Ryker steps up beside his brother. “You’re correct about that, but what makes you think we have the power to unify and lead a bunch of Kent sympathizers who’ll only want a bloody revenge?”
I chuckle and flick my fingers. “This way.” I lead them through the bay door and into the room of death, spreading my arms wide as I spin to face them. “Are these the Kent sympathizers you’re referring to?”
“Holy shit!” Peyton says, whistling lowly as he walks over to take in the faces stacked along the back wall. “It’s a damn large number of them.”
Ryker kicks William’s dead body and turns with a determined glare. “What do we need to do?”
I tilt my head to the door, motioning them to follow me back outside. “It seems I was mistaken on who’s the leader here.” As I come to a stop, I turn and hold out the explosive switch toward Ryker. “Step one: take responsibility for this carnage like a true Boss would. Step two: gather your remaining men and organize, move past this, and do a better job than those fucks in there did. Rebuild this organization from the ground up with a new image and give it a new reputation.”
Ryker slowly takes the switch and cuts his eyes to his brother. They have a silent conversation between them before he nods once. “We’re in.”
“Get that chopper landed,” I order Angelo before holding out my hand to each of the brothers. “Good luck, and if you succeed in turning it around, the Outfit is always looking for new business partners.”
“Any advice?” Ryker asks.
“Be ruthless but fair. Your word is law. Never ever let a motherfucker question you, except your closest confidants.” I point to Peyton. “This right here is your Underboss, and you’ll need someone you trust just as much for your Consigliere.” I pause, the helicopter loud as it lands. “As much as I’d like to see this building blow, I think you need to save it until you get everyone here. Show them what lies inside and tell them how it’s going to be, ending with a big fireworks show.” He looks a little overwhelmed, but I don’t have time to baby him. I jab him in the chest. “Be the fucking Boss.”
As much as I’d like to do more, I need to get to my brother, so I motion Carlos and Matteo to the helicopter while I hang back and follow Angelo and Luca to the SUV. “Stick around on the down-low,” I say, leaning in the driver’s window. “You make sure that building blows.”
“Got it, Boss,” Angelo says, cranking the engine. “I’ll report to you as soon as it happens.”
I tap the door twice and make my way to the helicopter. Leaving the scene unfinished isn’t exactly the way I do business, but this once, I think these guys need that big scene to make a point. I hope Ryker grabs the bull by the fucking horns, but this is a dirty business, and it takes dirty people to be successful at it.
The trip to Ivan and Madeline passes quickly, and before I’m even off the helicopter, my brother is jogging across the lawn to meet me. I hurry down and catch him in my arms, giving him every bit of comfort I can.
“Shit. Is everything okay, Van?” I ask, freaking the fuck out.
He pulls away, wiping at fresh tears. “She’s still in surgery. I just … I’m glad you’re here.”
I toss my arm across his shoulder and urge him to lead me inside, away from the thundering blades. “I came as soon as I could.”
We go through a side door and down a flight of stairs. Ivan leads me to a small room with a couple of armchairs and a sofa with a coffee pot and some pastries on a table along the back wall.
He sighs as he takes a seat. “It’s taking too long.”
“No,” I respond, sitting directly beside him. “She’s alive. That’s what you need to focus on.”
He shakes his head, tears gathering in his bright blue eyes. “This is all my fault. If I’d just agreed to stay in the condo, she wouldn’t be here right now.”
“You can’t think like that,” I snap, my anger rising at his defeatist attitude. “Never question your choices. In this business, we won’t always make the right ones, and the sooner you accept that, the better off you’ll be.” Wetness trails down his cheeks, and it breaks my heart. “We won, Ivan. You have her back, and she will be o—”
“Mr. Simone,” a man interrupts from the doorway, and we both stand, Ivan more quickly than me.
“Is she okay?” he asks frantically, crossing to the man.
The doctor glances at me before focusing back on my brother. “Miss Potter has made it through the surgery, and her outlook is relatively good …” My brother almost drops to the floor in relief, and I step up to offer my support. “But,” he adds, his expression turning sympathetic, “I had to perform an emergency hysterectomy.”
“No baby,” Ivan utters, his face going pale. “Ever?”
“I’m sorry. I did the best I could.”
NINE
TO HEIR IS HUMAN
The engine rumbles between my thighs as I gun the throttle of the Busa, slipping in and out of traffic with the precision of a surgeon’s knife. The speedometer ticks past the hundred mph mark, and adrenaline courses through my veins. The sirens are far in the distance and losing fucking ground, causing me to smirk as I shoot down an alley a few blocks from the tunnel to my garage.
Exiting casually, I look right and left for any sign of the fuzz before
