Page 13 of Blood & Heartache

Strangely, that made perfect sense and could account for why it was hell to recover from the days she reared her nasty head more often than not. I’d gone almost two years without having slipped, and clearly, I was feeling the effects of it full force. Before, it seemed every other day I’d get locked away in my own body for who knew how long. Groaning, I rubbed my face with my hands, trying to forget those dark days and reminding myself it was all behind me. I’d survived and proved nothing could keep me from taking my place in the Family.

Fuck—that’s right, the Family, Raffa, being the last full-blooded heir. Goddammit, why can’t things just be simple for once?

“Astin,” Atticus said, gripping my ankle. “What’s wrong?”

Shoving my hands through my hair, I looked up, letting out a tired sigh. “I think the easier answer to that would be what’s right?”

A heavy knock at the door had me sitting up and clearing my expression, knowing the staff couldn’t see anything from me but assuredness. “Come in,” I called.

When the door opened, it wasn’t the staff that brought the coffee but my remaining four lieutenants. Ryker had the tray with coffee and fixings, Jace had cups, Braxton had a basket of muffins, and Gunner brought up the rear with plates and more pastries.

“Wow, breakfast in bed… now this is something I could get used to,” I said with a grin.

Braxton flopped down on the bed, offering up his basket of goodies. “Only the best for our queen.”

Taking stock of the choices, I grabbed one that I thought might be almond or possibly pistachio if the green color was any indication. “So what do I owe to this special gathering? Maybe I should be asking if something went wrong… are you trying to butter me up?”

“Can’t we just want to do something nice after the past couple of days you’ve been having?” Gunner asked as he handed me a plate with a knife. “Besides, you really shouldn’t be on your leg today, so we figured it would be easier to bring breakfast to you.”

Jace appeared with a lap tray he placed over my legs then Ryker planted the extremely full mug of coffee on it, making it so I couldn’t fight back. Not that I was going to, but I liked to keep my options open. These assholes were doing everything they could to keep me corralled in bed. Setting the plate and muffin down, I glowered at them.

“Okay, who came up with the plan to trap me here?” I demanded. “There is way too much to do for me to simply be sitting here.”

“That’s what a laptop and cell phone are for,” Ryker countered. “You can do whatever you need to right here. No moving needed. We can do our work in your living room, and if you need anything, just yell.”

Snatching up the knife, I pointed it at him. “I should have known it was you. Who else would have the balls to pull this kind of coup and believe they’ll live through it?”

“Astin.” The man’s tone was so condescending I just wanted to scream.

I used to love how worried he was about me and followed me around, making sure I didn’t do something stupid. Now it was just fucking irritating and smothering. How is it that the one thing I used to love turned into the thing I rebelled against?

“Don’t you Astin me,” I warned. “Need I remind you that I’m the head of the Caprioni Family now?”

“Actually, you’re not,” another voice chimed in.

My head snapped to the entrance of my bedroom to find Liu dressed in a three-piece suit sans jacket which was laid over his arm. He looked like he’d walked right out of a men’s fashion magazine. His black hair was swept back from his face showing off the damn chiseled jaw he had, thanks to his father’s Italian genes. Liu predominantly took after his mother who was Chinese with deep brown eyes, more almond-shaped, and that amazing skin that would probably never truly show his age. Granted, he was only a few years older than me, so I planned to give him a run for his money.

“Would you care to explain to me how exactly I’m not the boss of the Caprioni Family?” I asked, trying not to let on how fucking pissed I was for him to say that to me. “I’m heir to all my father’s estate, businesses, land, and anything else that was in his name or Caprioni Enterprises. Not to mention I was named underboss and, as such, positioned to take over when father chose to step down or, as in this situation, passed.”

Was this guy finally going to make his move? Had he been waiting for the right time to steal all of this from me? Technically, he had the Caprioni name as a legally adopted son, and he knew the ins and out of this world as well as I did. Seriously, I get rid of one snake only to find another.

Liu took my demand as an invitation to join the rest of us. He walked up to the bed then perched on the corner of it, ignoring Braxton, who was still sprawled across that half of the mattress. “Let me clarify that statement.”

“You’d better.” I all but growled.

“What I meant is that legally you’re the heir to everything that belonged to Colmazio Caprioni. That isn’t in question. When I say that you’re not the leader of the Caprioni Family, I mean, you haven’t presented yourself to the founding families back in the motherland. It is tradition to notify them of the passing of one Boss and the rise of the new Boss. Then there is the official gathering of the members here where you greet them as your new title, and they swear fealty to you as the Boss,” Liu explained. “This all needs to happen within the next few days, or someone else is going to try and take it from you.”

Rage at the thought of anyone daring to make that kind of move had Braxton and Luca surging forward to grab the tray and coffee before I flung it all over the place. Before I even realized I’d done it, a knife in my hand was at Liu’s throat, and we were both on the floor. Somehow, I’d managed to get the blade from the sheath built into the headboard and tackled him. To the man’s credit, he didn’t look nearly as scared as he should be. In fact, his hands were on my hips as if holding me steady.

“Is that someone going to be you?” I snarled. “Should I take out my competition right here and now and save myself the trouble later on?”

His eyes never wavering from mine, he shook his head slightly. “I don’t want it, never have and never will. That position has been yours since the day you were born, and we all know it. Even if I’d dared to think about staking a claim, I’d have changed my mind after meeting you. Your father was right, you’re exactly who we need running things. It took me two seconds to realize that upon meeting you, Astin. I’m not a threat. In fact, I want to be your ally and assist you as I did your father.”

The truth and vulnerability I saw in his face told me he was telling the truth, but I didn’t understand. “Why? Why be an assistant when you have the right to ask for any position in this organization?”

“Your father…” he started, then paused, sadness and grief flooding his eyes. “He saw something in me, took a chance, and gave me a family. Only he did more than that. He gave me a name to be proud of, and all I’ve wanted is to ensure that name stays that way. I’m not a leader, never been strong or confident enough to do what was needed. If I had been, then I’d have found my own way to be free of my mother instead of being rescued by your father. With him gone, I know without a doubt what he’d have asked of me if he could have. It would absolutely be to make sure his daughter, who he loved more than anything in the world, was looked after and protected. That, Astin, is what I’m really fucking good at. So let me do the one thing I know to honor your father and the man who gave me everything that’s of any value to my life.”

Slowly, I removed the blade from his skin and noticed a nick on his throat. I’d been careless and rash, and I knew better than that. Yet another side effect of succumbing to the darkness—impulsiveness. Sitting up, I forgot about my leg, and the stab of pain as I pulled on the wound had me hissing. Liu reacted instantly, and I was on my back, him hovering over me, watching me with a worried expression. You know, I think he actually cares about me… how odd.