Page 84 of Vicious Heir

I shoot his son, Enzo, right in the head. The shot is loud in the echoing space. Enzo’s skull snaps back, and Frank screams inhorror as his son is murdered before him. Bits of skull and blood splatter on the old man’s face.

“You tried to kill me,” I say, lowering my gun. “And now you will pay the price.”

Frank breaks. It happens fast. He slumps and begins to sob hard. He must realize what’s going to happen. The repercussions for this level of betrayal are enormous, vicious, and set in stone. There is no clemency. There is no forgiveness.

There is only retribution.

“Enzo, god, my boy,” he moans, struggling against his bonds. “Please, Adriano, let me hold him one more time. Please, that’s my boy.”

I stare at him, feeling not a single ounce of pity. “I trusted you, Frank. You were like an uncle to me. You were family. My father always said you were a man of impeccable morals and an incorruptible spirit, but you threw that all away when you turned your back on me and the Famiglia. I am your Don, and you tried to have me killed.” I lean down to stare into his face. I’m aware of Luca and Vittorio watching. More soldiers lurk in the shadows nearby. All of them are loyal men. “Why did you do it?”

Frank slowly calms down. Tears stream down his face, mixing with his son’s blood. He leans back, lifting his chin, lip quivering as he tries to regain some dignity.

“The second you knew about Gray Wolf, you should have given up on that girl.”

“That would have been weakness. What would the other families think if they knew I gave up my wife to a rival?”

“They wouldn’t have cared. Everyone knows the girl’s just a tool. But you held onto her for God knows what reason, and everything’s gotten so much worse. Gray Wolf is eating into our profits. They’re killing our men on the street. You are rapidly driving the Famiglia over a cliff, all for some fuckingwoman.” He spits on the ground, breathing hard, his face pink with rage. “That’s why I did it. You are too weak, Adriano. Your father was never a sentimental man. He would have cut the girl loose a long time ago and found himself a new bride. Instead, you’re burning everything down around you. That’s why you have to die, so the Famiglia can live.”

I step away from him. My heart’s hammering in my chest. I’m seething with horror and anger.

This bastard wants me to give away Lucy.

The thought represents everything I hate. It’s weak and short-sighted. I can’t imagine how this man thinks it’s a good idea, but clearly he’s ready to appease Gray Wolf in any way they want.

“You’re a fool. You’re a goddamn fucking idiot.”

Frank shows his teeth. “Just kill me, Adriano. Just do what you have to do and be done with this farce. You made your mistakes, and you won’t stop making them until the Famiglia is ruined.”

I step away. My heart’s racing in my ears. This fucking bastard. He thinks keeping Lucy is a mistake, while I think it’s the only good decision I’ve ever made in my miserable life.

But how could he understand that? How could this rotten old man understand the purity of a woman like Lucy?

She’s all I have. She’s light in the darkness. She’s grace for a sinner. I’ll kneel at her feet and wash her toes for the rest of mylife just for the chance at catching a whiff of her hair. Lucy is everything now.

And this man thinks I should throw her away like trash.

“I hereby place the black mark on you and your family,” I say very slowly and soberly. Frank’s eyes go wide with pure horror. “Your wife and daughters are now my property. Your sons will be murdered. Only those under the age of twenty will be spared, but they will be exiled from my city. Your name will be burned, and your house will be destroyed. Your bloodline will die with you. For this betrayal, your name will be spoken of with nothing but horror and regret. You will be forgotten. You will not be missed.”

“Please, Adriano,” Frank begs, shaking his head. “Just take me. Don’t hurt my girls. Don’t kill my boys.Please?—”

He knows what this means. Frank has a big family. Enzo’s just one of four other boys, and they had three lovely sisters. Frank’s wife is still living too, the poor fucking woman.

But now they’re all nothing.

Vittorio’s men are already spreading throughout the city. By the time the sun comes up, I’ll have all their heads, and I’ll display them for Frank. I’ll make him look into the dead eyes of his boys one more time before I finally give him death.

And that will be a mercy.

“You betrayed your Don,” I say, turning away, fury running through me. “And for that, you will suffer.”

“Please!” Frank screams as I walk away. “Please, Adriano, no! Have mercy, please, they didn’t know. They didn’t know! Please!”

I leave him thrashing and sobbing. Vittorio joins me outside as Luca climbs behind the wheel and starts the car.

“All of them,” I tell him. “You know what to do.”

“Yes, Don Marino.” Vittorio’s vicious smile is a knife in the dark night. “It’ll be my pleasure.”

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