Page 106 of Kings of Cruelty

“There’s a thief who took up residence in my mansion. I need him taken out. Once that’s done… well, you’re looking for new routes for your trade, right? Whole new shipping routes to Russia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa will open up.” I shouldn’t promise this much, but with my father out of the picture, I’ll have full control of our part of the trade.

“All of that, in exchange for getting rid of a… thief?” she asks, skepticism lacing her voice.

“If the thief remains, he will definitely decide to expand even further into the US,” I say sharply. “He won’t be content with only New Bristol. He’ll go for Benton and disrupt all your trade. Maybe you’ll come out on top, but at what cost?”

She murmurs something I can’t make out, then the call goes abruptly loud. “We’re listening.”

“I need… twenty men,” I say, naming a higher number. “We storm the place, take out the thieves.”

“Twenty? You’re out of your mind,” Lucia argues. “There’s no guarantee they’ll survive.”

“Then send your best people, or the most expendable ones,” I argue back. “This has to happen within the week.”

“Twelve,” Victor Corvi’s voice suddenly says. “We can spare twelve people. Just send us the information we need to brief them.”

I knew he had to be nearby. Twelve isn’t as good, but I’ll take whatever I can get. “I’ll arm them. But they’d better know how to hold a gun.”

Lucia scoffs. “We wouldn’t send in men who don’t know how to handle themselves,” she retorts. “If we send in twelve men, we expect them to return in one piece. How many others will we have support from?”

I glance at the closed door, thinking about Silvano’s “compromise.” I know I can get more out of him though. “We’ll have enough. My men, Silvano Cresci’s men.” Maybe even a few Pavone men, but I don’t say that.

It will have to do.

“Send the information, then. Someone will reach out to make more solid plans when we’ve had time to go through it,” she says. “If that’s all?”

“Yes.” I end the call before she can.

After another breath to steady myself, I head back out. I hand the phone back to Silvano.

“You will support us,” I say flatly.

Silvano raises his eyebrows. “I will?”

“You will give us the men we need. Because if you do not, I will ensure Corvi and Bellini take over the New Bristol market. The extra shipping routes, all the connections I have? I will give them to Corvi. I will help everybody else edge you out of the market.” I take a menacing step forward. “And I will ensure Sierra never meets with Kyran Winters ever again.”

Silvano smiles and nods. “You really only had to threaten that last part. All right.” He glances toward the office window. “Let’s hope Kyran and Sierra actually want to see each other after all this is over.”

“You sent them off together to try to make that happen,” Nikolai says abruptly. “We aren’t stupid.” He bares his teethin a feral grin. “Or you’re hoping he and your other guy can overpower Yuri while our backs are turned.”

“He did not give that order,” I say confidently.

Silvano plays at being a cold, heartless manipulator, but I’m starting to see the truth. He cares far too much about Kyran Winters to do anything that would harm Sierra.

He was always going to help us.

“I did not give that order,” Silvano agrees. “While we wait for the others, how about we start brainstorming exactly how to be rid of your pesky relatives?”

As much as it hurts, as much as part of me balks at this whole turn of events, I’m relieved too.

I have allies. I have support.

I can finally be rid of my father.

TWENTY-SEVEN

Sierra

Silvano Cresci’smansion is very different from the one I grew up in, or even Konstantin’s. The decor is pointed in its design, classy modern with bold colors.

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