Chapter Ten
James glanced at his phone for the millionth time.
He’d texted Kleya and she hadn’t responded to the message.
Which wasn’t like her at all. He planned to go to Lark’s kitchen at lunch to apologize for his thoughtless words because he never meant to hurt her feelings.
Yes, he’d been honest with her, but he never meant to shun her or hurt her feelings.
His cell rang and he picked it up quickly, disappointed when he saw his grandfather’s name.
“Yes?” he answered.
“I’m at our warehouse at the harbor. Get here as quickly as you can.”
Then David hung up. Why did everything seem off?
James instructed his PA to move his meetings around, and then he was speeding down the freeway to the Kaneera City Port.
Like many of the old money wealth, the Roarke clan had their hands in the pocket of the shipping trade and David ran that section of the company.
James got out of his car and stared up at the warehouse as his grandfather came to stand next to him.
“What’s the matter?”
“This is your test.”
Finally, James thought, trying to keep his focus on what he had to face, rather than on the fact that Kleya hadn’t texted him back.
“What can I expect?”
“A good leader sacrifices for his people,” David answered in a cautious tone.
“Cryptic bullshit,” James muttered.
“All I can tell you is that Landry failed his test.” He cocked his head in a knowing gesture, saying without words what happened to the Sessions family. “So, all you have to do is not fail.”
“Care to tell me how?”
“All I can tell you is to follow your instincts.”
“What happens if I fail?”
“Our place in the Coalition will end in the only way it operates, and a new person will be chosen. These protocols were put into place long before Howard took the reins.”
James knew exactly what that meant. Too much rested on this fucking test. He nodded, acknowledging the heavy price he’d have to pay if he failed.
“Follow the lights to the end.” His grandfather held out his hand. “Give me your gun.”
James hesitated for a moment, not liking the fact he had to go in weaponless, but he had no choice but to turn it over. Then David gestured to the door.
“Good luck.”
James entered the warehouse. Pitch black fell on him like a heavy, oppressive weight.
Overhead hanging lights cast the pathway on the floor like a modern-day yellow brick road.
He followed the circles until they came to an abrupt end.
Suddenly the lights came up, revealing Kleya tied to a chair, her mouth gagged, black mascara marks ran down her cheeks from her tears.
Anger simmered through his blood. Whoever touched her would die. He took a step toward her but static suddenly crackled through speakers.
“Do not approach her,” said the disembodied voice. “Pick up the gun.”
A table rested next to him, and on it, a Sig Sauer. Everything froze as he instinctively realized the test that stared at him in his wife’s terrified face.
“No,” he whispered. “No. You fucking assholes!”
A good leader sacrifices for his people.
His own God-damn grandfather knew what he faced.
Knew his wife wasn’t going to see tomorrow.
Helpless rage left him impotent as he grappled with this demand .
.. she was supposed to be safe. Had made sure that if he failed, she wouldn’t suffer his fate.
His thoughts shifted like sand, running through the scenarios on how to save her as well as himself.
Trying to ignore the fact that there was no way out.
They gave him a wife and now expected him to end her life.
“She will not leave here alive if you don’t complete the test.”
As she watched him, understanding dawned in her beautiful cerulean eyes.
She knew what he had to do. She must have read it on his face.
Her chest heaved as she struggled against her ties, and then stopped, realizing it was useless.
As she stared at him, he saw the moment she accepted the inevitable.
Almost imperceptibly, she gave a little nod to let him know it was okay.
That she didn’t blame him. Didn’t hold what he was about to do against him.
Her love shone like the brightest beacon in the darkest of nights.
It sliced his soul to ribbons.
Made him realize that he’d been a coward for denying what she meant to him. Somewhere along the way, he had fallen in love with his wife.
And now he had to betray her in the evilest of ways. Watch the life fade from her eyes. The only mercy he could give her was to make it fast.
Reluctantly, he picked up the gun, automatically inspecting it to see if it was loaded.
One bullet rested in the chamber. The cold metal felt completely wrong, its weight offensive in his hand.
As he raised the muzzle, her chin quivered, and seeing that almost broke him.
He couldn’t do this. Fuck! He silently implored her to close her eyes, but she didn’t.
Didn’t turn away or lower her head. Instead, she hardly blinked, staring at him with empathy.
Feeling sorry for him. Letting him know she wasn’t afraid.
Granting him an absolution he did not deserve.
She might not be afraid, but he was. He was suddenly terrified of who he had become.
What he might become. His grandfather’s words echoed in his head, that the only important thing was his legacy.
To rule the order, which in turn, ruled the city.
Was this why Howard had no heir? James tried to figure out how to get both of them out of this, but no answer was coming. How did he save her? Save them?
One bullet. Intended only for her. War raged inside him as he considered his next move. Was the bullet meant for her? Or was it meant for him? If he placed the muzzle against his own temple, she would die anyway. This was a no-win situation where they would walk out of there alive.
He stared through the gun site, leveling the aim at her head.
Kleya fought hard not to cry, but her face slowly crumpled in sorrow, and he knew—he fucking knew—it wasn’t for herself but for him.
Because he would remember, over and over the moment he pulled the trigger.
Unless he made this sacrifice in order to extend his own life.
To take his rightful place and lead the Coalition like he was born to do. But was life worth living without her?
Taking a deep breath, a sense of calm washed over him. He had to accept that there was no getting out of this, and he made peace with his decision.
He fired the gun.
The bullet swept past Kleya and embedded into the wall behind her. She flinched and blinked as confusion creased her brow.
James placed the gun back on the table and hurried toward her, quickly untying her restraints and yanking off the gag. Then he pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly.
“You spared me,” she whispered achingly.
He cupped her beautiful face, knowing it was the last thing he wanted to see in this world.
“I love you,” he said. “I’m sorry I dismissed your feelings.”
God help him, he no longer cared about the Coalition. Everything he thought he wanted, what he thought should be his, couldn’t hold a candle to Kleya. He’d face the firing squad for her, keeping her memory in his heart until he took his last breath.
“You’ll be fine financially—”
“What?” she interrupted him. “I don’t care about your money. I love you, too, James.”
The love he felt for her stripped away any regret or shame that he put her first. “You are my everything.”
She searched his face. “What happens now? Will they allow us to stay in the Coalition?”
He tried to smile reassuringly, but there wasn’t a way to sugarcoat this.
“Now, you walk free out of here and forget about me,” he replied, matter of fact.
“What?” she asked, confused.
“I failed this test,” he told her. “The punishment is my life.”
Shock had her shaking her head. “No. That’s crazy. I won’t accept that.”
“This is the Coalition,” he reminded her. “You asked why we have the council, and it’s for this reason. This is what we’ve grown up with, and neither of us are above them.”
She broke down, crying. “I want you to live.”
“And I want you to live.”
She laid her palms on his cheeks. “My place is by your side.”
“You could have a very long life, Kleya. Find another man. Have a family.”
“I want no other man. No other life. You gave up the leadership of the Coalition for me. You sacrificed everything for me. You are my everything as well.”
“Kleya.” He brushed some hair off her cheek. “If I hadn’t chosen you, you wouldn’t be here.”
“I don’t regret anything,” she breathed, kissing his lips. “I love you.”
“And I love you,” he said. “Please forgive me for not saying it before. For making you think I didn’t. I was fighting against my feelings because of my parents. For too long, the only thing in my life that mattered was the Coalition. And then you came along and shattered that all to hell.”
A sound came from behind him. The screeching of the door and he knew their time was up.
“Listen to me,” he said quickly. “I’m going to make sure when you go to them—”
“No! I will stay by your side,” she vowed. “Please. This is my choice. You made yours, now respect mine.”
Footsteps drew closer.
He couldn’t dismiss her words.
“Okay. We’ll stand together.”
She nodded, accepting their fate. “And we’ll die together.”
He stood and gripped her hand tightly, refusing to let go. He didn’t fear death, especially when she stood bravely next to him. They would depart this life together.
His grandfather led the council, face grim and resolute.
The mayor of the city, the district attorney, the sheriff, and a few other prominent families were represented.
Even Arnold Dane, whose face was strangely blank.
A twinge of regret that David’s life would also end this day hit him, but he made his decision and this would be the hill he died upon.
“You failed to kill her,” his grandfather said needlessly.
“Yeah, I think that’s obvious.”
“Flippant?”
“No, resolute.”
The mayor stepped forward. “Why did you disobey the order?”
Kleya squeezed his hand in support. He looked down at her, smiling sadly. It was hard to mask his feelings now that he embraced them.
“Because I love her,” he replied, not looking at them. Only at her. “Because she’s mine and I’m hers. I know the punishment for failure, and I accept it. No, we accept it. The only thing I ask is whatever you do with our bodies, burial or cremation, you keep us together.”
Silence fell, compelling him to look back at them.
The chief of police smiled. “You passed the final test.”
“What?” James blinked. “Final test? That implies there was more than one.”
“Congratulations,” the mayor said. “You are the new leader for the Coalition.”
He glanced at each face, seeing only smiles. “I’m confused.”
“A great leader knows when to accept defeat and when to fight,” Arnold Dane said. “To never back down. To cherish that which he has been given and follow his intuition.”
James glared at his grandfather. “That’s not what you said.”
“It was a test,” David said with a shrug. “Had you killed Kleya, you would have been killed as well. Remember, Landry Sessions failed his test.”
Which meant Landry and his entire family were gone, and Glanville Rogers lost a daughter. Kleya’s grip on his hand tightened.
“Being the leader of the Coalition will weigh heavily upon your shoulders,” the mayor added.
“You’ll have to make difficult decisions and rule with a firm hand.
Those who wrong us will pay. Those who embrace us will flourish.
As leader, it will be your duty to go with your gut instinct, much like you did just now by sparing Kleya’s life. ”
He glanced at Timothy Bens. “You tried to bribe me.”
“I was the first test,” he said, grinning.
James frowned. “How many did I have?”
“The kid was the second test,” David added. “And the woman at the gala was the third test.”
“Even me,” Chef Pierre added.
“Then finally your wife was the last,” the major murmured, smiling at Kleya. “All traits of a good leader. Loyal. Trustworthy. Above reproach. Devoted.”
“And love,” David added. “It was the one thing Howard lacked. Love leads to empathy, and he never could understand that. The Coalition is designed to help all of us, but some of Howard’s decisions led to the gangs upheaving our city. They are threatening our stable markets.”
“We’ll take back our city,” James assured. “There are good people who need help. If we lift them up, they’ll fight tooth and nail to hold on to their new futures. This takes power away from the gangs.”
“But that doesn’t make them go away,” the sheriff pointed out. “I’ve been fighting them for a long time.”
“Then we’ll have to be ruthless,” James said without hesitation. “We’ll dismantle them one by one.”
The council nodded, agreeing. In his grandfather’s eyes, he saw pride.
“Take the day to celebrate with your wife,” the mayor said. “Tomorrow we’ll strategize.”
The group of men left the warehouse. James turned to her and cupped the back of her neck, bending so their foreheads touched.
“You did it,” Kleya whispered. “You’re now the head of the Coalition.”
“You stood by my side.”.
“I’ll always be by your side.”
He slammed his mouth down on hers and reveled in the fact that everything he wished for came true.