Page 35 of Vengeance

“Which is where I came in,” I surmise.

“No. At first, I was supposed to kill you.”

Eileen wouldn’t be the first person close to me who has wanted to kill me, so I’m not bothered. I just had a child with a woman who left me for dead.

“What changed your mind?”

“I thought you could make a great weapon against Pray when we thought Phae died and the circumstances were mysterious at best. If we could turn you against Pray, we could get to him.”

“So your family wants me to be their fucking pawn?”

“More than that. They agree that you’re the best choice to take over all Pray’s operations and rule the new branch of the Fantoni Empire in the west since there haven’t been any sons born in the family since my Uncle Sabino. No matter how many wives and mistresses they went through.”

“Still sounds like a pawn.” Because the only thing that means is that as soon as someone has a son they no longer need me.

“Maybe. But we both know you have… other plans.”

“Other plans that you haven’t told your family?” I surmise.

“It’s not always necessary for your left hand to know what your right is doing.”

I smirk. Eileen may be a Fantoni, and she may technically be their spy, but it seems her loyalties still lie with me.

“Why do you hate your family?” I ask. “Phae didn’t want to be a criminal, but you don’t seem to have any problem with that. So what is it?”

Eileen doesn’t answer immediately, and I allow it. The answer isn’t really important. I’m just… curious. Motivations tell a lot about a person and reveal how you can keep them close to you.

It’s not until the car stops, lets us out in front of the expansive Fantoni villa, and a servant takes me to a room that Eileen follows me into that she says wryly to me, “You freed me from my prison.”

“Prison?” I ask, settling on the bed as I wait for the maid to come back with baby supplies. I’m sure my daughter is hungry by now.

“Don’t worry. You’re going to have a good time shaking things up around here.”

“As long as you promise to help.”

“What do you want to know about my family?”

“Everything.”

16

Viper

I’ve got a lot to do and little time to do it if my plan to cement my and Dele’s power with the Fantoni family is to work. Sleep is going to have to wait, even though I’m exhausted. So is food. But one thing that cannot wait are the three children holed up in a bedroom together and refusing to let anyone inside.

I leave the baby with one of the maids left to assist me with her, and Eileen stays back to keep an eye on them.

“Miss Bianchi,” one of servants is saying as others try to pic the lock on the door to no avail.

“I told you. I don’t know who any of you people are.” Lady’s voice says clearly from the other side. “When you can bring my mother or father to me to tell us what’s going on, we’ll open the door. And if you break down the door, I’ll shoot you.”

“They’ve managed to jam the locking mechanisms,” the servant says, giving up on unlocking the door.

“Move aside,” I order.

With no protest, the three people gathered at the door move aside. Whether they’ve been given orders to listen to me or they looked at me and figured out not to test me, I’m not sure.

“Lady,” I say through the door. “Open up.”

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