Chapter 7
Matt
Mom’s resurgence is affecting me more than I realized. There’s no excuse for snapping at Aron, no excuse for smashing that computer. I’m on edge, and I’ve got to do something about it before it affects the whole Syndicate.
The first thing I do is send a lower-level associate to the twins to get a list of all the components they need to build a new computer.
I order three of everything, so they each have an extra laptop in case I fly off the handle again.
Then, just because I’m feeling generous, I also throw in a few creature comforts.
Headsets—top of the line—new chairs, and, with a little research on the part of my associate, some wall décor featuring the twins’ favorite bands.
With that settled, and with Aron’s permission, I arrange another meeting, this time in front of the full Syndicate.
Much as I hate to expose Aron’s shame like this, it’s best that news of Mom’s sick crimes comes from us.
I get the feeling that Emily’s true origins will come to light sooner rather than later, and I don’t want anyone to find out from some Empire goon running their mouth.
The mansion I purchased after Javier’s betrayal is vast, complete with a large auditorium. With the humongous screen and the small projection room above, my guess is it was meant to be a theater, but it’s the only room in the mansion that can accommodate all our forces at once.
Since I had ordered our people to convene at the mansion for protection just before I nearly started a war between the two organizations, many of our men and women are already camped out in the auditorium.
We’ve been slowly moving people back to their individual homes as we assess and determine their safety, but enough of them remain that it makes gathering everyone much easier.
The next day, Aron and I stand at the front of the auditorium and wait for everyone to get seated. Once the room has settled, we begin.
Before the meeting, Aron and I spent hours arguing in our suite about who should begin. I felt that the Syndicate would take the news better from me, but Aron insisted on being the one to reveal Mom’s scheming. I finally relented, though I’m not happy about it.
“Ladies and gentlemen of the Royal Syndicate. Thank you all for joining us today.” Aron’s tone is brisk and professional, revealing no emotion. “By now, we’re sure you’ve all heard of Lucinda’s miraculous return from the dead. Unfortunately, she has not opted to return to the Royal Syndicate.”
He pauses as the room ripples with gasps and murmurs. A quiet raise of his hand silences them.
“More than that,” he adds, “is the fact that Lucinda has revealed that she is no longer a Mangione. Since her departure from the Syndicate twenty-five years ago, Lucinda is now a Martinez. Yes, that makes her my mother-in-law.
“What you may not know, and what I myself learned just days ago, is that Lucinda bore a child with my father, Javier Martinez. This child was raised by a family outside the organization, unbeknownst to Javier. Lucinda, however, remained in contact with her child.” His gaze stays locked on the crowd, never flinching.
“That child, we have learned, is my wife, Emily.”
That gets a reaction. Fully half of the gathered associates rise from their seats, shouting in outrage, while the rest gape in shock.
Aron tries to quiet them again with another gesture, but the crowd has turned feral.
Without averting his gaze, he signals me with a small movement of his other hand.
I had agreed to let him handle this with the stipulation that I be allowed to intervene if he lost control of the meeting. Stepping forward, I take a deep breath and bellow, “Silence!”
Within seconds, the cacophony in the auditorium stops cold.
“If you were paying attention,” I say, my voice dripping with venom, “you’d notice that Aron didn’t know this information until a couple days ago. Do the math, and you’ll see that he returned to the Syndicate the moment he found out.
“You want to demonize someone for this? Demonize my mother. Demonize Emily. They knew, and they orchestrated Aron’s wedding to his half-sister without his knowledge or his consent.”
Low murmurs erupt again, though quieter than before. The Syndicate still fears and respects me more than Aron, which is something we’ll have to work on. We can be equals in name and position, but if they don’t respect him as much as me, then there could be trouble ahead.
I wait for the talking to die down, then glance at Aron out of the corner of my eye. He gives an almost imperceptible nod, indicating he’s ready to take back over.
“When I left the Empire, I shot Lucinda.” Gasps from the crowd.
“Not a killing shot, as I was more concerned with returning Don Matteo to the Syndicate alive than I was with taking out his middle-aged mother, but she’ll be licking her wounds for a while.
For her crimes, we place a price of fifty million dollars on her head.
“As for Emily … her fate is uncertain at this point, as is the fate of my daughter. If Emily survived …” he surveys the room, his eyes resting longer on our veteran enforcers, “… she won’t for long.
Don Matteo and I hereby place a price of one hundred million dollars on the head of Emily Martinez.
Our perverted sister cannot be allowed to live. ”
In the stunned silence following his speech, a single hand rises in the back of the auditorium.
Cinder.
She played my loyal girlfriend for weeks following the death of my father, hiding my relationship with Aron from the rest of the Syndicate. She’s as deadly as any of the men here, but she voiced concerns when I nearly had the Empire slaughtered to the last man—and child.
“Yes, Cinder?”
“Don Aron, if I may ask, what are your plans for Maria once Emily is dead? Will you still raise her now that you know her mother’s origins?”
I suppose that’s about as delicate a way to phrase the question as we can expect. I’m glad Cinder posed it to Aron directly; it’ll give his standing as don more credibility. Unfortunately, it also means I can’t answer for him. This one is all on Aron.
“I don’t want her harmed,” he says cautiously, “though I’m not sure I can raise her myself, no. Did you have a suggestion, Cinder?”
She stands and brushes a lock of hair behind her ear. “I would like to offer to take her in. I know more than most what it’s like for a woman in this life, and I can protect her—provided, that is, you would be gracious enough to allow me to keep my guard, Gia.”
Ah, so there’s an ulterior motive here. Gia is Cinder’s guard, yes, but the two women are also lovers.
Aron reveals nothing of his thoughts in his expression, keeping it even and neutral. Will he give the women what they want?
“I think that all can be arranged, Cinder, but on one condition.”
“What’s that, Don Aron?”
“You and Gia will have to leave the Syndicate.”
My shock is mirrored in the faces of the assembled crowd and in Cinder’s face as well. I had expected him to order them never to tell Maria that her parents are half-siblings, maybe to keep his identity as the father a secret, but this?
“You’ll have a stipend, of course,” he continues, “and Maria’s financial needs will be taken care of, but I want her as far away from the Royal Syndicate as possible.”
“I-is that all, Don Aron?”
He nods. “Yes. You and Gia know what it’s like for women in this life, but Maria should never have to learn that.”
Cinder gives Aron a solemn nod as she sits back down.
I watch as Aron clasps his hands behind his back and starts pacing. Our gathered associates follow his every move, all eyes on the new don.
“One more thing before we adjourn,” he says.
What else could he have to discuss? We’ve been over everything we wanted to address in today’s meeting.
“If anyone here feels that Don Matteo and I are not fit to run the Syndicate together, you have one chance, right now, to leave. No questions asked.”
What?
“However, know this: With the exception of Cinder and Gia, who are exempt on my order, if you choose to leave the Royal Syndicate, there is no return. No do-overs, no second chances. Once you’re out, you’re considered an enemy, no matter what your current standing in the organization.
You’ll be treated as a member of the Empire, as a traitor.
No favors will be granted, and old favors will be null and void.
” He stops and scans the crowd. “Well? The door’s right over there. ”
Not one person stands up.
“Good. Now, you all know what to do, and remember that my daughter is not to be harmed. Bring her directly to Cinder.”
Aron turns on his heel and exits without giving our associates another glance.