Page 49 of Vicious Redemption

Tia might have made me soft. She’s made me question my morals and the concept of violence just for the sake of violence. But that doesn’t mean I can’t revel in the victory of making my enemies cower before me. And if I can’t make this alliance work, then that’s exactly what these men are to me.

“I asked my men to bring you here today so we could have a little chat. Because I think there’s been something of a misunderstanding between us. Our families are supposed to be allies. That fact was set in stone the day Don Guerra gave his eldest daughter away at our wedding. And because of that fact, I’m willing to give you a second chance. I’m willing to overlook your attempted robbery and blatant sabotage at the town hall if the man responsible for shooting Don Moretti will step forward.”

Thick silence weighs heavily in the room as several men exchange confused glances.

Then Maury scoffs. “What, you think we’re idiots? We’re not going to fall for your false promises. You intend to kill us all.”

Leveling him with a flat gaze, I keep my voice low and deadly. “You’re questioning my honesty when your don agreed to peace between our families just weeks before you opened fire on my men?”

You could hear a pin drop in the stillness that follows.

And only after Maury swallows visibly do I continue. “I assure you that Tia is the only thing protecting your scrawny, unworthy necks right now. I’m only willing to give you a second chance—something I never give—because against all odds, Don Guerra has raised an angel of mercy who’s convinced me to spare her family.”

The stunned expressions that greet me now are nothing shy of awed. And another look passes between the Guerra men as they silently debate whether they could possibly have heard me correctly.

“Oh please,” Maury sneers, though it’s notably quieter this time, as if he’s not sure he wants me to hear him say it.

“Shut the fuck up, cous,” the man next to him snaps.

The energy in the room shifts as the rest of the men seem to turn against Maury, leaving him alone in his bullheaded stubbornness.

“So, is anyone willing to claim responsibility for shooting Don Moretti?” I turn my eyes to the rest of the men, pausing briefly on each face to see if I can read the guilt in his eyes.

But before I make it down the entire line, one man shuffles forward. Sweat dampens his hair and trickles down his temples, and he’s shaking from head to toe. Still, he dares to meet my eyes, and I can see the truth before he says a word.

“My bullet is the one that hit him,” he breathes and gulps.

I nod, rather impressed by his honesty when it’s clearly taking every ounce of his courage to do so. “Thank you for your honesty,” I say calmly. “I genuinely hope you’re as strong as the man you shot.” Reaching casually inside my suit jacket, I draw my .45 caliber, aim, and punch a bullet through his gut.

“What the fuck!” Maury bellows as the man drops to his hands and knees, blood spurting from his lips.

He groans, collapsing to his side as he curls around the wound, holding his stomach.

Chaos erupts, and the Guerra men seem to forget their sense of self-preservation. They bellow, their faces livid as more than one calls me a liar. My men quickly get them back under control, forcing several to their knees when they try to fight.

“You said you’d show us mercy!” one man shouts, his fists balling as he glares me down.

“I showed you more mercy than I’ve ever shown traitors like you before. This is more mercy than I give men who think they can steal from me,” I point out, gesturing to the injured man with the muzzle of my gun. “And maybe if you fuckwads stop pointing fingers and shouting, you might be able to get your friend to the hospital in time to save his life.”

Astonishment mingles with fury as they fall silent once more. And with a jerk of my chin, I signal my men to release them. They scramble to collect their wounded companion, and hoisting him between them, they rush out the door in search of medical aid.

“Johnny, see them off my property, will you? I don’t want anyone sticking around.”

“On it, boss,” he agrees, gesturing for his men to follow.

They filter out, leaving only Rasco behind to share the sudden silence.

I stare down at the pool of blood forming a fresh stain on the old and rotting wood floor.

“Bold move. You think it’ll work?” he asks after a long pause.

“I guess we’ll find out, won’t we?” I ask, giving him a bitter smile.

In truth, if I could have gotten away with it, I might not have shot anybody. I was most tempted to shoot Maury, but as he’s Tia’s cousin, that would have been a bigger risk.

Instead, I tried the eye-for-an-eye strategy. At least that gives the message that anyone who hurts my family will face serious consequences. I just hope it doesn’t leave anyone thinking they might take a second shot at it. That’s the danger of being merciful. It could come back and bite me in the ass.

But if I truly want to remove the cancerous source of rebellion, I would have to kill Don Guerra. And I made Tia a promise.

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