Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 92254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92254 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 308(@300wpm)
“Enough of this.” Narek sneers again. “Arsen, you did well to get as far as you have, but it isn’t enough. You’ve lost the faith of your family. It’s time to step down.”
He stares at me, lips curled. Levon’s showing nothing but disdain. My cousins look like they want to run the fuck away, and I can’t blame them. They’re only here as muscle for the uncles, but they’re goddamn cowards.
Slowly, under the table so nobody can see, I draw my pistol.
I wait before I speak. I let them stew in what they just said. It’s no small thing, to depose a patron, and even worse that they’re trying to do it without blood. I don’t know why the fuckers think they have the right.
“The war is over,” I declare and bang my fist once on the table. “You may not like the way it’s ending, but it’s over. Garen will lose without Sona. They both know they’ve been outmaneuvered. It’s just a matter of time.”
“Time is the one thing you don’t have,” Narek grunts.
“Don’t you fucking get it?” Tigran gestures around the table. “Garen’s been stalling. He must know about this deal you all agreed to, and he thinks he can run out the clock. He probably figured whoever takes over for Arsen will be very amenable to a quick and beneficial deal.”
“Maybe Garen’s smarter than you give him credit,” Levon says.
“And maybe you’re weaker.” I lean toward my uncles. “I fulfilled my half of the bargain. I will not step down.”
They exchange a look. The moment is deadly silent and filled with promise. Narek’s cigar smokes in slow curls and Levon stops rolling his beer bottle.
“Nobody wanted this,” Levon says.
Narek moves first. He throws his cigar at Tigran’s face. My brother curses and falls backward, swatting at the glowing embers.
I shoot first. Bullets rip into the quiet space. Levon screams in pain as I fire into his belly, knocking him backward. Narek’s roaring with rage as he draws his weapon, but I manage to shoot him twice in the leg. His answering shots go high, smashing into the ceiling.
I’m up and vaulting the table. I land on the other side, boot crunching down onto Levon’s throat. He gags, his hands scrambling at his bloody guts. I twist my ankle, crushing his windpipe. His tongue lolls out, his face turns purple, and he twitches like a dying fish.
I put two bullets in Narek’s chest and one more in his skull, blowing it to bloody chunks.
“What do you two think?” I ask, aiming at Sevan and Razmik. “Do you see much daylight between a ceasefire and a truce?”
“Not me,” Sevan says quickly, shaking his head. He’s pale and trembling.
“I couldn’t fucking care less.” Razmik’s holding his hands in the air.
Neither of them went for their guns. That’s a good thing.
Tigran’s cursing and stomping on the cigar to put it out. “Fucking prick,” he snaps and kicks the table aside. “Got ash on my goddamn shirt.”
“You’ll survive, brother.” Blood leaks all over the floor. It’s a real mess, but at least we’re surrounded by cleaning agents. “Cousins, swear loyalty.”
Both instantly drop to their knees. “Patron,” they say in unison, heads bowed.
I look at Tigran and he nods.
“Spread the word of what happened today,” I tell them. “Make sure everyone understands. The war is all but over, and I will not tolerate dissent. Narek and Levon made their choices. I won’t hesitate to treat any other traitors the same way.”
“We understand, patron,” Sevan mutters, staring at the floor. “We’re on your side.”
“Good. Get the fuck up. Go find some guys and clean this mess up.” I kick at Levon’s corpse and shove my gun back into its holster.
The cousins hurry away.
Tigran grabs a bottle of vodka and pours a drink. He tosses it back with a mean grunt and slaps my back. His laugh doesn’t feel fucking right, and when he offers me a drink, I shove it away.
“Today was a fucking bad day,” I snarl at him.
“Lighten up. We both know that was necessary.”
“I hoped they were going to listen to reason. Our fucking family’s been killing itself enough lately. I don’t want more Armenian blood to be spilled.”
Tigran doesn’t always agree with my methods. He thinks I’m too soft. But he doesn’t understand that this family is all we have, and if we treat it like we’re brutal dictators, we’ll eventually lose it entirely.
Killing Narek and Levon will haunt me for a while.
I agree that it was necessary, but that doesn’t change anything.
“What’s the next move?” Tigran asks as we leave the laundromat together. Our soldiers are waiting in the street. If Narek and Levon brought more men, they’ve either been subdued and killed, or they saw which way the wind was blowing and decided not to be stupid.
“Garen really is trying to delay. Now we make him understand that there’s no time left.” I feel heavy as I ease myself down into the car. “Find anyone that still thinks like Narek and Levon and make them see how things are going to be.”