Page 105 of Revenge

I don’t object and follow him. Whatever he wants to talk to me about must be something bad. We make it to the office, and he goes straight for the couch.

“What’s going on, Oliver?” I ask, sitting across from him.

“I got word on a move our father is going to make in the next few days. It’s bad, Viktor.”

“How bad?

“He’s planning to take over the city with Cillian. This means war with the other families when he moves into their territories. It’s going to lead to bloodshed.”

“The other families aren’t going to care that my father and I are at odds. They will attack us to. My father is striking against me without moving a finger.” I say, more to myself than to Oliver.

My father will be waging war against the Italians, Asians, and Lebanese if he is eliminating the competition. A war involving five families means guaranteed destruction for everyone. The bodies will pile up and law enforcements will get involved.

“Exactly. We can’t afford to go to war with all the families. Even with our growing numbers, it won’t be enough.”

“Shit,” I say, running my fingers through my hair. “What are you thinking?”

“Every scenario I’ve come up with is less than ideal.” For the first time, I see that Oliver looks haunted. Have I given him more than he can handle?

“You said it will be a few days. How solid is your intel?”

“It came from Jason. He’s been our inside man. But that isn’t all.”

“Of course it isn’t.”

“Fiona is back. She was seen with Cillian an hour ago.” I’m going to say something when my cell rings. It’s Jimmy. This is wrong. He shouldn’t be calling me.

“Why are you calling? Where is Marco?” I start walking toward the door.

“Ms. McIntyre has breached the perimeter and is screaming, threatening to take your daughter. She’s made it inside the house.”

“How the fuck did she get in?” I end the call, not waiting for an answer. I can already guess what happened. I leave the office and head outside to my parked SUV.

“What is it?” Oliver asks behind me.

“Fiona.”

He gets in my SUV.

I start to drive. My father has made a move. The moment I left, Fiona showed up. The fact she got so far inside the gate lets me know the men are choosing sides. Men at my house have betrayed me. They are with my father. What man hates his son so much he would do anything to destroy him? For fuck’s sake, my children are in there. Why does he hate me so much? I drive like a madman. Before I know it, I’m pulling up, and it’s pure chaos outside. I rush out of the car as men run into the house.

“What the fuck is happening?” I ask the first man I see by the door.

“Ms. McIntyre fired a weapon at Ms. O’Brien.” I don’t hear another word. I run upstairs.

The scene in front of me is worse than I could have imagined. Marco is trying to talk with Ava, whose arm is dripping with blood. She doesn’t seem to be responding to him. Fiona is being held by one of Marco’s men. I walk straight to Fiona—I could kill her right now. Oliver speaks before I can.

“I’ll handle Fiona. Go to Ava.”

So, I do just that.

“What do you mean you’re done?”

“Exactly what I said. Grace, can you take Niko?”

“Of course.”

She hands Niko to Grace and leaves the bedroom. A man stands on either side of the nursery door. This is exactly how it should have been earlier. I’ll have someone’s head after this. Ava could have been killed.

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