Page 27 of Dance with the Devil

Antwone let him go, climbed into his car, and Draven waited until he was off his driveway before he made his way into the house.

He went straight to his office and closed the door. Maria was there, hands clenched together, waiting for him.

“Out with it,” he said.

“I didn’t know he was coming. I swear. I know I was inappropriately dressed—”

He held his hand up stopping her from talking. “I’m not talking about the way you’re dressed and you know it.”

She bowed her head.

“Look at me.”

“You and The Boss are brothers, aren’t you?” she asked.

Draven didn’t want to kill her. Antwone had forbidden him to do it, and if he did take her life, it would have a lot of repercussions he didn’t even want to think about. It would cause a huge mess for them both.

The other problem … he really, really didn’t want to fucking kill her. He’d never experienced this feeling before. Draven had no problem killing anyone. Men and women, he took out anyone who posed a threat, removed the problem.

“Yes,” Draven said.

He took a step toward her.

“It’s a secret, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“I won’t tell.”

She didn’t back away and he stepped toward her, reaching out and wrapping his fingers around her neck.

“You’re the two sons?”

Draven didn’t strangle her, but looked into her eyes.

“Do you have to kill me?” she asked.

“Tell me what you know.”

“I don’t know a lot. I know the original boss shared the same name as you, but everyone said you were not that person. There are a lot of Espositos. You were the enemy, and you came, killed the original boss, and took over. You took everything from him.”

“You’re telling me what everyone knows.”

He hadn’t let go of her neck.

“No one knows the truth. There are rumors that the original boss had two sons, but he went on some kind of rampage, or someone came in and killed them. He had no heirs, and that was what he was trying to do, but his wives ended up dead. Then out of nowhere, two men kill him, the men that surround him. You turn the streets red with the blood of your enemies. I don’t know anything else. You and Antwone have the same eyes, and I watched you. You’re not just two random men. You have this familiarity with each other that comes from family.”

Draven didn’t want to kill her. He moved her back so she was pressed against the wall.

“Antwone and I were Esposito’s sons. One night, high on whatever drugs he was pumping into his veins, he killed our mothers, our sisters, our staff, and nearly killed Antwone. I almost died getting us both out of there. We ran with nothing. He nearly died in my arms, and I had no choice but to find a way for us to survive and as I did, I made a vow that this would all be ours.”

“Antwone is The Boss because he was born to the wife, right? You’re the son of the mistress?”

“I’m the bastard son, and Antwone was always supposed to sit on the throne.”

“Why do you keep this a secret?” Maria asked.

“Because those two boys are dead. We’re not Esposito’s sons. We’re our own men, and this is our family. No one else’s.” He stepped close to her. “I’ve killed everyone else who knew this secret, Maria. Now you have two choices—be my loyal, loving wife and keep this secret, or die, because I will not put my brother at risk.”

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