“I won‘t ask you to.” Her expression hardens. “He was willing to sabotage you and destroy your family for money and power. He’s not the man I thought he was, and he‘s certainly not the father I want.”

The fierce conviction in her tone makes me smile. My brave little hellcat, so strong and loyal.

She lifts her chin, meeting my gaze steadily. “Do what you need to do, but can you promise me one thing?”

“Anything,” I whisper.

“Don’t kill him, please. He is still my father.” She averts her gaze.

I look at her and smile. “I expected nothing else,” and kiss her on her forehead. The world might try to ruin Genevieve, but her values will always shine bright, and for that, she has my whole heart.

I pull her close, claiming her mouth in a searing kiss. She melts into me with a soft moan, her hands tangling in my hair.

However, she pulls away sooner than I’d like. “Go,” she says fiercely. “Finish what you must, and come back to me safely.”

***

Boris, Lev, and I wait until past midnight when we make our way to Gerald’s mansion. He still hasn’t left the city; too arrogant to believe we’d actually catch him in the act.

Time to disabuse him of that notion.

I walk between Lev and Boris, our formidable presence enough to deter any guards from approaching too closely. They won’t stop Gerald Russo’s son-in-law from entering the compound. They wouldn’t dare.

I lead the way, gun at the ready in my coat pocket, just in case.

After so many years under Gerald’s tyrannical rule, justice was at hand.

“Halt!” A guard steps into our path, rifle aimed at my chest. “State your business, or I open fire.”

I smirk, glancing at my brothers. “So Russo found out we were coming. By all means,” I turn to the guard. “Give it your best shot.”

The guard’s eyes widen. He fumbles for the trigger, cursing when Boris wrenches the gun from his hands and presses it under his chin.

“Where is he?” Boris growls.

The guard sputters. “W-who?”

“Enough games,” Lev snaps, cracking his knuckles. “Take us to Gerald Russo. Now.”

“I-I can’t—”

“Lev, if you please.”

My brother grabs the guard and twists his arm behind his back, eliciting a sharp cry of pain. “Talk, or you’ll lose this arm. Five. Four. Thr—”

“The study!” The guard gasps. “He’s in his study, top floor. I swear!”

I nod at Lev, who releases the guard with a shove. He scrambles away, leaving us to advance to the mansion.

“You heard the man,” I say grimly. “Time for a visit with dear old Gerald.”

We storm up the stairs and down the hall to Gerald’s study, not bothering to knock before entering.

Gerald whirls around, eyes widening at the sight of us. “What is the meaning of this?” He bellows, clutching at the papers on his desk. “How dare you barge in here!”

“Cut the act, Gerald.” I stride forward, my brothers by my side. “We know everything. About the poisoned needles, about your deal with Alexai. All of it.”

The color drains from his face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”