Page 3 of Vengeful Reign

“I said goodbye lastnight since I had to leave early this morning and I wasn’t sure he’d be awake. Still, he was moody.”

“Ha. What’s new?” I chuckled. I wish things were different, but it doesn’t stop us from loving John any less. Despite our little hiccups with our baby brother, he’s a good boywith a sweet and gentle soul. Thinking anything could happen to him, sends my body into a frenzied panic.

As soon as I get off the phone with him, I call my father, checking in with him. “Jack, to what do I owe the pleasure of a call from you on a Monday morning?” he asks, sounding surprised, which I would expect because I wouldn’t call him normally. “Are you checking on John?”

“It’s the afternoon and yes, I’m checking on John.”

He scoffs his annoyance with me, but I’m used to it. Ever since he was forced to turn over the empire to me shortly after my mother died, he’s been resentful. If he hadn’t fucking lost his mind and let deals slip, killed random people, and nearly cost us millions of dollars he would still be the head of the family. “John’s fine. He’s getting changed for the day a little later than usual. He was throwing a fit after waking up in the middle of the night.”

“So, you all just got a late start this morning?”

“Yes, Jack. What’s up?”

“Nothing. Just a bad feeling. Had a meeting with the councilmen over the LSD properties, and I’m about to sign the contracts.”

“Tensions from the other families?”

“Yes, but they’ll deal with it. I’ve got to let you go.”

“Okay.”

I pull up my call log and dial Ian back. “Hey. I spoke with Dad, and there was nothing unusual at the house. They had a late morning because John didn’t sleep well last night.” Before I finish the last syllable, my phone goes wild with alarms for the estate. My blood runs cold.

“Hold up, Ian.” Looking at my alert it reads:Front Gate Damage.

I turn on the home security cameras only to see them cut out.

“Son of a bitch. You were right. There’s an attack on the grounds.” I grab two things from my office and rush to the elevator, jabbing the fucker as fast as I can. “Gotta go. Need to call reinforcements,” I say, ending the call with him because he can’t help me from where he’s at.

I’m rushing out of the building. My phone rang as soon as the metal doors opened. “Connor, someone’s on the compound,” I bark out. He must have gotten the alert as well.

“I’m on the way now. I got the alert. So far, I have six guys with me. Are you at the office?” Of course, he was on a job so he had a small team ready to pounce.

“Yes, I’m on my way out now. Damn it, Ian said something didn’t seem right when he left this morning, but he couldn’t explain it.”

“Damn it. He messaged me too, but I blew him off.” I try to remain calm and keep my head clear but all I can think of is John.

“Whoever it is—is going to pay.”

My security flies to my side as I reach the main lobby. “Boss, what is going on?”

“We need the vehicles, and I need all available at the estate. There’s been an attack. I don’t know the details, but John and my father are there.”

I call my father’s phone, but it just continues to ring unanswered. “Son of a bitch.” I hop into my armored SUV, and my driver with two of my men ride with me and we speed offinto Chicago traffic. Damn it—our family compound is still forty minutes away at this time of day. There’s no way to get there more quickly without a police escort, and that shit won’t happen.

My phone rings as I get closer to the property. It’s my father’s phone. “Dad, what’s going on?”

“It’s Sam. We’ve been hit. Ten masked men came in with guns, rammed the front gate. Your father’s unconscious.” Sam’s breathing heavy.

“We’re on our way now.”

“I don’t know. I’ll find him.” A shot rings out, and the line goes dead.

“Sam, Sam,” I call out to the dead line. Fuck.

“Fuck, fuck, fucking hell. Speed up,” I roar at my driver, as if he can control the assholes in front of us. I’m about to shoot these bastards if they don’t open up a lane for me. The expressway isn’t as bad as it could be, but the ninety is crowded enough that we can’t speed.

As we approach the manor, a sense of dread fills me. The line of trees that lead to the property is ablaze. I called the police department, and they’ve already been alerted that there has been an incident. Thank goodness, because all that matters is my little brother. Frankly, I don’t give two fucks what happens to my father. After all that he’s done, he can rot in the ground where he lays, but my brother is everything to me.

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