Page 72 of Vicious Reign

I nod once.

“Come on now, Miss Walsh. I know you like to chat. In fact, I heard you can be quite vocal.” His smile slips with the last few words. He scans me from head to toe, and I suppress the urge to stiffen under his scrutiny. His gaze feels slimy and slick like oil over my skin.

He shifts his stance, turning to face me as if he’s sharing a secret. “See, the thing is, my son has been an ungrateful asshole. I gave him the world. And this is how he chooses to repay me?” He throws his hands up in the air.

“He’s trying to take my family from me, but I taught him better than that.” He slams his open palm against his chest, right above his heart. “If you want something, you take it. If someone's in your way, you eliminate them. He knows better than that, Madison. I taught him to be better.”

Chills roll down my spine as I stare at the man in front of me. He jumps from jovial to sarcasm to rage too quickly, it’s hard to keep up.

He pauses and runs his hands through his hair, smoothing it off his forehead. He sniffs a big lungful of air and looks at me again. “Imagine my surprise when I learned that my son has been planning a revolution right underneath my nose—for how long now? What did you say, Dante?”

Dante just grunts, and despite my heart crying out for him, I don't take my eyes from the predator in front of me.

“Yes, well, Dante hasn't been nearly as chatty as I hope you will be, Madison. See, I don't want to have to ruin that pretty face. Not yet, at least, because you and I, we've got plans. Big plans.”

My lip curls, his words crawling over my skin like a swarm of centipedes.

“So now I have to teach my son a bit of tough love. Isn’t that what they're saying these days?” He waves his hand in the air as if to dismiss the thought. “You might be thinking I'm going to kill them. You'd be wrong. Where's the tough love if he’s not around to learn his lesson? No. I have a much better idea in mind.” He’s positively gleeful.

Horror settles into my bones, turning my soul a bone-chilling cold. I’ve watched enough true crime to know that if someone ever divulges their plans to you it’s because they don’t plan on you being around long enough to do or say anything.

“You’re going to kill me.” I’m proud that my voice only shakes slightly.

He runs a thumb over his eyebrow as he looks at me. There’s an apology in his eyes for a moment, but then he opens his mouth and it disappears. “Well, yes. But not before you kill Dante. Then I’m going to kill you and make Matteo watch—tough love, remember—but before that happens, I’m going to have you for myself for a while. I heard you’re into sharing.”

He stares at me, cruelty deepening the darkness on his face. Evil shines through his dark eyes. This time I don't suppress the shiver of revulsion. It skates down my spine as fear douses me in a hot flash.

I made a vow to myself, the stars, and any god that was listening—especially fate—that tricky bitch, fate. I vowed to take myself out of the equation before I ever go through that. And that I’d take them down with me or die trying.

He’s oblivious to my inner resolve hardening and claps his hands together. “There’s something so satisfying about a plan coming together, don’t you think? I bet you’re wondering how long I’ve known about my son’s little coup? Excellent question.” He clasps his hands behind his back and paces in front of me. Never coming closer. Just five paces to the left, five to the right, back and forth. “Well the short answer is: for a long time. But”—he stops mid stride and holds up his index finger—"I didn't know the depth until very recently. See, I had help.”

The metal door screeches as it opens behind me, and I whirl around to see Aries stride in, head held high and shoulders back.

“Aries.” I take two hurried steps toward him when I see the look on his face. He’s cold and calculating, staring at me with a sort of detachment I’ve never seen on him before. It cleaves my heart in two, and I gasp.

“Ah, she gets it. You were right, son. She is bright.” Angelo practically purrs with excitement.

“Of course I am. I told you she’d fall for the texting trick. It was child’s play.”

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