Page 36 of Twisted Obsession

Ciaran rubs his hand over his mouth. “Okay, I agree up to a point. But like Callum said, he’s not in charge yet.”

“No, but heisthe underboss. He’s also the Don’s heir and there’s no doubt he will be stepping up when the time comes.”

My brothers both nod.

“Apparently, that fact isn’t sitting so well with Vito, who doesn’t like the direction Mika is taking things.”

“So, you’re saying the Viper is making a counter-offensive against his own kin?” Callum asks in disbelief, his eyebrows beetling together.

Ciaran taps his forefinger against his lips. “Hmmm… I can kinda see the logic. Mounting an offensive against us distracts from what moves he might be making internally. If Mika is busy putting out fires to prevent a war, he’s not watching his back. And if it does come to war, then the Viper might have given himself the perfect opportunity to wipe out the competition by using us as scapegoats.”

Callum’s eyes narrow. "If you're right, that changes things. Because I’ll be damned if our men become collateral damage to the Viper’s warped plans.”

“Oh, I’m sure he means to take us down, too,” Ciaran says, spearing his twin with a dangerous look. “Vito wants our ports, remember? A war would be twofold, and its second offensive would be to regain use of the shipping lanes to peddle his flesh trade.”

“Something we all know Mika doesn’t approve of,” I remind them both.

“Okay, so this is all making a lot more sense now…. The question is, what the hell do we do about it? Any offensive we make will draw in the whole of the Cosa Nostra, not just the Viper.”

“And that’s exactly what he’s counting on,” Ciaran agrees.

Callum shakes his head. “You know what needs to happen?” he asks, and Ciaran and I both turn our heads in his direction.

“Someone needs to take the fucker out.”

Chapter

Seventeen

DOMINIC

The days since the Viper was taken out have been tense. The men he had in his pocket are ready to go to war to avenge him, but Mika has wasted no time weeding them out and disposing of them. Lucky for us, Vito’s penchant for keeping most of his henchmen separate from the organization so they could never question his authority, means the majority of them aren’t on the official payroll. If they’ve got any sense, they’ll crawl back into the woodwork because there’s nothing for them here except a world of pain as Mika purges La Cosa Nostra of the slightest whiff of dissent, making examples of anyone who is found to be against him by torturing them for information of Vito’s insurrection.

By the end of the week, anyone who wasn’t completely behind him before has either fallen in line or to the wayside, and it’s fair to say Mika has been ruthless. I wasn’t convinced Don Salvatore would be open to hearing anything against his late brother, but if he ever had any reservations, then Mika has decimated them. It’s also had the bonus effect of correcting any assumptions thatmy cousin’s forward-thinking approach, while not ‘old-school,’ might be ‘soft.’ He’s proven himself to be a formidable enemy to anyone who opposes him. And it’s not something that will be forgotten in a hurry.

If I’m honest, the compound is a more relaxed place because of it. I’d never really noticed the tension that saturated these walls until it was gone.

Of course, I’m not out of the woods yet, and since I’ve just received a summons for a meeting along with Kaiden, it looks like judgment day is finally upon us.

All I can do is tell the truth and hope my previous loyalty to Mika during Roisin’s captivity will stand me in good stead.

As I make my way to the meeting room, my heart pounds in my chest, knowing if this goes the wrong way, these might be my last moments, blood or not.

The corridors seem longer, the air thicker. Kaiden falls into step beside me, his face a mask of stoic resolve. We exchange nothing but a brief nod, but I can’t help wondering if Kaiden’s testimony will redeem me or seal my fate.

The heavy oak doors loom before us and I take a deep breath before pushing them open. The room is dimly lit, casting long shadows across the faces of those gathered.

Mika sits at the head of the table, his fine-boned features etched with an air of authority and stoicism. Ares stands to his right, eyes sharp and calculating. The one person I’m surprised I don’t see is Don Salvatore himself. Looks like the old man really has deferred to his son on this.

"Have a seat," Ares commands, his voice gravelly and low, without a hint of either friendliness or fury.

We obey without comment, taking the seats across from them. The silence stretches, taut as a wire. I can feel the weight of their scrutiny, probing for any sign of weakness or deceit.

Mika breaks the silence, his tone deceptively casual. "Gentlemen, I'm sure you can guess why you're here. Is there anything you’d like to say before we start?"

Kaiden glances between me and Mika, looking conflicted, but I meet my cousin’s gaze steadily, even knowing blood is not necessarily thicker than water in this instance.

Taking a deep breath, I will my voice not to waver. "I’m sure you know by now that I went into Vito’s suite shortly after I contacted you,” I state, not pulling any punches. “Since I know there aren’t any cameras inside the room, all I can give you is my word that I didn’t actually shoot him.”

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