Page 11 of Dove

I closed the door quietly to not disturb her. I found Bash, Tristan, and Henry at the bottom of the stairs. I addressed the man I’d fully planned on killing until Kincaid had asked me not to. His long blonde hair was pulled at the nape of his neck. His once boyish face had hardened after what had happened. A bandage still covered his ear. He now looked like he belonged in this world.

“Henry.” My tone was clipped, but I managed to keep most of the venom from it. “You know you failed. My little dove almost died because of your inexperience.”

“Yes, sir.” He showed me respect by staring into my eyes instead of looking to the floor in shame. I’d liked him when we met. Well, as much as I could ever like anyone. I thought he could make something of himself, and because of Kincaid, he’d get another chance.

“Fail again, and I won’t hesitate to end your life.” His eyes widened slightly in surprise. “She’s asleep now; see that she gets anything she needs when she wakes up. But she’s not allowed to leave.”

“Understood.” I turned, dismissing him, but I heard his voice as he headed up the stairs. “Thank you.”

I rubbed between my eyes as he walked away. I didn’t care for his thanks. I didn’t want it or deserve it. I never should’ve left her alone with someone new. She was right to ask me not to hurt him. It was me that needed to be punished.

“Tristan, check on the clubs. We’ve neglected them the last two days.” I’d worried about Tristan lately. He was my cousin and set to take the next available capo spot, but he’d been erratic at best.

However, he’d never left my side while I’d scoured the city looking for Kincaid. His loyalty wouldn’t be forgotten. “Bash, we have a meeting with my father.”

I walked out the door without waiting for their responses. They’d been with me long enough that I trusted them to take my orders. Bash’s tattooed hand came out to open the car door for me before I could.

He was the son of my father’s guard. I used to wonder if he’d been planted to spy on me, but years together had proven his trustworthiness. Plus, his huge size, buzzed hair, and body covered in tattoos were always useful when we needed to scare someone. I climbed in the backseat and waited for him to get behind the wheel and pull away.

My mind raced on the drive to my father’s estate. I had a rat. I’d already been told but assumed it was one of the other Capo’s men. I’d foolishly ignored the warning, and I’d almost gotten my woman killed because of it.

I was arrogant. I believed everyone feared me. I’d let my guard down. It was time to remind Sayton City who was really in charge. A murder spree through the criminal underworld was already a good start.

The rat had to be someone close to me. Someone who’d realized what I had only just figured out; that Kincaid was my weakness. I loved her. That made her a target to be used against me. If I were a better man, I’d let her go. Let her live a safe life without me. But I had never claimed to be a good man.

But I needed to find who had betrayed us if I had any chance at keeping her safe. Why hadn’t I discovered it already? My job was to know secrets and weaknesses. Was I blind to my own? Because of her? Had I become too distracted?

I didn’t care about the family business. Not as long as it gave me a reason to use my skills. A way to release the demon inside me. I did care what happened to my little dove. I would need to become more involved if only to protect what was mine.

This was my fault. I’d allowed this to happen. I’d allowed her to stay at her apartment. I’d tried to let her come to me. Let her have her freedom. Because I was trying to be nice. Trying to hide my true nature.

It ended today. She’d been drawn to the demon once. She would be again. I’d make her.

* * *

There was no fear as I walked into my father’s office. In theory, I should fear him. He was the biggest mafia boss in the Midwest. He’d worked his way up to becoming the head of the criminal world in Sayton City. It had been won in years of bloodshed, and now he owned the city. No one did a thing without his permission.

I was a capo in the family, not destined to take over the Vancini family, so technically he owned me. But he ruled with fear. And since I didn’t feel fear, I was hard to control. My insanity meant he feared me. Worried what I would do.

I was unpredictable. People hated that more than anything else. As humans, we were designed to look for patterns. To like them. I was born to destroy them.

The scent of cigars hung heavy in the air as I took a seat in front of his desk. It was larger than necessary, made of dark wood meant to be imposing. It was a prop, just like everything else in his life. He’d risen in the ranks so that he could display his wealth and power. I’d taken my position so I could have a reason to let loose the darkness inside me. The family gave me protection and a purpose to torture and kill.

Smoke curled from his mouth as he pulled the cigar from his lips. A small smile played on my own as I waited for him. I had things to do, but I enjoyed that he thought he could scare me. It was like watching a child throw a tantrum.

“You disrespected me in front of the family.” I took in his features. Leif and I looked remarkably like our father. Dark hair, lean muscular builds, and olive skin. They both had dark eyes as well. The corners of his were now wrinkled, and his hair was peppered with gray. Leonardo Vancini was an intimidating man to most.

“I did.” I stared at him blankly as I leaned back in the chair. There was no use denying it. I’d held a gun to his head in front of everyone. Even if I could feel remorse for my actions, I wouldn’t. I’d done what I needed to.

“And do you think that’ll go unpunished?” He snapped as he ground out his cigar in the ashtray. It was an act meant to intimidate. Obvious and overused. He leaned forward and placed his hand over the gun that rested on his desk.

My eyes went to the weapon before slowly looking back at him. My posture stayed relaxed as I waited for the real threats to come. If he thought this would scare me, then he was mistaken. My own life meant nothing. I thought after all the blood I’d shed this week that I’d made it perfectly clear what mattered. I lived now only to protect her.

“I saved you from that roach-infested apartment. I killed your whore mother and took you in.” His brown eyes held so much contempt a regular person would’ve crumbled before him. “Even though it embarrassed the family to have a bastard son. I saw the potential in you. I thought you would be an asset to us. Instead, you’ve proven to be a liability. Your insanity is a risk we can no longer afford.”

He raised the gun and pointed it at me. I almost laughed. He loved to pretend he’d saved me from my mother. In some ways, he wasn’t wrong. She was a junkie and a prostitute. We lived in filth, where I worried for my next meal. But if it had been up to him, he would’ve had me aborted.

I held no illusion that my father cared about any of us. It didn’t bother me. I didn’t seek his attention or affection. But it was slowly killing my sister Alessandra. Leif and I were assets; she was property. An item to be sold to the highest bidder; to form an alliance.

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