The wedding to Regina, while not arranged through Hank, but his brother, Kenneth, would have given him more power. Perhaps he was more pissed than I realized. I glance at Sebastian who leans forward, ready and waiting.

“What are you trying to say, Iwan?” I sigh impatiently.

“Olivia is a liability. She requires an initiation.”

I lean back in my chair, tracing my bottom lip with my finger, “Please do tell when this organization became a fraternity.”

“It is not a hazing, Malakai. It’s collateral. It’s for the best interest and protection of this fine establishment.”

“And what do you propose we do with my wife, strip her naked and parade her through the streets?”

Someone clears their throat, mumbling something under their breath that I don’t catch.

Stefan sits at Hank’s side, the slimy bastard sporting a smirk like he knows something I don’t. Things needed to change around here. Fast.

“Malakai, this is a serious matter. Your age is showing.”

I laugh without humor, “Out with your ideas, Iwan.” I click my fingers, “I don’t have time for this.”

“We require something on her.” He speaks.

“Collateral.” Hank inputs so helpfully.

“What?”

“Something that we can keep on her that will keep her quiet should anything happen.”

“You suspect my wife will betray me?” I ask.

“She is not part of this lifestyle; we cannot simply trust her word.”

“I will not be putting my wife through any kind of initiation,” I growl to the room, “And it is not a topic I will discuss further.”

“She is married to a murderer,” Stefan buffs his nails on the breast of his suit jacket, “Perhaps it’ll be fitting to have her kill for you. It would be good material to keep her in her place.”

My anger begins to boil, simmering under the surface of my skin as it slowly heats and heats.

“You expect me to tell my wife she has to murder someone so you can lord it over her head for as long as she lives?”

“She is a woman,” Iwan tuts, sitting down and reaching for the whiskey on the table, “She’ll do as she is told.”

“You’ll keep my wife and her name away from this table, and out of your mouths. She is not up for discussion.”

“Then explain to the council how you ensure your new wife won’t betray you or us.”

“You forget I have her family on a string.” I spin my glass, bones physically aching from the restraint I am holding myself under.

“It is not enough. You are putting this organization at risk because you’re weak for a pretty face,” Hank comments.

Sebastian’s spine goes ramrod straight, his eyes falling to Hank, filled with a cold quiet fury that I mirror. He subtly begins to reach beneath the table, likely for the gun he has strapped there but I catch his eyes and shake my head.

“We all see it,” Hank smirks, “Just see what happened on your wedding day. Ended early because your wife’s feelings got hurt over a little spilled wine. All we are asking for is a little protection.”

“If my wife betrays me or this organization,” I grit out, “I’ll kill her myself.”

I know, not even that, will satisfy them, and all I’m doing is solidifying their dislike for me. I see my cousin smirking, a look of satisfaction on Hank’s face as unease rumbles through the room. It doesn’t matter and I don’t care. I’ll have to be dead for any of them to take this from me.

They don’t know what I’ve done, how I’ve secured this seat and this organization. I could annihilate them all with ease without question.

I’ll kill them all, consequences be damned.

“Stage it,” Someone suggests and at this point, that simmering anger has turned to boiling but they’re too blind to see they’re pushing me to an edge none of them will come back from, “Have her attacked with no option but to kill them. It looks like an accident, we stay safe.”

“Are you really suggesting I have someone attack Olivia?”

My grandfather slams a fist against the table, surprisingly hard enough to rattle all the glasses, “That’s enough!” He snaps, “Malakai has spoken, he has given you your answer, and as your leader, and the man between you and those fat bank accounts that you think keep you protected, that should be enough to end this conversation. Your damn disrespect is showing. Olivia will not be brought up again and should I hear another whisper of her name at this table, I’ll kill you myself. I’m an old man, I have nothing to lose, so please, test my word.”