“Sylar,” Church snapped. “Enough. That’s my sister you’re talking about.”
“Who is an excellent lover,” Asylum continued. “But I digress. Is it weird that I’ve been with her more recently than you have?” He looked directly at Enzo. “Bet that’s eating you up right now to know I’ve been there. That she said my name long after she said yours.”
Enzo glared at him. “I’m going to kill you someday.”
“No, you’re not.” Asylum waved him off. “You’ll end up being my best friend and mourn my death after I die of old age.”
“Take him out of here,” Church snapped. Shadow sprang forward and grabbed Asylum’s arm.
“You always do this shit,” Shadow muttered as he dragged him out.
“What shit?” Asylum pulled a carrot from his back pocket and bit into it.
“Make shit weird, man. You need to stop.” Shadow’s voice faded away as he dragged Asylum from the room.
“Let me go,” Cole demanded. “I have shit to do.”
“OK.” Church settled back in his seat, and his men released the guys.
Cole frowned and looked around.
“You’re free. Luka is taking you home. Don’t fuck up again, or I’ll kill you next time. Stay away from my sister unless you’re going to be a permanent fixture in her life. If you’re not, fuck all the way off. If she’s hurt, if she cries, if she has one sad thought because of any of you, I will kill you and eat you with a side of potatoes. Got it?” Church glared at all of us. I had no doubt that he was telling the truth. I could still see dried blood beneath his nails from the last ones who crossed him.
“We’re… free? That’s it?” Enzo asked.
“Unless I change my mind.”
“You do realize I’m going to fucking kill Evan, right?” Enzo said, his voice low and gravelly. “Four words from me when I leave here is all it’s going to take to put him in the ground where he’s supposed to be.”
“And I do hope you try, because Evan, unlike you, has an entire army behind him. I will lay waste to your entire empire, De Luca. Fucking try me. You’re messing with my brother. My sister. My niece. Believe me when I tell you that’s not something you’re going to want to do. The only reason I’m letting you go right now is that my sister seems to think you’re worth saving. Don’t make a liar out of her. Now have a good fucking day andget out of my sight.” Church gave him a pointed look. “Luka, we’ll be in touch.”
I stood and went to the guys, knowing Enzo was pissed. We needed to get out of here before he said anything else fucking stupid. I understood his anger because I felt it too, but threatening Dante Church and his family wasn’t the way to solve it.
“I do hope you had adequate time to think in the underground. The next time I put you down there, your quarters won’t be as comfortable.”
We paused, and Enzo nodded once to let him know we understood, before we walked out of the mansion and into the evening air. No one said a word as we got into my Range Rover.
Once we were on the road and away from the underground, Enzo spoke.
“You made a deal with him?”
“Not really.”
“Don’t fucking lie, E. What do you have to do?” Enzo demanded.
“One thing of his choosing. Anything he wants,” I murmured. “Any day. I can’t say no.”
“Fuck,” Cole groaned. “What the fuck, man? Why would you do that?—”
“Because I love you and you’re my brothers,” I replied softly. “I wanted you home.”
Enzo sighed but didn’t say anything.
“So… you guys know about Evan?” I asked.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Enzo muttered. “I just want to go home and make sure my empire is still standing. If I seeEvan, he’s fucking dead.”
I nodded.
