Page 107 of Savage Enemy

“The Capaldo girl hasn’t married anyone yet,” Lordi said. “And I have Mr. Vignali’s word that he won’t marry her.”

Don Lordi’s gaze jumped over to me.

“Isn’t that right?”

I nodded. “It is. I’ve kept my word. I haven’t married the girl, and I don’t plan to. But that doesn’t change the fact that her father’s men are now under my command.”

Or they would be soon. Commission members didn’t need to know the transactional details.

Lordi shook his head. “No, that’s not possible. Benedict Capaldo would never?—”

“Benedict Capaldo is dead,” I said.

Gasps filled the room. Of course, our audience assumed I’d killed Capaldo and taken his empire by force.

I jerked my arms free, held up a hand, and shook my head at the room.

“Benedetta and I signed the contract a few hours after he passed from his cancer. I control her interests until she marries with my approval and blessing. I just haven’t had a chance tomake an announcement. Benedetta’s planning a service. You’ll all be informed of the date and location.”

Lordi’s face turned red. He huffed out a breath.

“That doesn’t change the reason why we’re here today.”

I gnashed my teeth.

I had to control my temper to get out alive.

Although if I failed to keep Val alive, I would come back and provoke them into killing me. Suicide by provocation.

“Then for Christ’s sake,” I said, “tell us why we’re here. You might not have anything more important to do with your time, but the rest of us certainly do.”

Fucker jabbed a finger into the air and shrieked.

“You broke the New York–Chicago treaty!”

A screaming match would be fruitless and time-consuming, so I remained as calm and collected as possible.

“I’m not a member of this council… sir. Neither my men nor the men who now report to me operate within its purview. I’m not required to abide by your treaty.”

“Oh, but you are, son. Your family is a founding family, meaning you’re bound by every law of this council in your grandfather’s stead.”

Lordi opened the leather portfolio in front of him and produced a scrolled document that looked smaller than but otherwise similar to the Declaration of Independence, complete with signatures at the bottom.

“Do you know what this document says, Mr. Vignali?”

“US declares independence from the British Empire?”

A few people chuckled, but Lordi’s frigid, roaming gaze stopped them short.

“I’ve had enough of your smartass mouth, son. You will respect this council or suffer the consequences.”

“I will respect this council when you respect my time, not to mention the valuable time of every other man in this room. Get to your point. And don’t call me son again.”

The moment the words barreled out of my mouth, I realized my mistake. I’d made a strategically stupid move, but my patience had diminished with every passing minute. I’d already wasted too much time. The longer I stood before this man, the longer Val remained in danger.

Lordi squinted. “You broke the treaty. The signatures shown here include that of your grandfather, and every signer’s family is required to obey these rules.”

“As long as the family remains under the council’s influence,” I added. “The influence ended in this case when you murdered my father and his heir. I was never in the line of succession. You destroyed what my family had. I’ve built a new empire.”

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