I shoot my brother the dirtiest look I can muster and envision myself slamming him against the nearest wall.
It’s not enough to quiet the roar in my ears.
Fucking weasel.
How far is he willing to go to get rid of me?
“As usual, you’ve proven that all you’re good for us is lurking in the shadows and eavesdropping,” I tell Mathew, my voice as hard as steel. “This doesn’t concern you.”
Mathew’s grin grows, sending another wave of anger through me. “Anything to do with the family concerns me,brother.”
I take a step in his direction, and satisfaction courses through me when I see Mathew’s smug look falter.
He knows he can’t take me without help.
“If you take one more step, you’ll regret it.”
Mathew’s smile vanishes. “Fine. You have only yourself to blame for what comes next. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Then, he slinks off. Before he disappears, he tosses London a suggestive look, and a growl falls from my lips before I can stop it.
Once he’s gone, I run a hand over my face and give London a quick look. She doesn’t say anything when I unlace our fingers and leave the room. Katia appears as I leave, and a quick look passes between us before I round the corner and disappear. My father has his back turned to me when I find him in the study. He takes a sip of his drink, and I let the door click shut behind me and wait.
Taking care of betrayal, I can handle.
Storming an enemy warehouse, I know how to navigate.
Jack Payne is neither of those things.
He is something far worse, and I know that despite stepping back to allow me to run the empire, there’s a reason our enemies still fear and respect him.
It’s the same lethal calm he’s turning on me now, and every alarm bell in my head is blaring.
What did you think was going to happen? Did you think he was going to welcome her into the family with open arms? Get a fucking grip, Mason. You know there’s no way this ends well.
Silence settles over us.
After a long pause, he finally twists to face me, and I know the look on his face.
It’s the one I used to bend over backward to avoid when I was little. The same one that reduces our enemies into blubbering messes.
I can’t let him see how much she means to me, or he’ll end us both.
Jack looks down at my arm and back up at my face. “It would be a pity to have to teach you a lesson, but it seems it’s necessary. You’ve forgotten yourself.”
I clench my hands into fists. “You handed me the reins, remember? And with everything else going on, I’m sure the last thing you want is for word to get out that we have trouble within our ranks.”
He studies me. “You’d better be ready to back up your decisions.”
I shrug and tense, every muscle coiled.
Do I really have what it takes to take my father on?
I like my odds in a one-on-one battle, but I know it won’t be as simple as that. He’s got men and women who are loyal to him and would come after me for a chance to curry favor with him. Having the upper hand in one battle isn’t enough to end this. My mind races as I imagine all the ways this could spiral, and I wonder for the umpteenth time if this was our enemy’s plan all along.
Maybe kidnapping London wasn’t to spite me or make me find them another location.
Maybe it was about sitting back and watching as we tear ourselves from within, brick by painful brick.
