Page 71 of Influence

“Do you believe the Vitalis family holds power, Moser?” Elias retorted, tension radiating from him. “And I mean power in the present, not just before Juno Vitalis was brutally murdered, and his family was forced to flee for their lives?”

If I hadn’t dealt with Moser at first, it would have been only a matter of time before Elias acted alone.

“Stolen power!” Franco finally exploded, his accusation breaking the thick silence.

“Was Avra leveraging her power when she took down those three bastards?” I inquired, my icy composure covering the fierce resolve inside.

“Yes! Exactly what—Wait, no,” Moser stammered, his face flushing deep crimson with anger.

His eyes darted around chaotically as he tried to regain control, the bobbing cigar now a symbol of his unraveling grip.

“Look, these bitches are out of control—that’s all I’m saying! Something must be done about them, and that’s why we’re here. They need to be dealt with, once and for all!”

His undisguised threat had all three of us leaning forward, every muscle tense with anticipation as we focused on him.

“And Juno was voted out! Nobody betrayed him.” Franco faltered as he attempted to weave a narrative of misplaced honor. “His death was tragic, yes, but…” His words trailed off, the lie dissolving into the oppressive atmosphere.

Rage surged through me like wildfire. I took a deep, measured breath, steadying myself.

Pavlos, who had been lingering near the entrance, stepped forward but paused, sensing the slight shift of my hand.

My features were impassive to onlookers—a carefully maintained exterior intended to conceal the storm raging within. My father had taught me the art of hiding a tempest behind a placid facade, keeping adversaries off balance until the moment for action was right.

One misstep, and I’d unleash destruction on that bastard, though he should never suspect a thing until the time was right.

“Franco,” I said, fixing him with an unyielding stare and raising an eyebrow in silent challenge, “stop rewriting history to portray yourself as the hero. Everyone at this table knows exactly what transpired. Juno Vitalis was once a man we all respected—a true leader. He was the godfather of all of you. And you…you killed him! We all share that guilt,” I declared, scanning the table before returning my focus to him. “There’s Vitalis blood on your hands.”

Moser shook his head and let out a mocking laugh, while Franco gazed down at the scarred wood, avoiding eye contact with me.

I felt such hatred for these men, fueled by their actions against Juno, their betrayal of the syndicates, and the suffering they’d caused Cali. The volcanic ire inside me only grew as I clenched my fists, each memory of their wrongdoings stoking the flames. If my sister Cora were still alive, they wouldn’t hesitate to use her as a pawn, just as they had with Cali.

“You can’t prove we had anything to do with Juno’s death.” Moser waved his hand as if to brush aside an inconvenient truth.

My mind blazed with a multitude of violent visions of annihilating these despicable people. I was overwhelmed by an unquenchable desire to drag them into the darkest, most hidden parts of my basement, where I could carefully exact my revenge like a hunter skinning his prey.

“The Vitalis sisters have seized what belongs to them, and their campaign is far from over,” Elias declared with unwavering conviction, directing a sharp, appraising gaze in my direction, likely gauging when I might erupt with fury. “You’d all do well to accept that.”

“Or what?” Moser challenged, the corners of his lips curling into a sneer.

“Or face the consequences,” I finished, my tone as cold and unyielding as steel. Moser shook his head in disbelief, his eyes narrowing with disdain as he looked at us.

“The two of you sold out to the pussy, didn’t you?” he spat, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. His eyes narrowed into slits, glinting with disdain. “You’re like a couple of fucking Vitalis lapdogs now.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at this man's absurdity.

“They’re beautiful women with very comfortable laps,” I replied with a casual shrug, the corners of my mouth curling into a smirk. “The perfect place to watch those who betrayed their father cower in fear as the sisters seek their vengeance.”

Moser’s mouth fell open in shock, his features frozen as the cigar he had clenched between his lips finally slipped and tumbled to the floor.

His face flushed with indignation. He slammed his fist onto the table, the sound echoing like thunder in the tense air.

“How dare you make threats, Nikolas!” he shouted, standing abruptly, his eyes blazing with anger.

All at once, Eli, Vik, and I stood up, ready to confront the escalating tension. When Laya entered the room with authority, her firearm aimed directly at Moser’s hideous, bloated face.

“This isn’t a threat. It’s a promise,” she declared, her gaze sharp and unwavering, as if each syllable could cut through the tension in the room like a bullet.

Seventeen

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