Page 135 of Tyrant (The Villetti Chronicles)

Ari walked over, took my free hand, and gave me a smile.

“Yes, daddy,” she whispered. “I trust you.”

She got it without me having to explain further, just like I knew she would. She understood how things worked.

My sweet fairy. Could she be any more perfect for me?

I pulled her out into the hallway. Standing in the lobby staring down at the bodies were Enzo, Gil and Arlo. Gil was the first to look up. His eyes narrowed, but his expression didn’t change otherwise.

“Zayn.”

Enzo and Arlo glanced up. My youngest brother stepped over Fiore and waved at the bodies.

“Was this you?”

“Yes,” I replied, keeping my tone neutral.

Arlo walked around the bodies and came over to me. His eyes scanned me and Ari, making an assessment about what happened.

“What do you need me to do, boss?”

“Hang on, you need to explain why the fuck Fiore and Stefano are dead first,” Enzo interjected.

“I had to kill them. They got in my way.”

Gil stepped over both the bodies, ignoring our little brother and kept his gaze on me.

“Papáis dead.”

I nodded.

“Might I ask why?”

My brother was nothing if not perceptive. We hadn’t talked for weeks. It was time we had a conversation, but it could wait until after I’d given Arlo instructions.

“I’ll explain in a minute.” I turned to Arlo. “Get a clean-up team and the doctor here. Dispose of those two by whatever means necessary and have the doctor declare Gennaro had a heart attack. If we have to pay people off to make it happen, do so. Then I want it known to the families it was me who killed him. You know who I’m talking about. We do this fast before anything else goes fucking wrong today. You got it?”

Arlo’s dark eyes flickered.

“Yes, boss. Consider it done.”

He walked into Gennaro’s office, pulling out his phone on the way. I waved Stefano’s gun at the office door, my gaze going back to Gil.

“Do you want to see him, or should the four of us talk elsewhere?”

By the four of us, I meant me, Gil, Enzo and Ari. She wasn’t leaving my side. I needed her there with me when I explained to my brothers exactly why our father had to die.

“Living room?”

“Lead the way.”

Gil turned and backtracked towards the living room. I followed him, nodding at Enzo, who was staring at us in disbelief.

“Come, Enzo, this is family business, and it includes you.”

Gil, Ari, and I entered the living room. I set the gun down on the coffee table before standing near the fireplace. Ari stood next to me, keeping a tight hold of my hand. Enzo walked in and threw himself down on the sofa. Gil remained standing, his eyes on me.

It wasn’t surprising he hadn’t gone off the deep end. He rarely got rattled. Death was a part of our lives. It always had been.

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