Page 288 of The Tempted

Chapter Thirty-Four

I’ve crossed lines, broken rules, and by some miracle of God, I lived to reap the benefits of all my sins. I’ve spent years waiting for my time to come, to be the man who held all the power.

I’m the boss of the Pastore Organization.

I am the puppet master.

I take what I want and I don’t apologize.

I make more money than any man who ruled my empire before me.

Two shots rang out and my puppeteers dropped to the floor before I could even reach for my gun.

“Shame on you, Jimmy,” Jack Parrish whispered into my ear, as he fisted the solid gold chains around my neck and pulled them back. The chains I wore with pride, my signature trait was the weapon of choice he used to choke me.

“Fooled you, again, didn’t I?” he whispered.

Fool me once, shame on you.

Fool me twice, shame on me.

Fool me three times and what does that make me?

A dead man.

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