“You’re going to have to be more specific.”
He looks up with his anguished blue eyes, so much like his sister’s.
“He put out a hit on Afton.”
My expression makes him blanch but he keeps talking. “I just found out last night. He’s been so strange lately, making stupid decisions and getting our people killed-”
“Tell me about the attempt on my wife.” My voice is barely recognizable, more of a growl and I can feel the red mist risingin the back of my mind, like lightning before a storm, fighting to get loose.
“A week ago, last Friday,” he says, the words tumbling out in a desperate stream. “I managed to get a hold of his phone yesterday and enabled the screen mirroring feature. I heard his conversation with a broker, screaming at the man because the three people he sent in didn’t finish the job.” Running his hand through his hair, Sam stood up, pacing back and forth. “It took me a minute to realize he was talking about Afton. His own daughter,” he spat.
“He wants to start a war with the MacTavishes by claiming you killed his daughter and broke the alliance. It would give him the excuse that could pit more families against you. The Matsumori Yakuza is pulling away, too many fuckups, thanks to Dad. But honor will demand they supply us with guns and manpower as part of our alliance.”
I think of that strange meeting with Kenji, just before the drones were stolen. He knew then that Cavendish is a treacherous fuck.
“Where is he now?” My fury is beating against my sanity like waves against the beach and I can’t hold it off forever.
“You have to be the one to kill him,” Sam babbles. “I can’t do it. No one will follow me if I take out my own father. But you taking vengeance for the attempt on Afton’s life-”
“Do you know that you have not asked once about your sister?” I stand, carefully buttoning my jacket, forcing myself to stay composed. “You didn’t ask if she was injured in the attack.”
I’m walking slowly, herding him into a corner. “Did you know that your father forced her to spy for him? That he stole a shipment of extremely lethal drones with her intel?” My hand shot out, gripping his neck and slamming him against the wall.“In most families, a betrayal like that means death. So, when that didn’t work, Cavendish took out a hit on his own daughter?”
“I- I didn’t know!” Sam says desperately, gripping my wrist. “You can fucking snap my neck but I didn’t know until last night. That’s why I’m here, you asshole!” His face is almost purple before I force myself to let go. He slides to the floor, coughing.
“I deserve that,” he rasps, “but try it again and I’ll fucking gut you.”
That makes me chuckle. “Maybe it’s a family trait. That’s exactly what Afton did to the man who tried to stab her.”
“What?” He’s back on his feet, tenderly massaging his neck. “No. That can’t be right.”
“Yes. Your sister, the one who your pitiful excuse for a father tried to turn into a useless hothouse flower. She disarmed the poor bastard and stabbed him in the stomach with his own knife. She protected my mother as well.”
It would be so easy to pull him through that open door and throw his worthless hide over the balcony…
“I want to make this right,” he says, coughing and wheezing. “That’s why I’m here. I want to protect Afton-”
“She doesn’t need your protection,” I interrupt him, “and your efforts thus far have been a spectacular failure, haven’t they?” I know I’m being unfair. If he did just learn this last night, he’s taking the right steps.
But I still despise him.
“I know.” He holds up an appeasing hand, coughing some more. “I still have my mother and Lucia to think of. All the men and women who work for us. Their families. My father is a fuckingmadman to think he can take on you MacTavishes, but his ego is too big. Help me end this now.”
Closing my eyes, I force the bloody tide back into its prison in the back of my mind.
Not now. I’ll let you out to play later. We’ll enjoy every minute of it.
The Cavendish Syndicate will be loyal to you,” Sam says earnestly. “One hundred percent.”
I step closer, watching him try to hide a flinch.
“Where,” I say slowly and precisely, “is your father now?”
Chapter Thirty-Six
In which Afton is forced to face reality.
Mason…
