Page 105 of Madness Behind the Mask
The bell rings for dinner, and the mood changes in an instant, going darker, heavier as silence reigns and eyes dart around in fast lines.
“Ethan is tied up at the butchersin town,”Caden says with an easy smile. “Let us eat without him.”
The tension eases immediately. Ethan is the sixth capo, the one missing, but his tardiness isn’t a sign of disrespect like we all assumedat the ring of the bell.
Caden walks towards the dining room,then tothe head of the table. Eight places are already set, two at the ends, six in the middle.Silver domes hide the beef stew that’s been prepared for us. Although the war’s over, meat is still rationed, and my mouth waters at the thought of such a treat.I hesitate right after enteringthe room, not sure where to sit, buta line of servants usher us all in, showing us to our individualchairs. I sit to Caden’s left, Leon to hisright. My cheeks burn at the rank given to me, higher than the capos even though I shouldn’t be at this meeting. If we are to strengthen ties, surely this isn’t a good idea?
Unless it would cause more strife to claim one should sit at the Boss’ side, above the rest.
Before I can think too much on it, the servants all lean forwardand lift the domes in front of usoff at the same time. The delicious smell of beef stew makes my mouth water, and I –
“What is this?” Kallum suddenly shouts.
My pulse jerks as my head snaps to him. His blue and white China bowl is empty. His face is red. He starts to stand, but Myers’ hand on his shoulder shoves him down. Before Kallum can even turn his head, before I can even wonder how Myers got there so quickly, the reaper shoves a knife through the side of the capo’s neck and rips it out the front, spilling his blood into the bowl.
Kallum gurgles and gasps. He raises a hand, his fingers twitching, but no magic builds before his life ends. Utter silence fills the room, fills my stomach too. No longer that hungry, I lean back from the table and the smells of meat and blood.
Myers wipes his blade on Kallum’s back as the other capos and Leon turn to Caden in various states of unease.
My husband chews politely with his mouth closed, a silver spoon in his hand as he eyes them all. When he swallows, he scoops up more stew. “Kallum was a traitor,” he says before he takes a bite. He makes us wait as he eats, not rushing in the slightest. The tension of the room rackets with each pass of his teeth, but no one moves or says a thing.
“He backed David,” my husband says, putting down his spoon. His fingers close around his butter knife. “And he took what is mine.”
I suck in a breath, my eyes flying back to Kallum. He wasa trusted capo of my father’s, and evenheviolated me? I want to reach forward and pick up a knife, then go over and stab him repeatedly in the back like he did me. Like he did thisFamily.
Instead, I keep my seat, my hands clenching beneath the table as Caden begins to butter his slice of bread. He looks over at Leon, thencasuallypoints his knifeat him. “Now Ethan Jenson wasn’t a part of David’s little gang.”
Leon holds his gaze, but his face is a bit white, his body a bit tense. The entire room is still on edge, and I wonder if there are any more traitors around this table.
“But he knew about David and Kallum fortwoyears,” Caden continues, dipping his bread in hisbeefstew. Once. Twice. He raises it to hismouthand takes a bite. Chews. “And he never said a thing to me or Myers. Hedging his bets. Seeing how it all played out. Now, normally, son, we would kill him without hesitation, but…” He takes another bite of his bread.
“But we are low on men, and he is a great asset to this Family. A strong witch. A good capo – well, good in the financial sense. Hisloyaltyneeds work.”
Leon doesn’t move, but there is a sense of unease to his stillness rather than the confidence of an heir.
“So, son…” Caden puts down his slice of bread on the small plate beside his bowl. “What doyouthink we should do with someone like that?”
Silence reigns for just a moment before Leon lifts his chin. “We should kill him. His actions, or lack thereof, hurt Mother.”
He glances at me then, so much pain and guilt in his eyes, and my throat twists at the sight of the burden he carries on his shoulders. I want to tell him it wasn’t his fault, that I don’t blame him anymore than I blame his father for failing to protect me. David fooled us all, but now isn’t the time for it. Later though, when we have a bit ofprivacy, I will make sure he knows I love him.
“Then you should be the one to do it,” Caden says. “For yourmother.”
My stomachfillswithsuddennerves. What ifhe’snot ready for this? Ethan is a capo. He’s experienced andhas surely fought for his life multiple times before. What if he kills my boy?
Myheadjerks to Caden, but before I can askhimto please not ask this ofour son, Leon nods and says, “ForMother.”
Strong.
Final.
The words of a leader willing to prove he’s worthy.
Caden’s hand comes over mine, and I turn mine up to grip his fingers. He squeezes me asLeon stands.
“I shall do it now,”he says. “He is at the butchers in town?”
“Tied up in a pretty little bow,” Caden says, and my eyes fly to him. I thought I heard regret in those words, a cry of pain, but when I look at him, there is nothing but cold indifference on his face.
