Chapter 5 #3
The fabulously secretive and cunning American agent had no idea what kind of challenge she’d placed on the table. Wrath never lost, either in business or in pleasure and he certainly wasn’t about to start now.
“I’m coming for you, sweet Ashley. When I do, your life will truly begin.”
“You finally wanted to see me, Father?” Wrath strolled into his father’s expansive office, curtailing the heightened level of emotions that continued to ride him.
He’d been unable to squelch them since leaving Monte Carlo.
His arrival back on the estate had certainly been met with excitement from the staff as well as his baby sister, but in the two days since his return, his father had opted to keep to himself.
No doubt out of utter disappointment for his son’s lack of care in performing his required job.
The estate had several hundred acres, allowing all three of Benedetto’s sons to live within the gates but on their own terms. He had one older and one younger brother, but they’d received the same barrage of training beginning at the age of five, their duties equally as important within the community.
Both Angelo and Gabriel were competent assassins in their own right, their skills perfected by several years of required missions.
No other family within the consortium had racked up the number of clean assassinations as the Constantino family had.
Until now.
The concept of shame enshrouding the family was something that his father would be unable to cope with. Benedetto was a proud man. A wealthy man.
And the kind of monster that nightmares were made of.
The very reason Wrath had left him alone upon his return. He’d spent his time honing his skills at weaponry in several manners, also trying not to allow sinful thoughts regarding Ashley to enter into his mind.
He stood several feet away from Benedetto’s desk, trying to hold his tongue. While he’d been born into what the Italians considered true royalty, he’d never fully understood the ramifications of fucking up.
The word on the street was that the Constantino family had lost their edge as well as the consortium’s favor.
He’d never appreciated the value of the arrangement, perhaps because his father had always handled the business side of things.
But as heir apparent, it was vital that Wrath take the lead.
One day, his son would take the helm, leading the Constantino family into another era, but the goal would always be the same.
Altering the entire world’s corporate and military structure to suit the consortium, thereby growing their wealth.
And no one country was the wiser, the consortium only spoken of in their limited circle. As far as members of various law enforcement were concerned, there were several hired guns taking out world leaders in a random fashion.
Granted, the concept didn’t sit well with his brothers, but as with everything else within their family, Benedetto ruled with an iron fist. No one challenged him.
“Do you know what the Italian people say about the Constantino family?” Benedetto asked. He remained in front of his floor-to-ceiling window, staring out at the pool.
Wrath followed his father’s gaze, watching the way his much younger sister frolicked in the water, her nanny by her side. His father’s second wife, barely older than Wrath himself, hadn’t wanted a child in the first place, almost always leaving her with a nanny. “Why don’t you tell me, Father?”
“That we are direct descendants from the gods themselves.” Benedetto shot him a sideways look, a slight hint of amusement in his voice.
He’d heard the campfire style stories, mostly when he was a child, other parents refusing to allow him and his brothers to join in.
There was no reason for their people to be afraid of them other than the legend that had been around before his great-grandfather.
However, they had certainly used the centuries-old fear to their advantage as necessary. “The old ways, Father.”
“Yes, ones you do not enjoy partaking in.” Benedetto finally turned, never blinking as he stared at his son. He took solid and very slow steps forward, keeping his hands behind his back. “Are you aware that you’ve disgraced this family?”
Exhaling, Wrath nodded as his father came even closer. “That was not my intent.”
Benedetto seemed to study him, glancing up and down.
The harsh backhand his father issued caught him by surprise, the heavy ring his old man always wore catching him just under the eye.
Stumbling, he dropped to his knees, cupping his face and taking several deep breaths.
In his entire life, his father had only struck him twice, although the man’s form of punishment was much worse in several ways.
“I will not tolerate incompetence from any of my children. Do you understand that, Ricardo? The consortium cannot tolerate it. Twice you failed us. Twice. And yes, I know you fixed your first mistake, but the second mark is still underground, protected by the goddamn Americans.” Benedetto shook from his rage, finally running one hand through his thinning hair.
He adjusted the ring, hissing as he yanked a handkerchief from his pocket, wiping away the string of blood marring the solid gold.
“If the consortium has to deal with this, you will be banished and there is nothing I can do about it. Nothing.”
Wrath struggled to rise to his feet, daring to look his father in the eyes.
No other person in his life would he allow to touch him in that manner, but the respect he felt for his father was unequaled, even if he’d lost his love for the man.
“I completely understand and I will hunt Mr. Wallace and when I find him, there will be no place the man can hide, no matter which country he’s in.
” The oddity of seeing such utter disappointment in his father’s eyes was probably more traumatic than he wanted himself to believe.
If forced to banish one of their own from the consortium, which had occurred only once, Wrath would have a target on his back.
There would be no solace.
There would be no money.
There would be nowhere that Wrath could hide.
Another would be sent to exterminate him, likely one of his brothers.
His father tipped his head, studying Wrath once again as if determining whether his own child was capable of lying. “Very well. Gabriel will handle things until you accomplish your goals.”
“Gabriel?” Another form of punishment, allowing his brother to be the first on the list, the man the consortium trusted the most. Whatever assignments he received would be out of the public eye and certainly less dangerous.
The kills were also considerably less fulfilling.
The reduction in rank was indeed an embarrassment for the entire family.
“He’s the most qualified, although sometimes I wonder if he has far too much of his mother in him, just like Angelo.
” Finally, Benedetto’s face softened and he placed a hand on Wrath’s arm.
“You are just like me, my son, a man with no conscience and no love for anything but your family and your country. That is an incredible gift to have. Your brothers are much softer, preferring wine and women to hard work. This is merely a blip for you, nothing that I am too concerned about. As long as there is nothing that you need to tell me then within a few months you will be back on track.”
The reasons for marrying were simply to provide heirs, blood for the continuation of the consortium. This was the very reason he’d loathed his father since he was a small child, the utter disregard he had for his mother disgusting. But his father was right.
Wrath had grown into the exact same man as his father, capable of horrific violence without the concept of understanding love.
He allowed his father to see the same cold smile he’d offered since he could remember, even though inside he was burning with hatred.
Sadly, that was only one of the emotions driving him to near madness.
“I will rest, Father, for a few days. That is all I need.”
“You will soon be asked to perform your other duties. Would you like for me to make arrangements?”
“Other duties?” He knew the answer and bristled at the concept. The old Italian ways would never be able to die until the elders no longer had control of the consortium.
“One of our members had a beautiful daughter that would be suitable for you. She is of child-bearing age and from what I’ve been told, very fertile. Plus, this will endear you to the consortium once again.”
While he knew his father was entirely serious, he had no answer that would satisfy either one of them. “I will take that under advisement, Father, but for now, I have my goal as presented. There will be no other failures.”
“Son, just keep in mind that women can be our ultimate demise. What you might think is a connection that can never be broken is merely a myth. If you continue, you will lose everything.”
Wrath sucked in his breath, fighting yet another round of anger.
He’d been followed. Then again, the consortium had eyes everywhere.
The truth is, he’d been careless, something that would never happen again.
“Understood, Father, but something for you to relay to the consortium members. I will not be threatened for any reason at any time. You forget,” he allowed the words to linger as he turned to glare into his father’s eyes, “I know every ugly secret and I won’t hesitate to expose them if necessary. ”