Page 106 of Cruel Knots

“Fucking moron,” I mutter in disgust and move away from him.

The four men thrash on the floor, desperate for a gulp of air. Dread soon settles in their eyes as they realize death is hovering close by.

Ten minutes later, all four members of the Morelli family lie dead at my feet.

I look around the room, taking note of the upturned chairs and untidy carpet. What a mess, I think with a frown.

Grabbing a pair of plastic gloves from inside my jacket, I get to work.

Over the next hour, I straighten the chairs and take my time to clean up the drool and foam from my victims’ mouths and fix their clothes.

I stage my kill by placing the four dead Morelli men around the table. Gabriel is back at the head of the table with his sons surrounding him. They’re all made to lean against the backrest of their chairs, giving the illusion they’re still sitting upright and having a conversation.

The mess they made is all cleaned up. Every object is back in its place. The poison-laced liquors are drained out from their respective decanters and replaced with their original contents. I even clean out the glass tumblers and poured regular bourbon in them, setting them before each member.

The police will be scratching their heads for a long time trying to figure out the way the Morellis died. They wouldn’t find any trace of the poison in the drinks or anywhere in the house.

The poison I used on them is a special concoction. It’s a Volkov specialty and usually goes undetected during forensic inspections. The cops will only know how the Morelli men died, not the cause.

Perfect, I decide, staring at the scene before me.

The news channels will be all over this murder over the next couple of days. Speculations on why and how the Morelli men died would be the top subject of gossip and discussion.

It’s the perfect way to send my message to all the influential men who know of our existence. Everyone from the most powerful mob bosses to the politicians who control our city will know the consequence of getting involved in a conspiracy against the Volkov clan.

Callum Baldwin is going to have a very difficult time convincing anyone to lend him their men and power. My brothers and I are going to make sure he knows how powerless he’s against us.

Killing him is easy but we want him to go through the same hell as us. We’ll shatter his arrogance and pride before grounding his bones to dust.

I wonder how Lucia truly feels about everything. At the end of the day, Callum is still her brother. Even if she hates him, would she be okay with us killing him?

Killing was the way of a Volkov's life. This is something that Lucia must accept if she wants to become a part of our pack.

Mikhail is convinced she’ll be able to accept us but I still have my doubts.

Lucia’s pretty face rises before my eyes. My dick throbs, wanting to taste the tightness of her perfect pussy. It’s almost a thirst I can’t wait to quench.

The need to see her suddenly overwhelms me. With one last look at the dead Morelli men, I melt among the shadows and make my exit from their pretentious villa.

31

Damien

Chimes of the ancient grandfather clock echo in the hallway as I enter the manor. The time is exactly midnight.

Everything is still and quiet inside Volkov Manor. Mikhail is away on his mission to keep tabs on his street messengers while Leon is still locked with the traitors. Lilja is either sleeping in her room or out partying.

My feet follow a familiar path and stop before a door. The woman I’ve been yearning to see is locked inside the room.

Keying in the passcode to the lock, I open the door.

My heartbeat races at the sight before me. Lucia is asleep on the bed in the corner. She doesn’t stir as I step inside the room and close the door behind me.

Excitement and apprehension crash inside me, kicking up a storm in my chest. Maybe I am a monster from her nightmares who watches her while she sleeps.

Self-loathing washes over me but I ignore it. Just the sight of Lucia in my home is enough to send a gust of warmth through me. She belongs here, my mind whispers to me.

Will Lucia ever realize what we’d do to make her a part of our pack?

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