Page 65 of Merciless Sinner

There are four Pakhan’s from the Bratva including Dante, two dons from the Italian mafia, and two clans each from the Camorra, Irish mafia, and Yakuza.

Each group has taken the blood oath to live by a set of laws and principles which have bound them as allies for the last fifty years.

They're all powerful men who have agreed to share power and wealth.

But the problem is that any one of them can turn on you at any given time.

The oath we took assumes loyalty, but at the end of the day, we're all a bunch of criminals who are in it for themselves.

That’s why I have to stay focused, but it's difficult when I'm so worried about Olivia.

After I spoke to Dr. Belmont yesterday, he told me there were parts of their meeting he didn't have permission to share with me. Of course, I wasn't happy about that, which was the reason why I wanted to be in the room in the first place. Then I realized I was being overprotective and overreacting again, and I needed to respect Olivia's privacy if I ever wanted her to trust me.

I can only imagine that those parts he withheld are about me, about me and her and our strange relationship, or rather our non-existent one where I'm forcing her to remember me.

Even I know what I'm doing to her isn't right, but I can't stop myself from trying to get my girl back. Dante stands, and everyone goes quiet. The silence in the room drapes over us like a blanket.

"Welcome to tonight's meeting," Dante starts. "Tonight is a special meeting where I have news to share. It's possibly the first of many, where we'll all have to put our heads together to come up with a solution to a problem that's arisen, or rather an old problem that we must resolve.”

He looks at each man in turn, assuming the role of the leader. When he's like this, he's so different to the guy I’m used to when we we’re just hanging out as friends. I'm glad he's leading us. I know he'll only have my best interest at heart, and I know he will do everything possible to get to the bottom of the situation.

"We will all remember the sad disappearance of the O’Ridian family, of Callahan and his wife and their daughter, Olivia. News has been brought to light about the situation, and I'm pleased to report that we have found Olivia." The moment he says that, the room erupts in a series of whispers, coming from all except the people who already know, like my father, Seamus, and Cillian.

"You found Olivia?" asks Carlos, the head of one of the Camorra clans. He was friends with Callahan. I pay attention to him when Dante nods. I'm checking for signs of guilt but can't find any.

But these are trained men, all of them. If spotting guilt were as easy as looking at their faces, many secrets would be spilled tonight.

"She has been found. Unfortunately, she also confirmed that her parents are dead. They were killed in an attack in Germany. I'd like to employ all the resources of the Creed as a group to finding out what happened to them. The mystery remains unsolved and our enemies at large. I think we can all agree that if this enemy was able to murder one of our own and hide for the last two and a half years, this is something we must take seriously and resolve as a priority."

Mostly everyone nods. "Well, you have the resources of our clans," Carlos states, looking at Malachi, the other clan leader, who is also nodding.

"We are all in this together," Dante continues, making a point of looking at my father.

All the men agree except my father. I can see him looking straight ahead through the window as if he doesn't have a care in the world. His posture is stiffer than the dead.

Cillian is watching him, too. As he’s at the end of the table, we can see each other quite clearly. We exchange knowing glances, and I'm sure I know what he's thinking.

He still suspects my father. Even without evidence, he suspects he had something to do with it. And my father isn't exactly acting innocent.

"I'd like for us to discuss this tonight. We've launched a full-on investigation," Dante continues. "We're going over everything we did in the past and gathering new information. We must leave no stone unturned. We're also going to be investigating people we didn't previously speak to before, so please don't be offended if you are asked questions." Dante nods.

It's good to see the men agree.

We spend the rest of the night discussing the plans. Time wears on, and I try to keep my mind focused on the present, but I keep thinking about Olivia. I probably won't see her tonight because I'll get back too late, which might be good news for her. The other night, she seemed to warm up to me, but that has changed since. At the same time, attraction still reigns during the moments when we're together. We get married in three days. In three days, she'll be my wife. Maybe she's become withdrawn because she knows playing around won't suffice from the moment I put my ring on her finger. She's right. I'll want more.

The meeting ends, and I'm just about to leave when my father grabs my elbow.

"A word, please," he says, staring at me with his hawk eyes.

"Sure."

While the men gather for drinks in the lounge, we go downstairs into one of the halls for some privacy. I expected some kind of discussion from him or something by now, so this is no surprise to me. He closes the door, and we walk into the hall. I follow him as he walks ahead, and we stop in the middle of the room between two walls, one with a large painting of angels and demons and the other showing a depiction of Judas' betrayal to Jesus. Both seem fitting for us.

"What do you want to talk to me about, Father?" I ask.

Father squares his shoulders. "Your marriage," he replies.

"What about it? Decided you're not attending the wedding?"

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