Page 101 of Winter's End

The mafia leader’s smug smile morphed into a sinister smirk as he leaned down to eye level to taunt her . “We own this town, dear Winter. We ownallthese towns. And right now, Iownyou. I’d be careful with what you choose to say next.”

Winter blanched and shrunk back into Logan. Her gaze caught mine for a brief second, and the miserable resignation in her eyes nearly brought me to my knees.

His pleasant threats must have been the segue to his original train of thought, because Georgio stood and his attention fixated back on me.

“Travis, a choice must be made. You can open your arms to your bloodline and accept the responsibility that is being a Carlos leader, or you may decide that this life it not for you by ending your own.”

I froze at his simplistic explanation of this task. The law of the jungle—eat or be eaten; kill or be killed. I wasn’t an animal, but this was about survival.

He turned to the mafia men lined up at his back, who watched the scene unfold with apparent casual interest.

“Should Travis decide to end his life today, we will pursue our newfound brother to join the ranks. I will need a successor, and he is close to Travis’ age, so he is a suitable replacement. He has a moral compass that will need to be broken, but he has skills that will prove useful.”

Georgio spun to face me once again and reached out to press a warm, smooth palm against my cheek. I withered under his touch, but my feet wouldn’t stir. His words had glued me to the earth, and I was an immovable pillar in his hand.

He patted my cheek in a condescending caress. “Besides,” he added with a sadistic wink, “we are very good at breaking men, no?”

The acid in my stomach boiled up to meet the back of my throat, and I nearly gagged with gut-destroying nausea. I had to kill or Cam would be Georgio’s next pet project. It was me, or the brother I’d always said I would give my life for.

I had meant it.

Georgio’s burst of irritated breath skated over me, and he whipped out his gun from the holster beneath his tailored suit jacket.

Apparently, I was taking too long.

“I can see some added incentive is involved.” He cocked the metal weapon and pointed it at Winter’s head.

He was five feet—maybe seven feet away from her. Close enough range for serious damage. Life-threatening damage.

“I will not kill your girl.” He delivered his promise in a soothing tone. “Darren wouldn’t forgive me for that. But Icanmake her a paraplegic. Or destroy her ability to conceive. Or maybe …”

He let his warnings consume the air between us.

I swore and took out the gun Georgio insisted I carry tonight. It felt heavier now, a weapon weighted down by savage guilt and bad intentions.

His grin mimicked the Chesire Cat as I moved to comply with his sadistic demands.

“Kellan, place Janet on her feet, please.” Georgio calmly directed our so-called FBI protector, and I heard the shuffling of feet behind me. The men had been so quiet, I had almost forgotten they were there.

Kellan supported Janet by her elbows and brought her up to standing. She wavered on her feet, but didn’t crumple back to the floor like I’d hoped, which would have given me more time to come to terms with the task in front of me.

I would never risk Winter. She was my morning star, my guiding light, the dream for a future I could never have. I had found the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my days with. If her days were numbered, I’d cash in all of mine to face that end date together.

I knew Georgio would follow through. The bastard had never given me an actual choice, not since the day he’d convinced me to come work for him all those years ago. I’d been fucked when I walked through the doors of Bourbon & Blues,and now—now I was going to have to sleep in the bed I’d made.

Tears flowed down Winter’s cheeks in little rivers, and Logan’s eyes had their own mist clouding them. I loved her, and I loved them, and all the men in our makeshift family. They’d take care of each other; I knew they would. My fate did not have to be theirs.

The ominous click of Georgio unlocking the safety finalized my decision. He was forcing my hand, but he would not harm a hair on my woman’s head.

I filled my lungs with dank air and blew out every atom while I brought the gun up to aim and shoot. The barrel shook in my hands; I fought to steady myself, to accept this new stain on my soul.

My double-agent uncle made no moves to intervene; he stepped out of the line of fire and avoided making eye contact. I was truly and utterly alone in this.

It was a familiar feeling; one I’d experienced most of my life.

I muted all sounds around me. I dulled the hums of Winter’s soft whimpers, Logan’s harsh breathing, and Janet’s pained moans. I’d have to block a lot more to live with this decision, but I wouldn’t regret saving Winter from Georgio’s torture. Her life would always be worth more than mine.

I cocked the gun, determined to channel Kellan’s lessons and make this quick and painless.

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