Page 68 of Vicious Rule

He shrugs and lets out a chuckle. “Maybe.”

There’s no maybe about it. Gideon is her favorite, and Autumn is my father’s favorite. As I told Sasha, I’m the black sheep of the family, despite being the first born and the one my father always turns to when he wants a job done.

I open the door and watch him walk into my office like it’s his own, but that’s not what this villa is. I own this place. If he thinks he’s going to sit his ass behind my desk and start barking out orders to me tonight, Helix Rule is in for a rude awakening.

As I follow him in, I notice he doesn’t take a seat at all. So it’s going to be one of those meetings where he stalks around the room like a caged animal barely able to contain himself.

I’ll let that happen, but everything’s changed now that the Olivetti family is out of the way. If I’m going to be the head of the Rule family in this country, my father is going to have to take the leash off me for the first time in my life.

If not, then he can do all his own dirty work in Italy.

“So, I think it’s time we talk. I knew about what you were doing with Nico Olivetti, Alex.”

I sit down in my chair and stare across my desk at him, trying to read his expression for what’s about to happen since my father’s face gives me no hint to what he’s truly feeling. Helix Rule isn’t a man who tolerates disloyalty, and I technically betrayed him when I agreed to work with Nico. That I had my reasons and think I was justified won’t matter if he’s decided he can’t trust me anymore.

Men have disappeared in the Rule organization for less.

Then again, maybe my father should remember I’m the son of a man who killed his own father. His blood runs through my veins as much as his father’s did through his, and still he was the one who ended Stephen Rule’s life.

“I won’t say I’m sorry for wanting to make more than I get doing this job for our family’s business. I will tell you this, though. I’m done being the Rule family junkyard dog. You gave Gideon his freedom to do what he wanted to do, and I want the same.”

His eyes flash his momentary rage at my brazenness, but after a second or two, he smiles. “You are your father’s son. Your mother tells me that all the time. I guess I better accept that truth. Let me ask you this. What would you have done if Angelo Olivetti didn’t start this war right now and you and his brother got your chance to get that side gig off the ground?”

I tilt my head back and smile up toward the ceiling as I answer, “I would have made money.”

Returning my focus to him, I continue. “It was never about turning my back on our family or the business. It was about money. I wanted more. You wouldn’t let me have more, so I went elsewhere.”

“Nothing personal, huh?” he says as he sits down in the chair in front of my desk.

“Exactly.”

My father nods for a long moment. “Your mother claims that I need to give you more freedom. How am I supposed to do that when you go behind my back?”

I shake my head as he starts talking just as I expected. I’m not doing this with him anymore. I don’t need to work for him. I’m young, smart, and ambitious. I’d do fine without my family’s money. I might even challenge Helix Rule for control of this country in a few years.

So no, I won’t be his junkyard dog anymore.

Standing, I take a deep breath in and let it out slowly as my heart slams into my chest. I’ve never said anything like what’s about to come out of my mouth in a moment. Most people who know my father would warn me not to, but the time has come.

“You’ve never not been able to trust me. I’ve done everything you ever ordered me to. In exchange, I’ve gotten to watch Alaric get all he wants and Gideon released from working for our family. I deserve to be treated at least as well, if not better since neither one of them is your first born son.”

I wait for some response, but my father simply sighs and stays silent for a long time. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this patient or this quiet.

That could mean I will get what I want or he’s going to make me disappear. I don’t know which, to be honest. Since I’m neither of my parents’ favorite child, I might just vanish tonight.

Finally, he says, “You know, I always thought my father’s complaints about having five boys were ridiculous. Then we had you and your brother, and I haven’t had a day’s peace since. Gideon never fit in with our business. He’s honest and honorable. I have no idea where he got that from because even your mother isn’t that good. I think he might be more like my mother than anyone else. You? You’re just like me, and not only because you look like the spitting image of me. That’s how I knew you were up to something because I would have been.”

A chuckle escapes from me as I shake my head. “We really are a fucked up family. You know that, right?”

“Family is a tricky thing. I guess it could have been worse. You could have tried to kill me.”

“There is that.”

“You know, your mother wants to travel more. She says now that your sister is off at college that it’s time. That means I’m going to have to buy another plane because she swears this one is a deathtrap.”

I don’t know where he’s going with this, but I don’t say a word and wait for him to continue.

“I’ve been thinking I’d like to join her on some of these trips she’s got planned. So it looks like it’s time to pass the torch, as they say.”

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