Page 94 of Legacy

The only way he ever won this challenge was through physical violence. A child was no match for an adult. Of course, a slap to the face or a punch to the gut garnered a sound or reaction.

Now, as an adult, he knew better. If he dared to touch me, the hospital was where he’d end up.

“I don’t understand why you’re so angry, Eli.” He shook his head, snarling as he tried to be more conversational. “You just said it yourself. We lost our power.”

“It was never your fucking power.” I slammed my fist to the table, cracking the glass top. It webbed, splitting into thick, pointed shapes. Each one of them became another weapon I could use on him, another sharp blade I could hold against his neck and end him.

Over the shattered table, I spilled what I’d heard. I shared what Avra had discovered. I repeated what Stephanos hadjust confirmed, never exposing him as the source. I laid it all out, heat coating my every word. The summary would be the same, no matter how I paraphrased it.

“Once I get Avra pregnant, you intend to eliminate the sisters for good. And after my wife gives birth, you want to get rid of her, too. Then, my son or daughter is the only living heir to the Vitalis trust and lands. Let me know if I have this right or wrong. You orchestrated the coup, the murders, everything from the very beginning for money?”

Silence hung between us, broken only by the tinkling trickle of water in the fountain across the patio. It didn’t distract me. Nothing would interrupt my focus on the devil himself.

At last, he caved to the pressure of the quiet, losing this waiting game as well.

“For money, land, and power. You think too small, boy.” Ozias shrugged. “What about it? That is how things run in our world.”

I cracked my knuckles, fisting my hands so hard. He wasn’t even going to try to deny it. He wasn’t arguing or making excuses to get out of this. He’d all but owned up to the fact that this was his plan.

“You knew about everything when you went after Eudora and Juno.”

“Of course I did. No one runs an operation like that without finding out every detail. You need to learn from my example.” Ozias narrowed his eyes. “It’s time to stop fucking around and become my son the way I raised you.”

The way he fucking what?

“And what is it you expect of me?” I refused to hide my hatred.

“Get rid of the Vitalis girls.”

My heart raced. He was out of his mind.

“One by one.”

I couldn’t even picture it.

He leaned forward, stubbing his cigar on a cracked piece of the table. “I’ve set part of the plan in motion. You will fall in line and end the ‘figurehead’ bullshit. Is that clear?”

“Cancel it.” I set my teeth together so hard that they clacked.

He arched one brow. “Cancel what?”

“Cancel the hits.” I stepped forward once, glad that he flinched. “Cancel the hits on them. Right. Fucking. Now.”

He shook his head. “I won’t.”

“You better.”

“It’s a done deal.”

I tried steadying my breaths. The vision of lunging at him and slamming my fist into his face was too tempting. I’d beat him to a pulp and relish every gasping and dying breath he’d wheeze out.

“I won’t be a part of anything that brings more blood to those women.”

His laughter made my cheek twitch. I’d never been so high-strung, so pushed with the viral need to inflict pain as I was now. Hearing him laugh like I was ridiculous was one taunt too far.

“Pathetic. That goddamn Vitalis pussy is making youweak. So she’s that good at it? Huh? She good at fucking you while she tries to fuck me over?”

I shook, coiled, and braced to attack.

---