Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 75699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
He stops again.
Already I know what’s coming.
“I refused.” His entire body deflates slightly. “And I suppose you can guess what happened next.”
“She was taken care of?”
“Worse, Vinnie. Much worse.”
I wait, expecting him to go into detail.
But he doesn’t.
Instead— “She was my Achilles’ heel, Vincent. She weakened me. How I wish I could say she was only taken care of. But no, my father saw that she suffered. Made sure that I knew every little detail. And I learned that the only way to survive in this family was to harden myself. Build a wall around my heart. Do what was expected of me and do it well. Marry your grandmother and become the leader of this organization I was born to be.” Then he scoffs. “Of course your grandmother was a huge disappointment to me.”
“Because she only gave you one child?”
He frowns. “Only one, and a daughter at that. I hated her. Not just because she couldn’t bear me sons, but because she wasn’t Serena. I lost the love of my life, Vincent. But I should never have had that love in the first place. That was my mistake.” He looks me straight in the eye. “Don’t make it yours.”
“We’re two different people, Grandfather.”
He holds up a finger. “All people are different, Vincent. But know this. If Raven Bellamy—or any woman other than your intended—is keeping you from doing your best for this family, trust me that I will have her taken care of. And be glad that I have more of a heart than my own father did. Death will be a mercy to her.”
I say nothing.
Does he expect me to feel sorry for him? After all the grief he’s caused? All the havoc he’s wreaked? What he did to me? To Mikey? To my grandmother? To countless others?
So he had a great love. So what?
He could’ve fought for her. He could’ve left the country like I did. Hell, I’d still be there if not for Savannah. I came back for her. Of course in retrospect, I wish I’d come back for Mikey too.
“So you’re telling me that you were actually capable of emotion at one point in your life?” I say.
He crosses his arms. “You think so little of me, Vincent.”
I roll my eyes. “You’re right about that.”
“I’m not asking for your pity or your sympathy.”
“That’s good, because it won’t be coming anytime soon.”
“The point of the story is—”
I rise again. “I’m not an idiot, Grandfather. I know the point of the story. Stay in line, or you’ll kill Raven. That’s the point. And I’m supposed to be grateful to you that you’ll just kill her instead of putting her through whatever torture they did to your great love, Serena.” I stare him down. “Well, I’ve got news for you. I’m sure Serena was an innocent in all of this. I’m sorry she had to go through whatever hell your father put her through. But don’t tell me you haven’t done the same to others or worse. Because it will be a lie, and we both know it.”
With that, I turn to leave the office.
“Vincent?”
I look over my shoulder. “What the fuck is it now?”
“Do not defy me. You may have won this first battle. But you have yet to gain my trust.”
I turn around then, walk to the other side of his desk, and pull him out of his chair. “You listen to me, old man. You want me to run this family? Then you have no choice but to trust me. I will not keep jumping through hoops. You told me to take care of Giacomo Puzo, and I took care of him.”
“You did so indirectly, and in doing so involved several other people.”
“You’re right. I didn’t put a bullet between his eyes as you would’ve had me do. But I took care of the problem in much the same way that I’m sure you’ve taken care of problems over the years. You don’t want me heading the family? I’ll leave the country tomorrow. Then who do you have?” I tighten my hold around the scruff of his shirt. “I came back. I came back so Savannah could have a life. I came back to take my place. But you, Grandfather, have to let me take my place. You won’t live forever. At some point you have to trust me.”
“Let go of me, Vincent.”
I keep hold of his collar.
He chuckles. “Do you think this makes you big and strong? Using your obvious physical power over an elderly man?”
I let go of his collar and push him back into his chair. “I don’t think of you as elderly, Grandfather. And be honest with me. You don’t think of yourself that way either.”
Grandfather adjusts his tie. “I’d like you to join me for lunch today.”
“What? We’re just done with this conversation now?”