Page 90 of Redemption

“No. But you knew to keep an eye on Roland. He is cocky, careless. You knew he was a loose cannon.”

I clench my hand into a fist on the desk. “I’ll find those weapons.”

“And get rid of Dimitri.”

I scoff into the phone. “This is not his fault.”

“Your weakness is showing again, son. That weakness will get you killed.”

He hangs up the phone and I slam mine on the desk. It’s days like this when I question everything I have worked for. I want my father’s seat. I want to control The Partners. But I worry that I don’t have the cruelty and callousness to take that power.

“Come in,” I say as someone knocks on the door.

Dimitri walks in with a list of every man that has worked for him over the last six months. “This is everyone. All vetted by Baker,” he says, referring to the man directly above him.

“Thank you.”

I watch him as he walks out, a look of dread on his face. He is a good man, loyal. He has never fucked up once in his time working for us. I know my father says I am weak, that I carry too much emotion for certain people. But Dimitri is an asset to us. His connections to the Bratva and the Odessa mafia have proven useful over the years. He doesn’t deserve death.

I flip through the file he gave me as Tomas walks into the office without knocking.

“This better be important,” he says with a disgruntled look on his face.

“I wouldn’t call you here if it wasn’t.”

He huffs as he opens the black hard roller case he dragged in behind him. “I need the desk.”

“Of course,” I say as I stand. He starts to set up multiple laptops on the desk. I’ve seen him work before. He is a master at finding information. But the guy is scary as fuck. He’s probably six foot seven with nothing but muscle on him. An ex-mercenary, although I think he does contract jobs still if the money is right. He has long golden-blond hair pulled into a bun on top of his head with light-gray eyes that almost glow they are so clear. A large, thick scar runs down his face from the edge of the hairline down to his neck and across his throat. He has never told me how he got it and I don’t dare ask. He scares the shit out of me. I understand why most men don’t want to owe him a favor. But over the years I’ve gotten to know him and I am the only one he likes to work with. Maybe it’s because I am the only one that knows his delight in eating caviar and champagne.

He doesn’t speak as he gets to work, flipping through the file Dimitri gave me. I pace the room again, needing something to do. All I can think about right now is the consequences if I fail my father’s orders. What it will mean for Bella and Aria. Who would I put in charge of their safety?

My mind is spinning when my phone starts ringing. Roland’s name flashing across the screen.

“Where the fuck were you?” I say as I hit accept on my phone.

“Kilian, calm down.”

If he was in front of me, I would punch him right now. “Don’t fucking tell me to calm down. You lost nearly four hundred million dollars in weapons. Four men were killed. Luckily Dimitri was only wounded.”

“I had business to take care of.”

“Your business was here. In Sete.”

“This was important.” His voice stern.

I run my hand through my hair. “No business is as important as The Partners business, Roland. I know your father has taught you that.”

“Why do you even care? This has nothing to do with you.” His voice harsh as it comes across the line.

“If it’s Partners business, it has everything to do with me.”

“I thought you didn’t want this.”

I don’t miss the accusatory tone in his voice. “I have my reasons for everything I do. And I never said I didn’t want it. I said it wasn’t as appealing as before but that doesn’t mean I can just walk away.”

He sighs. “I was closing a deal.”

“Closing a deal?” I ask with malice. “That’s not your job. I close deals. Who the fuck were you closing a deal with?”

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