Page 185 of Bride By Initiation

I squeeze my fists tight against my sides, seething, "That motherfucker lived, and now he's running The Underworld?"

Byrne nods. "Yes. You shouldn't trust him or those in the Omni he's closest with. However, it'll be hard to tell who the enemies are and who are in line with your father's vision. They're not going to stand out like a sore thumb. But Salvatore and his cronies are running it the wrong way."

"What are they doing?"

"Like you said, there's too much death."

"You just told me the deaths were justified."

He nods. "In some cases, but not all. Like the night of your initiation; those people didn't deserve to die. They earned their spots, just as you and Zara did. The Omni should have created a different initiation ceremony for them, not killed them."

I snarl, "That's Valentina's fault."

"No, it's not. Her orders come from the top. She's in just as much danger as everyone else," Byrne declares.

"She seems like she's in control," I state.

"She's not. And she's your wife's cousin."

"So I hear."

"Valentina has a good heart. She wants what your father wanted. She believes in his vision and is your ally," he insists.

I grunt. "Is she?"

"Aye, she is. And she's worked longer and harder to get her seat at the table. You'll get yours before she does, and it's not fair, but that's how The Underworld works," Byrne states.

I clench my jaw, trying to wrap my head around what he's saying.

He points at me, adding, "Your father was adamant that his generation could be better so his children could be safer. He didn't want your futures as bloody as his. He wanted your sister to have as much power as you, and for women to stop being harmed by these men."

"Fiona isn't cut out for this," I blurt out.

Byrne grunts.

"She isn't," I maintain.

"Did you ever think Zara would be?" he asks.

I contemplate his question.

In a firm voice, he asserts, "Your sister will have a chance to sit at the table next to you. The Underworld needs her as much as it needs you and Zara. If that's what the three of you choose."

I release a thick breath of air. "Why do you say 'choose'? Nothing will stop me from taking my seat."

"I'll circle back to your question in a minute. I warned your father not to trust those men. I told him he had to go about things differently, but he didn't want to heed my warnings."

"So my father was a stupid man?" I snarl.

"No, not stupid, just too positive at times," Byrne says.

I grind my molars, looking at the wall and trying to shove down all the emotions building in my chest.

Byrne adds, "I begged him to find different men to trust, but Shamus and Niall were family. When he brought them into the fold, they vouched for the others."

"You knew my uncles were bad?"

Byrne shakes his head, regret evident in the motion. "No. But I knew the others were. I wish I had known..."

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