Page 112 of The Heir

“You boys aren’t very bright. Not at all.” She laughed. “I’m Nakarii Olivio. I even gave you my real name. How simple can you be?”

She reached out and ran a hand up his chest, curling her fingers around the back of his neck.

“My mother is Vennie Olivio, but before she married my father, people in Chicago called her Venice Valentino.”

I heard the shuddered breath that left Donnie all the way from the porch. The figure near the trees was short in stature. I went with my gut and inwardly decided it was a female.

Everything slowed down in my mind. I’d suffered from a paralyzing fear for so long. I’d accepted that I was destined for the same fate as my mother from a tender age, but now that I was faced with danger, I wasn’t going to wait for the losses to start rolling in. I was going to handle it myself, and there was something about knowing it that steeled my nerves.

The monster was in front of me. It had dared stick its head out of the shadows my father’s club chased it to and was confronting the one thing I loved.

“You’re going to do everything we say. We’re going to own the Steel Disciples and it’s going to be a beautiful thing. You’ll see.”

I slid my thumb over the safety and raised the gun. Nakarii’s attention shifted toward me, but it was already too late. I pulled the trigger before she could realize what she was looking at.

Her head flew back, and she dropped.

“Get her, Donnie!” I barked, hoping he hadn’t missed the woman in the tree line.

Blaze’s face was a mask of shock, and he took a step toward me. When he shot a look over his shoulder, I glanced that way, too.

Two men with gold-plated, army-style guns slid out of a vehicle that was so dark I hadn’t even realized it was parked.

My breath caught and I dropped the gun. There was no running from a thing like that. The armed men rushed toward me witha short woman hot on their heels. Blaze closed the distance between us fast, throwing me into the side of the house and covering me with his body.

“Do you think a meat shield will protect her from us?” one of the armed men asked, laughing.

“Get the fuck off of her. She killed my niece.” A feminine voice growled.

“Order them to kill your fucking nephew if that’s how you want it!” Blaze barked.

I heard a scuffle, but I couldn’t see anything.

“What the fuck?” Mackie roared.

“I’ll air this whole fucking block out, draw your weapon!” someone shouted at Mackie.

I clung to Blaze. Inhaling the leather-scent of his kutte is what kept me in the moment. As high as I’d climbed in my empowerment, I’d fallen with the squeezing of that trigger. I tapped at his ribs in a silent request to be let up. He didn’t even notice, any attempt to move on my part was met immediately by force. He shoved and herded me behind him like he’d been doing it all his life.

“You boys aren’t criminals, nephew. You’re playing at it, but you’ve no idea what you’re doing. I don’t play. I only get out of bed to win. If we’re speaking. It’s checkmate.”

“May–” Blaze huffed. “May, kill that bitch.”

“Blaze,” May whispered, “—they’re everywhere, brother.”

“I won’t let you kill her,” Blaze growled.

“I won’t let my niece's death go unanswered, Blaze. I didn’t come here to hurt you, but its principal. I’m a woman, I’m held to a higher standard in this game we play. You understand?”

“My life for her,” he blurted out.

“No,” I shot my hand out, catching him in the spine and sending him flying toward her.

It was a stupid move on my part, the minute I was exposed there was a gun placed against my head.

“You hurt my ol’ lady and I’ll ruin everything you love!” Blaze roared.

“Here is what’s going to happen.” Joplin’s tone still carried a smile. “I’m going to count to three, and when I finish, Marchella will be removed from my sight, and the rest of you will get in my limo. You have the option of going with me or going to jail for the rest of your lives. I have been following and recording you and your associates for weeks. Make your choice.”

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