21. Dion
21
DION
T ell me everything you know,” I snarl at the man in front of me, his arms and legs bound on a chair.
The air is thick with the tang of dampness and the acrid stench of fear. Dim , flickering lights cast shadows against the cold concrete walls. The sound of dripping water echoes through the space.
“ Please . I don’t know anything,” he cries, and I slap him across the face with my Glock .
Before me, lies a canvas of suffering, a broken soul, eyes wide with terror, body trembling with anticipation of the horrors to come. The man is still slowly emerging from the depths of his sedation but is awake enough to realize it’s not looking good for him.
I decided it was time to up my game. If I couldn’t find any valuable information about Philip and Andrew’s plan using technology, then I’d resort to the old-fashioned way: getting my hands on one of Philip’s men.
It was no easy feat, but I was able to follow him to a seedy sex club just an hour ago.
I was careful to stay hidden as I snuck in behind him into the dingy building.
There was a lady smoking a cigarette behind a counter that was a little too high for her height.
“ Name ,” she demanded, not even lifting her eyes past the rim of her glasses.
“ Marcus Stavros ,” I lied, using a name Xander had given me from their visitor’s list.
She handed me a key card, still not looking up. “ You may go.”
Then , I slipped through when I heard the buzzing of the door unlocking.
Inside , the air was thick with the mingling scents of sweat and sex. The stench was foul enough for my breath to catch. I navigated through the dimly lit corridors, catching glimpses of intimate encounters in shadowed corners.
I’m no stranger to sex clubs, but I’d never been to a place so sleazy.
Finally , I spotted him walking into a private room, being guided by a woman wearing nothing but a negligee and high heels. Anger simmered beneath my skin as I watched him.
He’d done nothing to me personally, but the thought of him being an accomplice to anything orchestrated by Philip made me want to string his neck.
Slipping on my black ski mask, I closed the distance between us, weaseling through the crack of the door before it could shut. My hand reached for the cloth tucked in my pocket, my grip tightening on the fabric.
The fucking idiot was so engrossed in his little rendezvous, he didn’t even notice me until it was too late.
In one swift motion, I pressed the cloth over his mouth and nose, cutting off his muffled protests. His eyes widened in shock before rolling back, consciousness slipping away as the sedative took effect.
The woman recoiled in terror, a yelp escaping her lips before she hastily covered her mouth with a trembling hand. I spared her only a glance before focusing on the man again.
I hoisted his limp body over my shoulder and made for the back exit, the woman’s terrified gaze following me until I vanished out the door. No one paid me any notice as I carried him through the club and outside, where my men waited in a van.
And now we’re here, in the basement of our main warehouse near Cebrene Harbor , and he still hasn’t answered my question. “ Oh , Alexis . You have no idea how much fun I’ll have torturing you. It’ll make my job a lot easier if you simply cooperated. And a lot cleaner ,” I say, looking down at my already soiled clothing. There are splatters of his blood on my trousers, from giving him a punch to the nose too many. That sure woke him the fuck up.
I reach over and grab the nail bat. It’s not the most sophisticated torture tool, but I had a lot of fun making it, and I fucking love baseball.
I stand by, swinging the bat around, watching him as his eyelids flutter, fighting both the remnant effects of the sedative and his fear.
I let out a sigh. “ Fine . We’ll play, then,” I relent, pulling the bat back and swinging it onto his left knee. Blood splatters all over my clothes. My dry cleaners are going to have their work cut out for them.
His screams pierce the silence, his anguish reverberating through the very foundation of the warehouse above. Gasping for air, his face contorts with pain.
I observe him with detached curiosity. I should feel bad for him. Really , I don’t even know if he’s done anything wrong. Though he must’ve if he associates with men as corrupted as Philip .
Instead , I’m filled with an intoxicating rush, a perverse harmony that speaks to the depths of my depravity. I am not a good man right now. Perhaps I never have been.
Finally , after a series of sobs and desperate pleas, Alexis speaks.
“ Philip is planning on giving his estate to Galanis instead of his son,” he blubbers.
I absorb the news, somehow both surprised and expectant. Philip passing his estate and clan to Andrew when he already has an heir?
Now we know the reason why Andrew is marrying Aria . I ignore the pang in my chest, my jaw locking. But it still doesn’t explain why Andrew of all people, when the piece of shit has nothing to offer Philip .
I bend over and shove my thumb into one of the open gashes in Alexis’s knee, He howls in pain.
“ What does Andrew give in return?”
He stammers, struggling to reply between each bated breath. “ His unwavering loyalty.” So , essentially, Philip got himself a little bitch. For what? I need answers, and I need them now.
I crouch down. “ What else does Philip have planned?” I ask, my voice low and tight with barely restrained anger.
He swallows hard, his eyes darting around nervously. “ I — I don't know,” he stammers, his words tumbling out in a panic. “ He didn’t tell me much.”
I lean in closer, searching his face for any sign of deceit. “ You’re lying.”
Alexis shifts, wincing as the ropes dig into his wrists. Then , a flicker of memory seems to cross his face. “ He mentioned something,” he says, his voice trembling. “ S -something about a secret society.”
I straighten up, the pieces suddenly clicking into place. “ The Sisterhood ,” I mutter under my breath. Alexis nods frantically. Of course. I need to find out what Andrew’s involvement is in that establishment.
I pull my finger away from his fucked-up knee, rubbing the blood all over his cheek to clean it off, before slapping him. “ Attaboy . Wasn’t so hard, right?”
Alexis chokes on an inhale. “ Are you going to kill me?” His voice trails after me as I stride away.
With my back to him, I let out a laugh. “ No . But if you think about telling anyone about what just happened, I’m going to kill your family, and I’ll make sure that Philip finds out you betrayed him. I’m sure he won’t be as merciful.”
My footsteps echo against the concrete floor as I ascend the worn staircase leading to the upper level of the warehouse.
I pull out my phone and dial Xander’s number, my thumb tapping against the screen impatiently.
“ Xan .” I try to keep my tone steady despite the urgency prickling at the edges of my words. “ I need you to arrange a meeting for me, but it has to be discreet.”
I pull up to the underpass of the bridge in Old Cebrene , the rhythmic rumble of my motorcycle fading into the background. It’s a quiet spot, a perfect meeting point.
Xander rode by my side. Behind us, two cars roll to a stop, our men staying inside while scanning the surroundings with practiced vigilance.
I lean against my bike, gaze fixed on the road ahead, waiting for the person we’ve come to meet. The minutes stretch on, each second feeling like an eternity, and I let impatience creep in.
“ What time did he say he’d be here?” I huff.
Xander looks at the time on his watch. “3:30. It’s 3:29, chill.”
I shoot him a disapproving glance. “ We told him not to be late.”
“ He’s fucking eighteen years old. Give him a little grace,” he argues.
“ Exactly , he’s a man now. He needs to learn the concept of punctuality. And you know how much I hate being stood up, so he better show.”
Xan chuckles. “ Oh , yeah. I forgot. Abandonment issues. Dead parents.”
My face twists in utter disbelief. I ought to kill the motherfucker.
“ That’s rich coming from a guy who was born to a junkie and an alcoholic father.”
Xander brings his hand to his chest. “ Ouch . You hurt me, Loukas .”
I roll my eyes at him.
“ Consider yourself lucky you don’t have a bullet in your fucking ball sack. You’re the only person I’d ever let say that kind of shit to me.” Evander , too. I should shoot both the insolent bastards.
Xander full-on belly laughs. “ You’re fucking twisted, dude.” Guilty .
Just then, a not-so-distant hum breaks through the stillness. The sound of an approaching vehicle.
My muscles tense in anticipation. I really fucking hope this doesn’t turn into an ambush.
I exchange a glance with Xander , and he nods, putting his hand on the back of his waistband where his gun is hidden. I pull mine out and place it on the seat of my bike.
The sleek car comes to a stop beside us, and a tall, young man steps out.
Relief washes over me when I realize he’s alone.
“ To what do I owe this pleasure?” Dimitri Kastellanos , Aria’s brother, smirks, though his body language is a little guarded.
I peek at the bulge poking out behind his shirt. Good boy. He came strapped.
“ I need to talk to you about something important. Something pertaining to you.”
He crosses his arms. “ I took a huge risk in coming here to meet you—this better be good.”
I stifle my smirk. For a kid who just got roped into the mob, he sure has some balls. I’m impressed.
“ It’ll be worth your while. Just know that I’m only looking out for you.”
Dimitri furrows his brow. “ Why ?”
“ We have a common interest,” I say, not wanting to mention Aria’s name out loud.
After a moment, his eyes light up in realization, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “ Ah . So , you’re the friend she went to see the other night.”
I don’t deny it. “ Your father is planning on giving his estate and control of your family’s clan to your sister’s fiancé.”
Dimitri stills, and I observe him as he processes the information. “ Poutánas yos ,” he swears and starts to pace back and forth, muttering under his breath. “ How sure are you?”
“ One hundred and ten percent.” I open the small compartment in my bike and pull out a manila folder, slapping it down on the seat. “ We have your father’s will to prove it.”
“ Fuck !” Dimitri shouts, his fists clenching.
He turns and punches the back window of his car. It cracks. Wow . He’s strong as fuck for an eighteen-year-old.
“ That motherfucker has been playing me. He’s been forcing me into the business, even though I explicitly said I wasn’t interested. All of this to keep up appearances when he’s going to abandon me as his heir,” he seethes.
I can empathize with his frustration.
“ That’s probably why he found a replacement. He knows you want nothing to do with the clan, so he can’t count on you to do his bidding when he steps down,” I explain. “ Do you have any idea what he’s up to?”
“ No , and I want to keep it that way. The less I know, the better.”
I agree. “ But we still can’t let him give your family over to Andrew .”
Dimitri nods. “ So , what’s the plan?”
Dimitri is a good kid.
And even though he says he wants nothing to do with mob life, it suits him. He’s got the attributes, the drive, and now, the motivation.
We spend the next hour talking about his upbringing, until our conversation becomes filled with gaming jargon and inside jokes that only we understand.
Xander rolls his eyes for the umpteenth time. He doesn’t get it and doesn’t share our enthusiasm. Xander is the only hacker I know who doesn’t like video games. Weirdo . I catch his eye for a moment, and he smirks, shaking his head. “ You guys and your games,” he mutters, half-amused, half-exasperated.
We steer back to the matter at hand, Dimitri explaining how Philip always had plans for him, ever since he was a kid. The typical “you turn eighteen and get initiated into the mafia” plans.
Despite having other goals in life, Dimitri decided to follow in his father’s footsteps, for the time being, just to get him off his back. He never wanted to take over for the Kastellanos clan, especially given that they aren’t a prominent family with a Godfather . But now, things have changed.
“ I’ll do it,” Dimitri says. “ I’ll have the initiation.” The last task he must do to become a valuable member of his clan. Once blood is shed, he will be made .
“ Are you sure?” I ask him.
He nods. “ Philip won’t take me seriously unless I do. And if he doesn’t believe that I’m serious and have had a change of heart, he won’t trust me with the business and any information. And I won’t let a stranger oversee my family.”
He’s right. Until Dimitri murders a man in cold blood, he won’t be regarded with respect.
I was also eighteen when I killed my first target.
I remember the night vividly. The dark alley, the weight of the pistol heavy in my hand. My heart pounded so hard I could hear it in my ears, my palms slick with sweat. I had always wondered about this moment, imagined how I would feel, but nothing could prepare me for the reality. I didn’t want to do it. Every fiber of my being screamed to run, to throw the gun away. But I couldn’t. Ignatius was watching, and I wanted his respect more than anything. I wanted to be a part of his family.
I glanced at him, his eyes piercing through the darkness, urging me on silently. He believed in me and had chosen me for this. I wanted to show him I was worthy. Evander had done it a year before, and he hadn’t changed much. At least, not on the surface. But Evan was different. He was being groomed to be a Godfather , destined for greatness.
I was just trying to survive, to prove my worth.
The man in front of me trembles, his eyes wide with fear and pleading for mercy. I hesitate, finger hovering over the trigger. My heart pounding in my chest.
Ignatius’s gaze burns into my back, a reminder of what the consequences will be if I fail. I close my eyes, take a deep breath…and pull.
The sound is deafening, and the recoil jolts my arm. I open my eyes and see the man crumple to the ground. My stomach churns and I fight the urge to vomit. I feel numb, detached from my body, as if I’m watching someone else kill a man.
Ignatius steps forward and places a hand on my shoulder. His grip is firm, reassuring.
“ You did well,” he says, his voice calm and steady.
I nod, unable to speak, my throat tight.
I did it. I made him proud.
But as we walk away, the reality of what I’ve done begins to sink in. The image of the man’s lifeless body is seared into my mind. I wonder if I will ever be able to forget it, if I will ever be the same. Evander seems fine, but maybe he is just better at hiding it. Maybe this is what it takes to survive, to earn respect.
My life changed forever that night. I crossed a line, but I don’t regret it. Not anymore.
I clasp Dimitri on the shoulder. “ There’s no going back if you initiate.”
“ I know. But it has to be done. To save my family. To help Aria ,” he replies, sounding so sure of himself despite the nerves clear on his face. He’s ready.
I see a lot of myself in Dimitri .
He’s got that same fire, that same drive to prove himself, and maybe a bit of the same stubbornness I had at his age. I recognize the struggles he’s facing, the doubts he’s trying to hide, and the determination to help his family that keeps him going despite it all.
I remember how it felt to be in his shoes. He needs someone who understands, someone who can see past the bravado and help him channel his energy in the right direction.
“ Here’s what we’ll do. Xander and I will keep digging for info on the Galanis family. If your father is giving his estate and control over to Andrew , he must’ve involved his lawyer, so we’ll look for him too. Once we find him, we’ll pay the fucker a little visit and make sure he annuls those documents and reinstates you as the heir.”
Dimitri nods, his jaw set.
“ In the meantime, you keep doing what you’re told and what’s expected of you and try to pick up on as much information as you can from your meetings,” I add, now pumped that we have a direction.
“ What about Aria ?” Dimitri asks, and my heart skips a beat at the mention of her name.
“ I’ll tell her our plan at the engagement party. If we reverse Philip’s scheme, his plan becomes null and void, and she won’t have to get married.”
Dimitri goes to say something before his brows furrow, as if remembering something. “ We might have a small problem.” I pause, waiting for him to continue. He looks up, meeting my gaze. “ The agreement was sealed in blood.”
My stomach sinks .
Gamoto .
A bond forged in blood. An old tradition in the mob where a contract can’t be breached unless both parties die or back out.
We’re never going to get Andrew and Philip to retract their deal.
I lean my head back, casting my eyes up to the sky.
“ Then , we’ll have to convince them.”
“ How ?” Dimitri questions.
“ The best way I know how. With violence.”