Page 72 of Influence

LAYANA

“Go ahead, old man,” I muttered in a low, venomous tone, while shaking my head so sharply that the fresh scent of my leather jacket mingled with the bitter tang of disdain. “Pull out that gun. I dare you.”

Once an expansive space where hesitant conspiracies could echo, the room now felt like a suffocating cell, every inch pulsed with tension and the grim promise of violence.

My eyes burned as I disregarded the brief flash of shock and concern that crossed Niko’s face while I fixed my gaze on Moser. He returned my look with cold, hard eyes, glinting orbs that caught the scant light like shards of broken glass.

In that charged moment, Moser embodied pure evil, a dark figure whose presence drained the light from the room and left only memories of the heavy, oppressive fear experienced by a little girl fifteen years earlier.

A surge of electric anticipation coursed through me, my heart pounding with a silent vow of retribution.

I gripped my gun with measured calm, muscles tensed and nerves alert, ready to unleash deadly force at the slightest misstep. If anyone deserved a bullet, it was that bastard.

The bastard had twisted Papa’s tragic end into a mere demotion instead of the premeditated murder it truly was. I could almost hear those sordid details echoing in my ears, mingling with the quiet, conspiratorial murmurs that filled the air before Avra and I had stormed into the room. His deceit made my skin crawl, each lie a burning sting in my memory.

As if the betrayals weren’t enough, he also callously buried his debts to my father as though they had never existed in the first place. A wave of disgust washed over me, my blood boiling at the idea of a man who orchestrated cruelty with a mere flick of his wrist and regarded loyalty as a disposable pawn in his perverse game. In my eyes, he and anyone who aided him were marked for death by the relentless hand of a true Vitalis.

I fought the urge to glance at Niko, though a small, burning part of me yearned to see his reaction, to know if his face revealed even a hint of respect for my merciless resolve or if, beneath his calm exterior, outrage simmered at my directness.

But there was no time for that distraction. I kept my focus on Moser as my mind raced with a thousand possibilities, while the air itself seemed to vibrate with the threat of imminent danger.

Images of Niko’s unwavering defense of the Vitalis name flooded back—he’d spoken with unapologetic loyalty and razor-sharp wit.

I remembered how his clever comebacks dismantled anyone who dismissed him and Eli as mere egomaniacs, revealing them as the petty fools they truly were. In that moment, my heart swelled with deep, tender love, not just for his physical strength but also for his keen, unyielding determination, which always left me in awe.

The rush of shared energy forged an unbreakable bond. Previously, I relied heavily on Vik and my sisters, believing they were my only support. However, with Niko’s unwavering encouragement, everything clicked into place. My long, solitary journey and the challenging, isolating steps were ultimately about protecting my true sanctuary—my family—while keeping others at arm's length.

With Niko beside me, I remembered how, right from the start of our journey together, his decisive actions had always resonated more than things spoken aloud. I remembered our first day as a couple when he solemnly vowed that our marriage would be built on truth and integrity. Each time he defended me with passionate, righteous fury, my heart overflowed with fierce, tender love that swept away any lingering doubts.

Then, shattering the charged silence, Avra’s shout pierced the air like a battle cry.

“Layana,” she called, her hand gripping the handle of the cold, gleaming gun.

The polished barrel caught stray beams of light, casting tiny reflections that danced over the skeptical expressions of the men huddled at the far end of the table.

“These men are showing signs of dementia. They’re ancient, after all. It seems they’ve forgotten who built their history. How about we give them a swift, brutal reminder?”

I squinted, furrows of defiance etching my brow as I watched Moser. His fury simmered behind barely restrained eyes, coiled and ready to strike.

“I think you’re right,” I agreed, each syllable weighed like a soldier’s march on the battlefield.

“Juno Vitalis was a good man.” Avra’s sharp anger gave way to sudden tenderness. “He worked tirelessly, building a life from nothing but sheer will.”

Moser paused, disbelief threading through his words, “This is so absurd?—”

Before he could finish, Avra roared, “Shut up and listen!”

Her shout boomed across the room as she cocked her gun, the click echoing like a death ring.

“Our father pulled each of you from the gutter and transformed you into men of unimaginable wealth. Without him, where would you be? Still wallowing in the dirt. I guarantee you’d be nothing more than garbage collectors, janitors, or dishwashers! Do you honestly believe you’d be strutting around in tailored suits with bloated egos without his intervention? Hell no. You’d be begging for scraps on the cold, unforgiving streets!”

My sister’s rage exploded, raw and fierce, sweeping the room like a volcanic eruption. In that electrifying moment, as I watched her become an unstoppable force, a shiver ran down my spine—a mix of fear and awe at the sheer power she exuded.

I steadied my breath, ready to match her strength, for that power, the potent legacy of the Vitalis name, was ours to wield without hesitation.

“I am the eldest Vitalis heir,” Avra declared, her presence resonating with undeniable authority and the scars of past betrayals. “And if you complain about a woman wielding strength equal to any man’s, remember this—you forced me into this role by callously ending my father’s life. If you’re looking for someone to blame, look no further than yourselves. Until you can scrape together even a shred of decency from your rotten souls and acknowledge our rightful place in this syndicate, I’ll take out as many of you as necessary to show that traitors have no sanctuary here.”

Moser hesitated, attempting to mutter, “There has never been a female?—”

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