Page 58 of Ruthless Empire

“What box?” I ask, feeling like I’ve come in halfway through.

Dante gives Sebastian a furious glare before he shifts his gaze to me. “You know which box.”

Pushing off from the door, I cross over to Sebastian. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t shoot you in the face?”

“Too fucking easy. Not your style, is it?” His sneer riles me up. He is so arrogant and doesn’t give a shit if he lives or dies. His only concern would be if he manages to take me down with him or not.

Choosing diplomacy over brute force for the first time in my life, I say quietly, “Your father’s death was a mistake.”

Sebastian’s face tightens into a hard mask. “And the fact that Dante took his place instead of me? Was that a mistake as well?”

“Ah, I see. That’s what pisses you off the most.”

“What can I say? Dad was an arse. That place was mine.”

“True, it would’ve been yours if your dad had died of natural causes or in an accident that couldn’t be pinned on anyone. But that’s not how this game is played, and you know it. Dante killed your dad, even though it wasn’t meant to go down that way. So it was his rightful place.”

“Jesus. You are such a cock!” Dante hisses at me. “Even after all this time, you still throw me under the bus!”

“What?” I ask, turning to him. “Throw you under what bus? You fired the gun that killed him.”

“No, it was you, fucking dick. You paid me off with the head of the South London faction.”

“What?” I say again, shaking my head. “Okay, wait… I’m getting way above confused, and that is not good for my patience, which isn’t good for either of you, remember? Explain your reasoning behind that clearly and concisely, or I swear to God, you will meet your maker and take this little shit with you.”

“Hey!” Sebastian exclaims. “I was here for what was rightfully mine.”

“You can’t have it.”

“Says who? If I killyou,then I get it all.”

“Oh,” I say and roll my eyes like a teenager. “Thatwas your plan? What am I even doing humouring either of you right now? You’re as bad as each other.”

“Don’t lump me in with this idiot. He’s a petulant child.”

“And you aren’t? Whining about something that you’ve made up in your head for ten years and blaming me for?”

“Stop this.”

The soft voice from the door gives us all pause.

Turning to see Isla standing there, I hadn’t even heard the door open. “Isla, go back upstairs.”

“No, this sounds like you need a mediator, and you’reallacting like petulant children. You will get nowhere if you carry on like this.”

“This doesn’t concern you.” The warning in my eyes is desperate. She cannot be here, listening in to Solitaire business with two witnesses who will use her to get to me without batting an eye. “Do as you’re told and go back upstairs.”

“No. Sophia told me that this is a petty drama, and none of you can see the other’s side clearly enough for you to ever get anywhere.”

“Sophia?” I growl and take a step towards her. “When did you speak to her?”

“We hung up a few minutes ago. Let me help.”

“You can’t. This is…”

“None of your business,” Sebastian says.

Isla’s eyes narrow as she glares at him, crossing her arms and giving him a thorough once-over, which ignites my green-eyed monster. “You shut up before I let Gideon shoot you.”

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