Page 38 of Savage Obsession

As the conversation ends, Yelena steps away, her expression contemplative. I watch her carefully, knowing she’s already thinking of ways to dig into this herself.

Leon sighs, standing. "We need to start pulling records. Looking at who knew about the shipment, who had access to it."

I nod. "Do it. And Leon—"

He glances back at me.

"If we find them, I want their blood on my hands. No one else’s."

Leon’s grin is slow, sharp. "You are really bloodthirsty."

I watch as he leaves, my hands flexing at my sides.

There is a snake in our organization.

And when I find them? I’ll erase them from this planet.

19

Lazaro Galanis

The heavy crystal tumbler shatters against the mahogany wall, shards of glass raining onto the polished floor. The rich, golden hue of my whiskey bleeds into the wood panels, but I don’t give a damn. My chest heaves with fury, my hands clenched into fists as I glare at my daughter.

“Useless!” I roar, my voice reverberating through the opulent study. Bella flinches but keeps her chin high, though I can see the tremble in her delicate frame. “Your one duty, your only purpose, was to make Aithan Vasilios yours! And yet, you let that Russian whore take your place?”

“Father—” Bella’s voice quivers, but before she can utter another pathetic excuse, my palm strikes her face repeatedly with bruteforce. The sharp crack echoes through the room, and she stumbles back, clutching her cheek, her amber eyes wide with shock and unshed tears.

A guttural sound of disgust rumbles in my throat. “You are a disgrace to me. I have spent years crafting this plan, laying the foundation, ensuring that Aithan would fall right into our hands. And what did you do?” I take a step forward, my voice lowering into something far more dangerous. “You whored yourself out to him for five years, and still, you couldn’t get him to marry you?”

Bella recoils, but I see the flicker of defiance in her eyes. “He was never going to marry me,” she spits, her voice thick with frustration. “He doesn’t love anyone. I tried. I did everything you asked.”

“Not enough,” I hiss, towering over her. “Not nearly enough.”

“Please, Lazaro,” my wife’s voice cuts in, soft and placating, as she steps between us, her elegant hands raised in a desperate attempt to calm me. “This isn’t Bella’s fault. Aithan is as ruthless as his father. He was never going to be manipulated that easily.”

A snarl rips through my lips. Without hesitation, I raise my hand and strike her across the face. Her head snaps to the side, and she gasps, stumbling slightly before catching herself.

My patience is at its end. “Do not defend failure,” I warn, my voice like steel. “I have spent a lifetime building our power, ensuring our name is one of fear and respect. And now, because of both of you, my entire plan is on the brink of collapse.”

Bella breathes heavily, her fingers pressing against her burning cheek. “What are you going to do?” she asks, her voice shaking but determined.

I smile. A slow, sinister smile that promises destruction. “What I should have done from the beginning.”

I move to my desk, my fingers tracing over the sleek, dark surface as I grab a folder and toss it toward her. She catches it hesitantly, her eyes scanning the contents. Pictures of Yelena, reports on her movements, details of her routines.

“She should never have been his wife,” I say coldly. “I am going to take her out of the picture.”

Bella’s face pales. “You can’t be serious.”

I arch a condescending brow at her. “You think I’ve come this far just to watch from the sidelines? Do you think I instigated the council to demand that Aithan get married just so that he can bring in that Russian brat? No, Bella. This is a war. And if Aithan Vasilios believes he can usurp my plans and still walk away unscathed, then he is more of a fool than I thought.”

My wife, ever the meek, sniffling woman she is, speaks up, her voice wavering. “Lazaro, this could start a war with the Bratva.”

I scoff. “And? The Greeks and Russians have always danced on the edge of war. Aithan’s father may have orchestrated this pathetic alliance, but I will burn it to the ground. One move at a time.”

Bella shakes her head. “If you touch her, Aithan will never forgive you. He’ll hunt you down.”

I step closer, my eyes narrowing as I regard my daughter with disdain. “Let him try.”

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