Page 94 of Root

Fuck, what am I thinking?

I force myself to breathe and pick up the bottle of tequila, pouring a healthy glass and downing it. Then I have another.

Rush is right about Rose. That would be war. The logical choice might be finding a way to bring Nikolai down using him.

Dante meows at me and runs to the door, looks at me and meows again.

“Okay, I’ll feed you, c’mon.”

We head to the kitchen that I assume Mia just left as it smells lemon clean and practically sparkles.

To save my brother, I have to sacrifice Rush, but I’m hoping he’ll be enough. I don’t think Rose will work.

But… I also don’t know if I can do it.

And I don’t know how I can’t.

I open the fridge and pull out the cat food. “Damn, you eat better than me.” It’s raw food for cats, and next to it, in another container, is just seared beef that’s labeled Dante.

“Like seriously better.” He meows in a tone that matches the dead eye stare of someone who knows he’s top of the pecking order.

“Here you go,” I say, filling his dish and mixing in pieces of the meat. “Maybe I’ll get a crow to peck you.”

Dante hisses and rubs against me before planting face first in his bowl.

I scootch down to scratch between his ears. “I wouldn’t do that,” I whisper. “I like you.”

The problem is, I like Rush, too, enemy or not. And Rose seems cool, too. Nikolai scares me. As does Tony, his right-hand man.

Rush would question an order against me.

Tony would do it.

Then again, I think Nikolai would torture and kill me if he discovered I’d hurt his cousin.

“What do you do, Dante, when the only chance to save your brother is to betray someone you might like?” I keep my voice at a whisper.

He doesn’t make a sound apart from chomping on his food.

I sit next to him, leaning against the island.

With Nikolai and Rose out of here for who knows how long, there’s not much I can do about that.

My phone buzzes and I pull it out.

Well?

I swallow. Fucking Ten64 assholes. It takes time.

We’ve got plans, cunt. Move it along.

I can’t. Best bet is the wife and the nephew. But she’s away with Wilder. I hate myself. But I press on, spinning slightly. I need to earn trust, which I can when she’s back.

Fuckin move it along, bitch. Or should we start cutting bits of Brutus off?

My throat grows tight. The family is smart. I’m half prisoner, I need to earn trust. I know Rose has bodyguards. So does the nephew. This is fabricated, but it makes sense. Mostly. I’m learning movements, interest. Searching the place is slow. Someone is always watching, but I’m in.

This Rush likes pussy. Give him yours.

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