Page 2 of Midnight Salvation

My eyebrow arched. “I don’t appreciate your tone,” I replied. “I have always been loyal to this family and was in the process of sorting everything out when those assets went missing. Now I discover that Michael had access to them when they were supposed to be locked down. Don’t include me in your personal crusade.”

Aaron sat taller beside me. “I would focus your attention on Marlow, considering he nearly killed me in an unprovoked attack. Maybe he was working with Michael?”

My cousin Noah glared at Aaron. “How do we know that’s true?”

I reached over and grabbed his tie to half strangle him as I dragged him toward me across the table. “Aaron had been staying in my apartment. Would you like to see the CCTV of him beating the shit out of my brother and decapitating his girlfriend? It’s not pleasant viewing.”

Silence cloaked the room in an awkward residue. All eyes moved to Aaron who glanced away. He knew what had happened to Poppy, but being present in the room when evil like that occurred left its mark on your soul.

“I’ll take your word for it,” Noah croaked and I released his tie.

Since I was on my feet, I glared down at all those assembled in the dungeon under Blackwood Manor. “This needs to stop now. I am the heir to this family, and since we’ve already had one traitor in our midst, let me assure you that if I find any of you stepping out of line, I will put a bullet between your eyes. No questions asked. Do you understand?”

I learnt long ago that the only way to deal with my family was to be the biggest predator in a room filled with sharks. There was too much at stake for me to walk away and ignore them as I had done in the past. If I acted like a pussy right now, they’d either try to stroke me or fuck me.

“Good. Since we have agreed on that, I need all the information you have on these missing assets so I can eliminate them. From now on, nobody takes a shit without consulting me first. I am fucking sick of the double standards in this family, and it stops right now.” I calmly sat down again since I had their attention.

“Which brings me to the next topic,” Dad said with that smile that made my sphincter muscles tighten in preparation of what he was about to say. “I think it is best if the remaining heirs in this family are allocated wives.”

He produced a notepad from his pocket and waved it in the air. He could shove it right up his ass. Aaron stiffened beside me—he needed to learn to hide his reactions more.

“Ash, Dylan’s daughter Nicole is lovely. Her sisters have been very fertile, and I have been in negotiations with him. She is very receptive to an alliance.”

Nicole had always obeyed Dylan, so there was no doubt in my head she was receptive. The problem was that I was no longer available to marry. Lucrezia would definitely have something to say if a woman turned up with my ring on her finger. My little firecracker would probably try to drag Nicole’s fake hair extensions out.

“Not interested,” I replied in a bored tone. “There isn’t enough fight in her.”

Uncle Eli chuckled, his dark gaze roaming over me. He had always reminded me of a hawk with his black hair, pointed nose, and green eyes. His ambition had always been to rule this family, and was peeved that Dad hadn’t conveniently died for him over the years.

“You will do as you’re told.” Dad’s temper was starting to fray, and his voice rose displaying that to the entire room.

“Or what?” I idly asked. This was his big moment. He could rain the wrath of God down on me, or reveal some nefarious plan that none of us were aware of. Instead, he glared at me as if he wanted to hit me. He could try, but the last time he beat me in a fight, I was still at school and hadn’t finished growing. He had to use his goons on me after that.

I stared defiantly at him with a small smile playing on my lips. “I don’t need a fertile wife,” I continued. “I need a wife who keeps me interested in the bedroom.”

Dad knew damn well that I was a co-owner in a worldwide chain of sex clubs. I could indulge in whatever sordid fantasy appealed to me any night of the week. What I wanted tonight was to curl up beside Lucrezia with a pizza and watch crap on TV while she laughed and wrinkled her nose at something silly.

“I have already agreed to the deal,” he hissed, his brow creased in a frown.

“Then unagree to it,” I replied. “Need me to phone Dylan?”

That was the crux of the matter. Dylan was a scary motherfucker arms dealer who tended to shoot first and then contemplate the consequences. There was no way Dad wanted to cross him, because Marlow had been his henchman who dealt with Dylan type issues and he was no longer around to do that.

“You will do what is expected of you,” he grated out.

I gave him my best shit-eating smile because I knew he was seriously starting to lose his cool. “Either of you two want Nicole?” I asked my brothers. “Apparently, she’s very fertile.”

Uncle Eli sat back and smiled like the cat who got the cream. His eldest son was married, and his other son engaged.

Uncle Bart rarely said anything, but he took his moment now. “Do you have no control over your children?” he demanded, his bright blue gaze landing on Dad. “My children would not dare to speak to me like that.”

“No offence, Uncle Bart, but no one asked you.” His eyebrows shot up because I had dared to speak to him like that. Now what was he going to do? “Before you decide to pretend to be hard, I’d like to point out that I have a loaded Glock with me.” I took it from my shoulder strap and put it on the table. I deliberately looked slowly around to gauge my audience.

“Anyone who would like to fight me as heir to this family can either have a bullet in their head, or I can kick their ass.” I leaned forward and gripped the edge of the table. “I will no longer tolerate the fuckups that you have allowed to happen. A new era is dawning in the Blackwood legacy, and I’m here to herald it in. Accept the new leadership or get the fuck out of my way.”

I sat back and produced my darkest brooding glare I’d stolen from Jordan. It tended to make people very nervous when he brought this scary face to the table. Part of me wanted them to rebel so I could send them to Hell and remove one problem from my list. The other part of me was more than a little terrified. My family were monsters and I was sitting here giving them an ultimatum.

Right now, it felt like I had just signed my own death warrant.

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