Making the drive back to the city, I drop Ivelisse off with Harlyn. I don’t want anything to happen to her while I deal with my uncle and this is one of the only places that no one knows of. Pulling up to the high-rise apartment, I put the truck in park and make my way over to her door. She’s passed out from the crash of adrenaline. Picking her up, I shut the door and carry her inside.
It’s a little after ten and I’m sure Harlyn isn’t expecting anyone. When she opens the door, she’s wearing that damn Draconic Crimson tee shirt that’s been washed way too many times that it’s fading.
“What happened?” she asks, ushering me inside quickly.
“She’s fine, just crashed from the adrenaline rush. I need to leave her here. It’s the safest place I have right now.” She nods her head and moves down the hallway and towards a room. When I moved her in, I gave her cash and told her to decorate the place however she wanted. I didn’t realize how good she would do at it. Maybe when I get a new place, I can have her decorate this time.
“I need to go. Can you make sure she’s good when she wakes up?” I look down at my girl. Her eyes are still closed, her chest rising and falling gently. Almost like the last ten hours hasn’t happened.
“Don’t worry, she’ll be fine here.” Harlyn gives me a weak smile and I tell her that he’s fine.
“He got shot, but I think it was a through and through. He’ll live.” A tear slides down her cheek and I feel bad for even telling her that he got shot, but it’s too late now. She knows and now she’s going to worry about how he’s doing. Maybe she’ll finally answer the phone for him when he calls.
“I’ll be back in a few hours. I need to end this war within the family before they come after us again.” She nods her head and walks with me out of the room.
“Please make sure nothing happens to that stubborn bastard,” she says as we come to a stop at the front door.
“I will. Tell Ivelisse I love her and I’ll be back soon.” I kiss her forehead before opening the door and walking out. The drive over to the meeting place that Ilias was telling me about before we headed out from the cabin is quick. I park a mile back and take off on foot. By the time I get to the meet place, I see Viktor and Ilias talking.
Ilias looks pissed and Viktor is shaking his head at him like he did something wrong. “I dealt with him and that bitch. Get off my damn back,” Ilias sneers. It isn’t like him to talk back to Viktor or me, so this is surprising.
“Do I need to remind you what you’ll lose if you don’t finish the damn job?” Viktor snarls back at him.
“You act like your threats mean shit to me. I live as a fuckin’ ghost. No one will even know if I’m gone, except this family. You run to me when you need help.” He’s clenching his fists and I watch as someone comes out of the trees quietly, sneaking up on Ilias. Before the guy can put the gun to his head, I point mine at the guy’s head and pull the trigger.
The guy drops to the ground next to Ilias and both of their heads turn to me. Viktor is now outnumbered. His eyes are wild as he looks around the wooded area we are in. I slowly make my way towards them and Ilias doesn’t say another word. I don’t know exactly what the job Viktor wanted done, but this shit is over. I’m taking over the family and I’ll lead them the way they need to be led.
“You’re supposed to be dead,” Viktor breathes. He looks frightened right now and I can’t help but grin.
“Maybe you should have planned better, Uncle Viktor,” I smirk. I walk over to stand next to Ilias and give him a pat on the shoulder. “So what were you going to lose, Ilias?” I ask. I’m curious to see what type of threats Uncle Viktor was making against my right hand.
“He threatened to take my sister out if I didn’t kill Leif.” I shake my head at that. Threatening a family member isn’t how the Levin Family has ever done business. We protect our family, not take them out.
“Seems like a theme these days,” I laugh dryly. “You seem to want me dead as well, uncle.” He starts to move, but Ilias grabs him and kicks his legs out from under him. His body hits the ground hard and I don’t feel an ounce of compassion for the bastard.
“I bet you were the one who had my father killed as well,” I state. I don’t have the proof, but judging by the way he was okay with tossing me to the sharks for not following an order to kill my wife’s brother. The same order that Ilias has now.
He pales at my words and he doesn’t even need to give me the answer.
Instead I ask the one question that I’ve been dying to find out. “Why? Why take him from us?”
“He was a damn rat. He was selling information to the Abelli Family. Marrying you off to his daughter has always been the plan. But once I heard you met some little whore and were getting comfortable, I had to press the marriage issue. I couldn’t let you find someone else and marry them before I got that family right where I wanted them,” he spits. He’s pissed and I still don’t get the whole damn story.
“You killed my unborn child when you put the hit on me. You knew they were hitting my house that night and that’s why you called me in for a sit down with Stavros.” He tries to fight Ilias off, but it’s no use for the old man. He isn’t the tough boss that I used to look up to when I first joined the ranks. He’s weak now.
“Good. You shouldn’t fucking reproduce with that little whore.” He swings his body, almost pulling out of Ilias’ grip. I put my fist into his gut and his knees give out. He gasps for breath, but I don’t give a fuck, I hit him again. He’s the cause of the shit I’ve been through the last few months. Nothing he can say or do will bring back our child.
“The ironic part of this story,” I take a step back from him so he can look at me. “She’s the girl I had been with for months before you told me I was marrying her. You trying to kill her only made it so I had to dig up information about the past. The past you wanted to keep hidden.” His eyes widen at that and I kick him, the top of my boot connecting with his jaw.
His head flies back and he falls back into Ilias legs. Ilias moves from the force, but he doesn’t let Viktor move from his current spot. “I’m taking over the Levin Family. You’re done. Oh, I even have another little surprise for you.” I grab my phone from my pocket and show him the screen.
He looks at me with a confused expression on his face, so I clue him in on what is happening. “You see, I had this conference call like thing on. So I just happened to dial two numbers.” His eyes narrow at me, so I continue. “One of those numbers belongs to Giovanni Abelli. At first, he didn’t believe me when I told him what your plan was…” I pause for a second before I ask Giovanni what his opinion of this shit is.
“I should have fucking seen this shit. I knew my man didn’t kill Aleksandar Levin. He was a good man. He never once ratted your family out. He was helping me flush out a mole in my organization. He was the best at what he did and he did exactly want I needed him to. Nikolai, I would like to continue the peace between our families with the agreement we sent forth on your wedding.”
“Of course,” I reply. I then turn my attention back to Viktor. “Now Viktor, the other number I called belongs to Stas. Right now he is in a meeting with the men who are still standing in our family. They’ve heard your deceit and they know that you would kill your own flesh and blood just to get what you want.”
I motion to Ilias to let him go and he does. He pushes Viktor away from him and walks towards me. “My suggestion is to never show your face on our turf again. You do and I won’t stop any of them from killing you like the dog you fucking are. Viktor, you’re dead to me, Stavros, and the entire Levin Family.”
I hang up the phone and Ilias and I start to walk to where I left my car. “Nikolai.” Viktor shouts out behind us. I turn around and look at his pathetic self. He’s still on the ground, barely moving his old body.
“What?” I ask. I don’t even give a fuck what he has to say right now. It doesn’t matter. Nothing matters but getting back to my girl and making sure she’s okay after the shit she saw earlier today.
“Your old man would be proud.” Grabbing my gun, I point it and pull the trigger. The sound of air escaping one of his SUV tires causes him to turn his head and look at it. I shoot out another one before I turn and start walking again.
“Go to hell,” I bite out. Words won’t make up for the shit that he put me and my family through. Nothing will erase the pain and misery that we’ve had to live with over the years. Nothing will bring back my unborn child.
When we reach the car, Ilias stops me. “Why didn’t you kill him?” His question is exactly what I thought he’d ask me. Shit, I’ve been asking myself the whole time since we started walking.
“Killing him would let him off easy. He knows what he’s taken from me. He’s taken my unborn child and the life of my father. He almost took the life of my wife. Now I’m taking everything that matters to him away. The Levin Family is the only thing that old bastard cares about anymore. Not being a part of it will eat him alive. Plus if he even thinks about coming near any of us, I’ll give the green light.”
He nods his head before getting into my car. I look back one last time and blow out a breath.
As much as I want to kill him, I’d rather he suffer. Suffer for all the pain he’s caused. He isn’t worthy of being our leader anymore and I sure as hell will do my best to be the man they need leading this family.
A leader worth the respect of my men and my family.