69. Fox
SIXTY-NINE
FOX
“ W e’re in. We’re staying in the game. However, we need to make a plan for the next steps.
Levin is going into the fold with my father.
Soon after, they’ll call on Vin. I’m sure of it.
It’ll leave me in a weakened state with no protection.
The end game is my demise, so I’m not in the running to take over.
The fact my father—” Dom paused and cleared his throat.
“ Matteo didn’t suffocate me in my sleep as a child still baffles me.
I’m not going to get hopeful and think he gives a modicum of shit about me, but it’s odd. ”
We listened as Dominic spoke in the office.
It had been a long night. Luckily, Rosalie didn’t wake up with too much of a hangover, and E didn’t freak out again.
It was a good night, even if the celebration had been a bust. Seeing Rosalie sad because Anson had left with some women made me upset.
I knew he just wanted to get out of there.
Enzo and Cole tended to make people uncomfortable.
“He probably wanted to make you suffer,” I said to Dom. “As punishment.”
Dom grunted and didn’t bother to dive deeper into the theory.
What I knew of Matteo was that he was a mysterious man.
He was far too hard to read. Growing up with him as a father had to be awful.
Even though he was my father’s brother, he was nothing like him.
My father was kind, caring, and compassionate. Never once did he try to kill my ass.
Cole stomped into the room, looking irritated, and flopped onto the couch. I knew Anson was picking Rosalie up, so he must have been the one to greet him.
“I agree. It’s probably just some fucked up punishment. This was probably his plan all along. Raise you. Get you into shit too deep. Have you killed? Then it looks legit.” Enzo nodded.
“Well, I’m not going down without a fight,” Dom said fiercely.
“We’re at your side,” Vincent’s words were firm.
Dom glanced at him. “I don’t think we have much time left, Vin. Truly.”
“We may have a lot more than you think. Levin hasn’t been called upon yet.
We just know it’ll eventually happen.” Vincent looked to Levin.
He had Bianca on his lap, the pair cuddled into one another, an expression on his face that only said he wasn’t pleased with having to leave.
Who could blame him? I’d be pissed, too.
“I’ll leave when called,” Levin said after kissing Bianca.
“I’ll go—” Stefan started, sitting forward.
“Fuck off, Stefan. I’m going. You’re dead. Stay that fucking way. Work from the inside out,” Levin snapped. He glared at Stefan.
Stefan scowled back but didn’t press the subject.
“Levin is right. Everything will be in vain if you jump back in,” Vincent said. “They might kill you this time. It’s not like your old man plays nice, either.”
The scowl on Stefan’s face deepened. “I don’t want Levin to do this.”
“Join the club,” Vincent muttered, shaking his head.
Levin let out a sigh. “I’m doing it.”
“I don’t want you to,” Bianca called out, her voice wavering. “I only just got you back.”
“Bumblebee,” he murmured, a pained look crossing his face. “I’m doing this for us.”
“I don’t want that. I want us to be safe. This isn’t safe!”
“She’s right.” Dom sighed. “Which is why I think Drake should take her away until this blows over.”
Silence descended over the room. That was the last thing any of us thought he’d say, all things considered.
I wasn’t even sure where Drake stood in this mess.
I personally didn’t want to trust him, but Enzo did, so we went with it.
Drake knew my promise already. If he fucked us over, I’d kill him myself.
I was sure Dom had made that same promise.
“No,” Levin finally snarled. “Not fucking happening.”
“Listen.” Dom held his hand up. “He makes the most sense.”
“How?” Levin demanded, fury radiating off him. “They want him dead just as much as they want you dead! He’ll have a price on his head for running out, and if they find out Bianca is alive? And trust me, they will?—”
“I can protect her,” Drake said. “I’d die to ensure her safety.”
“The best person to take B is Fallon,” Vincent cut in, looking to Fallon, who hadn’t said anything this entire time.
“Not fucking happening.” Levin snorted.
Dom rubbed his eyes, clearly tired of dealing with it all. I could sympathize.
“I think they should run,” Ethan said softly. “I think Dom and Bianca should run, and we'll take care of everything.”
I glanced at him, making sure I’d heard him correctly. He didn’t waver, though, and continued to nod.
“I’m not leaving,” Dom said.
“I’m not leaving either. If we fight, I fight with you. I can’t lose you guys again.” Bianca said. She looked around at each of the kings. “I just can’t do that. If we win or lose, we do it together.”
“That’s noble of you, but it’s also incredibly dangerous,” Enzo said. “They’ll use you to get to Dom, Queenie. Or vice versa.”
Bianca frowned at his words.
“He’s right, B. You need to disappear, babe.” Vincent gave her a sympathetic look, his dark eyes saying what his mouth didn’t. “I’ll join Levin in the fold. We can try to take them down from the inside.”
“I’m sorry, but why do you think they’d trust you guys?” Cole asked. He slammed back a shot of whiskey. He was pissed and trying to tamp it down. I knew him well enough to know that.
“I mean, if I were trying to take out competition, I’d bring them into the fold and fuck with them there,” Cole continued, pouring another drink. “So why do you think it’s just a number on Dom’s head? I think we’re all fucked. You guys especially.” He nodded to the kings.
“He’s right,” Vincent sighed. “The only thing Levin and I have going for us is our fathers. Matteo isn’t going to want to piss them off since they’re his most trusted men. Not to say he won’t if things get rough, but it’s our saving grace for now.”
“Here’s what we should do,” Levin said. “I go into the fold?—”
“Levin—” Bianca choked out, her eyes widening.
“Shh, bumblebee.” He kissed her cheek quickly. “I go into the fold. I get any information I can and feed it back to you guys. Dom, you take B and run. Do the death thing, man. Die for them and run. I’ll kill Matteo.”
“Fuck that,” Dom snarled, his hands balled into tight fists.
“Not happening. If he goes down, it’s because I’m the one who does it.
I’m not letting you take the fall for that shit.
I don’t run. I’m never fucking running. If I die, then I fucking die, but it won’t be because I took a bullet to my back while fleeing. I will stay.”
“What about B?” Vincent asked. “We need to do something about her. Drake too. Either he goes back empty-handed and faces the consequences, or he runs.”
“I’ll go back in,” Drake murmured. He looked at Bianca like she was his entire world. My heart clenched at the sight. Clearly, he did love her, or he was a hell of an actor.
“You could be killed,” Fallon muttered, rubbing his eyes. “Going back to Matteo De Santis empty-handed won’t end well.”
“He doesn’t tolerate failure,” Dom added. “You’ll be killed.”
“Maybe.” Drake shrugged as if it didn’t matter. “But I don’t think sending Levin alone is a good idea either. I will return with him. He can confirm my story.”
“What’s that story, you fucking turncoat? That you lied and cheated your way out?” Levin snapped.
I continued to watch, not having an answer for them. Matteo was my uncle, but I didn’t know fuck all that could help them. He was far too secretive and played a mean poker face. He reminded me of Enzo in that respect.
“He could go back and say he was trying to take Ivanov out. He had Bianca. He managed to get a shot on him and was able to get her from him, but ultimately, Dom saved her from him. He ran and went into hiding until things died down.” Enzo said.
“That could work. If Ivanov were captured, he’d confess that Drake was there to take her out.
I set it up that way for just that reason. It’s your out and his in.”
“I would like it if Levin weren’t going in alone,” Dom finally admitted, glancing at Levin.
“Fuck that. I don’t need that Russian fuck noodle to help me—” Levin started. Dom held his hand up to silence him again. Levin’s behavior with Drake and Fallon reminded me of Cole and Anson. I pitied Dominic, Vincent, and Bianca because instead of two, there were three bickering with each other.
“Levin, think about the bigger picture,” Dom said. “More manpower.”
Levin grunted but didn’t argue.
“So, Levin and Drake return. We pray Drake doesn’t get killed and that Levin can take out Matteo,” Vincent said. “In the meantime, I stay back with Dom and B.”
“What about me?” Fallon asked, glancing around. “What the fuck am I supposed to do?”
“Come home,” Dom said softly.
Fallon blinked at him. “What?”
“You’re a king, Vasiliev. You belong at our side. You, Vin, B, and I return to Bolten. Together. Levin and Drake go into the fold. We protect our queen.” Dom stared him down. “What do you say?”
“I-I get to show that I’m with the kings?” Fallon looked like someone announced Christmas was here early.
Dom nodded. “If you want. Or you can continue to lead the lords. It’s your call.”
Fallon exhaled. “I’m with you. Fuck the lords.”
“What about your old man?” I asked, knowing Fallon’s father was a big deal for the Bratva.
“Fuck him too,” Fallon said without missing a beat.
“I like fucking. I’m good with that.” Cole put down his third shot. “If you guys have this sorted, then I think it’s time we discuss how we’re going to go about all of this shit.”
“I have more sugar to push,” Ethan said. “A lot more.”
Dom nodded thoughtfully. “Sounds good. We can push it too. Build the empire. I’ll get my court on it.”
“I have my in with Vander Veer,” Enzo said, clearing his throat. “We’ll have the weapons.”