Page 3 of Trapping His Darling

He turned on his heel and strode away, expecting me to follow like an obedient puppy.

“Roger.”

My godfather turned around, looking somewhat surprised that I was not following him.

“If you ever again talk to me like I am your dog to order around, you will be the first I eliminate. Godfather or not, I knowyour allegiance is with Alexie, and truthfully, that makes you useless to me, regardless of what my father thinks.”

“What will your father say when he hears how you threatened me?”

“I have little care what my father thinks at this point. I am set to take over, and I will have the same respect you would have given Alexie.”

He nodded thoughtfully. “What has changed, Viktor? You are not the man I knew. You seem more... confident.”

What he didn’t know was that, in addition to anonymously tipping off the Don that my brother was sleeping with his wife, I had secured a failsafe in the event of my disappearance. If there would be peace again with our allies, it will be under my reign. Should I meet my demise before I ascended, then my family would feel my wrath from beyond the grave, and the Italians would avenge me.

“My days of being a whipping boy are over,” I offered. “That is all you need to concern yourself with.”

“Whipping boy? We only sought to strengthen you-”

I strolled past him, heading toward the house. “There is nothing left to say about this. If you are not with me, then you are against me. I no longer have the patience to abide those who wish to see me fail. If you want to join my brother in America, you may leave and do so, but you will not stay here and pretend to be loyal, while undermining me in his name. I will simply eliminate you from the equation.”

“Understood.”

For once, my godfather seemed impressed.

He cleared his throat, struggling to keep pace with me. “Before we address our current business, you need to identify the men who remain most loyal to Alexie,” Roger instructed.

I nodded, contemplating the implications. “Yes, and we should deal with them immediately.”

Roger shook his head. “No, I will send them to America to your brother. It’s better than losing their lives in this power struggle between the two of you.”

“Why bolster my brother with reinforcements? He is essentially retired. He has no need for men.” What I didn’t say:let him meet his fate alone, like a stray dog in a foreign land. It was what he deserved.“Whatever twisted schemes he’s orchestrating over there, he can do without us.”

“So you will kill these loyal men?” Roger allowed. “That is a lot of blood to carry on your hands, and it might cause problems within the ranks.”

“Arrange a meeting with these men. I will speak with them. They can make their choice then and there. Those who choose me will live. Those who ask to join Alexie in America will get a bullet in their head.”

Roger nodded.

“Anything else?” I asked as we neared the drive.

“I am your right-hand man until you fill that position yourself for your father,” Roger informed me. “You will be his second.”

“Not even Alexie filled that role for my father,” I commented. “Why have I been presented with this honor? Are you retiring?”

“Your brother was still learning,” Roger admitted. “To be frank, he relied on me excessively. No one should require such pampering. You will be different, won’t you?”

I remained silent, for there was no need to voice my commitment. Roger understood the gravity of the situation, and he was aware of my unrelenting drive to surpass my brother. It was an inevitability.

“Good, I’m pleased we agree,” Roger acknowledged my nonanswer.

I looked into his eyes and sensed sincerity, detecting no ulterior motives.

Roger had always been a tough read. While I believed he had the Bratva’s best interests at heart, I didn’t always trust his judgment. He held too much power for a man of Italian birth, and while he may be a friend of my father’s, I never forgot that he was initially a bargaining chip, sent here to maintain peace.

The elder members of the Bratva trusted him implicitly, but I understood how rapidly loyalties could shift. I resolved to keep a close eye on him and ensure that his decisions aligned with my own interests.

“Sir?” A panting soldier approached us, though he was addressing the wrong man.

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