Izzy steps in. “I’ll go tomorrow.”
Lance’s tone rips through the air. “The fuck you will, you’ll go right now.”
Izzy pushes her hair off her shoulder and squares up against Lance. “I can’t. We’re short-staffed, and we have half our VIP clients at the Aurora Awards. I need to be at the office.”
Lance shakes his head and starts pacing. “You don’t need to be there.” For the first time, I see genuine anger in Lance’s eyes as he turns to speak to Alana. He points his finger like a gun. “You put a laser scope on this family when you pissed off the Deviant.” He takes a breath and goes for the jugular. “There were other ways you could’ve handled it, but instead you nuked everything he had and made him more dangerous.”
“You aren’t Four Families. You’re one of mine,” Alana says. Hmm. I can’t think of a single time Alana has made him choose sides. Maybe until now it’s never been a problem.
He laces his fingers with Izzy. “I’m close enough to be family.” Us. Shit, he picked us over her.
Does she feel betrayed? I’d feel betrayed if my best friend and partner picked his fiancée over me. Lance and Alana have literally battled side by side, been by each other’s bedside when healing. Ouch.
Alana crosses her arms and says, “I need her. But I promise you, I will personally drive her to the safe house as soon as everything is set.” She compromised, interesting tactic. I mean if I was in Lance’s shoes, would I pick Jenny over Donny? Yes. Uri and Thiago, I might pause a little bit before making my choice. But I think Jenny might still win.
“I hate this.” He turns away.
“Noted.” She turns her head to face the rest of the group. “Uri and Dimitri, you’re with me tonight too.”
There’s an uneasiness in the group. Aunt Dawn raises her eyebrow. “You aren’t going to tell them why?”
“It’s not necessary,” Alana responds. But the mounting tension in the air says otherwise.
Gio flexes his fingers in and out, his knuckles cracking with early arthritis. Carlos chews on his cheek, and Duncan’s chest puffs out for five seconds and slowly releases—deep breathing to calm his nerves. The old guard of the Four Families knows something. But it’s the quiet rage of the aunts. Those glares that mean ‘Oh shit, you’re in trouble.’ And it’s the kind that could take years to repair.
Donny got those glares when he stole Aunt Dawn’s car and wrapped it around a tree. It wasn’t the car that hurt her, or the theft, or even the stupidity of driving drunk. In the trunk of the car was a box of crystal sent from Italy that belonged to her great grandmother. It had been passed down to every woman in the family. Izzy would never get her piece. It was the breaking of tradition that was the biggest crime of all. It took Aunt Dawn almost five years to be able to look Donny in the eyes again.
“Alana, you’re far more loyal to this family than most of its members,” Dawn says, and locks eyes with Uri. “You work for her full time now. She bought you.”
The tension tightens around the room as all eyes shift to Alana.
Alana states, “It was a temporary relocation of resources.” No emotion, all facts. It’s a harsh reminder of who she used to be when she first started working with us. Icy, terrifying, and callous. It hurts to see it again, but on a whole different level than the betrayal Andrey unleashed when he shunned Uri.
Andrey sneers and crosses his arms, his eyes narrowing on Uri and Dimitri, standing next to one another. “I don’t want either of them, too weak.” If the words wounded them, they’re smart enough not to show it. “Dimitri is the father to the last heir of the Koslov empire, and Uri…” he slams his eyes shut and turns away.
In the darkest possible outcomes for our family, we always knew this was a possibility. But it was never official. Never stated aloud and recorded on high like gospel.
It’s like a sucker punch to the balls.
Fuck. Uncle Andrey drops his head and none of the other uncles or aunts will acknowledge him. Alana didn’t buy Uri and Dimitri, Andrey sold them.
A new dread forms in my stomach. Thiago and I are the only heirs left. The Four Families will die off. We’re already breaking down.
Uri's face can’t hide the pain of betrayal. He doesn't have the rage I’ve seen when he speaks to his father. No, this is more disappointment. A failure. He turns away from the rest of the group.
Dimitri was never truly Four Families. He lives on our good will. But he’s loyal to Uri and Alana.
Dimitri crosses his arms. "We're safer with her anyway.”
“It’s temporary,” Alana tries to reassure everyone, but it’s not working.
We’re all holding it together the best we can. Except Donny, who starts pacing, which is the sign of an angry meltdown.
Alana’s sharp inhale commands attention. “I need Uri and Dimitri ready at all times. We don’t know when or where the attacks will come. But without a doubt, it will happen soon.”
Donny raises his hand. “What about us?” He points to me and Thiago, then the rest of the uncles. “What do we do?” I don’t know if he’s talking about this moment and the battle plan, or our future.
“Business as usual. Show no weakness,” Uncle Gio says, and the other uncles agree.
