Page 105 of Tyrant (The Villetti Chronicles)

“You can’t die either. How am I supposed to live without you?”

I tugged her closer, pressing my forehead to hers.

“Shh, that’s not happening, Tink. No one is dying, okay?”

“I’m terrified of losing you.”

I let go of her so I could tug her down on the floor with me and cradle her against my chest.

“You have me,” I whispered, pressing my face into her hair. “I need you to be strong for me and remember, I’m yours. Can you do that? There’s more I have to tell you, but I won’t if you can’t handle it.”

She nodded, clutching me to her like her life depended on it.

“I can. I promise I can take it.”

“Good girl.”

I knew telling her the truth about what Gennaro might do wouldn’t be easy for her to hear, but there was no other way. She trusted me with everything. It was time I did the same thing for her.

“My father has all the power right now. What I have to do… what I need to do is become more powerful than he is, so he can’t threaten us any longer. And in order to do that, I have to make everyone else bow to me. Everyone, Ari, including your father, who I’m not sure you realise how deeply embedded with mine he is.”

She said nothing for a long moment. Then she pulled her face from my chest and met my eyes.

“Dad told me if I wanted to be with you, he couldn’t be a part of it. I don’t know what his deal is with Gennaro, but I know he won’t go against him for me.”

“My father is his investor. Your father and his gang grow. They make a hefty profit doing so. My father is in bed with the Met Police Commissioner, so it keeps them off your father’s back. It’s the perfect scheme. Its only flaw is that I know everything. I’ve been there every step of the way. They use my land to grow on. My properties. And that’s what I’m going to use to bring your father to heel. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

She nodded.

Ari knew her father dealt in drugs, but until now, she had no idea how deeply involved he was with my father. She didn’t realise the power he held over Bennett.

“That’s why you’re here, right? Not just to see me… but for him too?”

I shook my head.

“No, I came because I had to see you. I needed to talk to you first before I do anything. You didn’t appreciate me keeping you in the dark last time. I’m not making the same mistake. I’m trusting you with the truth here, Ari. I’m giving you the facts and letting you decide whether or not this is worth it to you. And before you say anything, you are worth it to me. I would burn everything to the ground, kill everyone in my fucking way just to keep you by my side if you want to stay there.”

I took a breath before I laid out the rest of my cards on the table.

“If I do this, I will have a lot of blood on my hands before we are done. The criminal underworld used to have a king. I’m going to replace him, but I’ll be different. I won’t rule with fear. I’ll rule with respect. I’ll do all of that to force my father to accept I’m no longer his heir, but the man who has amassed more power than he can ever fucking dream of. I’ll do it so I can have you.”

Ari blinked as if she wasn’t expecting this to be my plan. There wasn’t any other way. Gennaro needed to be put in his fucking place. If I was going to make it safe for Ari and me, then I had to do what was necessary and make him bow to me.

“If you don’t want this, you have to tell me now.”

“There’s no other way?” she whispered.

“Unless you want me to take out my own father.”

She shook her head.

“I don’t want that.”

Ari looked away. I gave her time to process my words. She hadn’t pulled away or run. I knew she needed a minute to get her thoughts straight.

When she met my eyes again, there was a softness in her chestnut ones. Reaching up, she cupped my cheek.

“If you have to burn the world for us, daddy, then burn the world.”

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