Devoted to the Dark by Nicole York

Author:Nicole York [York, Nicole]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Star Key Press
Published: 2023-05-16T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 22

DAEMON

A death was about to occur in the conference room. Bending down, I kept my eyes level with the angelfish with the broken fin, nibbles taken out of the gossamer appendage, leaving the animal limping along, trying to keep the others at bay. But they were circling, moving in, darting around the wounded creature, waiting to take their turns striking again. Within a few hours, the fish would be belly up, floating on top of the aquarium. In the big scheme of things, it wouldn’t matter to any of the other fish. They’d go on about their short lives and forget this fish ever even existed.

Behind me, the other fish—or in my case, they were probably more like sharks—began to gather at the table. My mother hadn’t arrived yet, but many of the capos who had supported my father to the bitter end were there. I turned to see Otto glaring at me. His face was still fucked up from where I’d struck him. Next to him, Grigory’s narrowed gaze was just as full of hate. Three other older men stood next to them, none of them glad to see me.

My brothers and the lieutenants who supported me walked in next. Trying to lighten the mood, Dezzy made a joke about a stain on the carpet. “I didn’t know you’d puked your guts up in here, too, Vin,” he said. “I thought you only did that in the restroom.” All three of my brothers laughed.

Until Grigory said, “I believe that’s a blood stain, young man.” His intense stare moved to Dezzy then, and my brother looked like he wanted to take a swing at the bastard. If my mother hadn’t walked into the room that very moment, perhaps he would have. At least this time she was alone. If she had brought Alexander La Rosa to this meeting, I very well might’ve lost my shit and beat him to death. Maybe she had finally learned her lesson about bringing that asshole around, but somehow I doubted it.

With my mother finally arriving, we all took our seats. She was at one end of the table with me at the other, my brothers and our lieutenants to my left, her supporters to my right. Clearly, the lines had been drawn here. At least I knew who had my back and who the enemy was this time. There’d be no investigation, no poking around, no trying to determine what I was up against. The situation was black and white.

For a moment, before I began to speak, I imagined what it would be like if Elisa were there with me. Which side of the table would she be sitting on? My side, of course. She supported me. She wanted me to succeed. At least, that was what I hoped for. I felt stronger when she was around. I had someone to fight for, someone to protect.

But no, I couldn’t trust her. Not completely. And she was a huge distraction that actually ended up making me weaker.

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