Page 110 of Vicious Addictions

He doesn’t love you, remember?

“Hmm, I doubt it.” Rolo shakes his head. “By the way you two have been hating on him, I’d say the coward doesn’t have the stones to show up.”

“Stupidity trumps cowardice every time, brother,” his twin reminds him with a poignant glare.

“Wanna bet?” Rolo counters, wiggling his eyebrows.

“I’m game if you are?” Remus smiles sinisterly.

“Ten thousand pounds sound good to you?”

“Why the fuck not?”

My cousins shake on it while I simmer in my seat.

As always, everything is a game to them.

Only this one I have no interest in participating.

“I don’t care who’s there to greet us,” I say, my voice clipped. “What matters is that we have a job to do. My father expects results, and that’s exactly what he’ll get. The Firm’s relationship with the Outfit has been on shaky ground for these last few years, which means we have to be on our best behavior. Every move we make reflects back on the organization. My father made that very clear. So, no games. We get in, we get out. Understood?”

“Yes, boss,” they say in unison.

I’m not the boss.

Not yet, anyway.

However, it has been made crystal clear that once my father steps down at the end of the year, I’ll be the one taking his place.

Heading the Firm was never something I sought out when I was younger.

Unlike Jude, who spent most of his life chasing his birthright.

Every family has its own way of doing things, I guess.

My birthright was never in question.

While Jude needs to constantly prove he’s worthy of his.

Once the indicator light flicks on, we fasten our seatbelts, bracing ourselves for landing. I keep my eyes locked on the view outside, counting down the seconds of our descent. My fingers curl around the armrest, my nails sinking into the leather upholstery as the plane’s wheels finally hit the tarmac.

I take one fortifying breath before schooling my expression to look impassive.

This is it.

The moment I’ve been dreading.

Unlike my cousins, I have very few doubts about who’s waiting for me on the other side.

Jude would never allow anyone else to greet me on his turf.

Not when he’s just as much of a sucker for punishment as I am.

He might have made his choice, but that doesn’t mean regret doesn’t follow his every step.

No.

He’ll be there.

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