Page 93 of Reluctant Heir

My eyes widen.

Did he tell them? Did he talk about my involvement with things?

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, he pulled a gun on them and outed himself that he’s not on their side anymore. No more meetings, no more flying under the radar. He declared war on the four bosses.”

“But isn’t your dad one of them?” I ask.

Geo shrugs. “He is.” The two words don’t carry any weight, as if he doesn’t even really think about it.

“And now, they have him.”

“Now, they have him. He was really fucking dumb,” Geo says, glaring at me. “He didn’t go in with a clear head.”

“That’s not my fault,” I tell him defensively, knowing what he thinks about me. It’s written plainly on his face that he judges me, thinking that I distracted Connor.

“Maybe not. But he’s not the same Connor I’ve always known. He would have never done that under normal circumstances. Ever.”

I stand abruptly, pushing back from the table. My chair teeters on two legs before crashing to the ground behind me. A knock sounds on the side door, and after checking Geo’s wound and seeing the bleeding has significantly stopped, Brigette removes the towels and leaves to answer.

“Well, I have a fucking plan,” I say, heated.

I can’t believe he’s putting this off on me. I guess it’s true—in the event of a crisis, people always look for someone else to blame.

I’m the scapegoat. I’ve done plenty of wrong things in my life, but this isn’t one of them. Maybe I can redeem myself. Maybe I can save him since I couldn’t save Ruby.

“I’m all ears,” Geo says, glaring.

Brigette rounds the corner with Peterson carrying his medical bag hot on her heels. I look back at Geo and then make my decision.

“Can you call the pilot? I’m going back to Chicago.”

24

WRYN

“What is the number?” I ask as soon as we step off the plane on Chicago soil.

Geo stands, patched up and sullen beside me. He tried every method to talk me out of this, but I wouldn’t hear it.

I’ve steeled my spine, mentally preparing myself for this meeting. One that Viktor doesn’t know is happening yet. Or maybe he does. He probably has eyes on me right now.

Geo leans over, handing me his phone, and a ten-digit number stares back at me. My hand shakes briefly, and I clench it around the device, taking a deep breath, in and out. Then, I hit the call button.

Ring. Ring.

Breathe.

“Hello?” The voice that answers is curt, the person wanting me to get to the point.

“I would like to speak to Viktor Leoni, please.” I make my voice calm, direct.

“How did you get this number?” the voice asks.

“Tell him Wryn Soltorre is calling.” I jerk when I say it. It’s the first time I’ve said my married name out loud or even thought it beyond the wedding day.

But it’s who I am now, right? The matriarch of the Soltorre family. And I’m here to raise hell and get my man back.Myman. My Connor. Only I can hate him. Only I can hurt him. If someone else tries, there will be hell to pay.

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