Page 58 of Empire

Hartley’s gaze drops, and I don’t miss the way the remaining eleven members discreetly form a circle around the room. “No, Zade. Of course not. I appreciate your promptness in calling this meeting. It shows an eagerness and drive for the position you will be moving into. As part of The Circle, this is very pleasing to see. You have a strong loyalty to our traditions, and I look forward to seeing how you take on this role. However, I must admit, I am at a loss for why we are here.”

I hold his stare for a moment longer. Fucking ass kisser.

He’s a snake in sheep’s clothing. That’s all he’ll ever be.

Taking a step into the circle, I begin to pace, slowly making my way around the twelve men before meeting each of their stares.

Aleksander Torrini. Chin raised in defiance, eyes narrowed and suspicious.

Clifford Langdon. Timid and nervous, clearly has no clue what this is about.

Gideon Harvey. Tired and bored.

I keep going around the circle, taking them all in one by one. I have grown up with these men. They would frequent my home for meetings with my father. They watched me grow and mature and then watched me become cold and relentless. They know who I am, know what I’m capable of, and my bad side is not where they want to be.

“As you are all aware,” I start, my tone letting on just how serious I am. “There are exactly thirty more days until we reach the end of our mourning period, and in that time I will stand before you as the only heir of Empire and carve the still-beating heart out of the chest of an innocent to complete the leadership ritual. The woman who has been so carefully selected is Oakley Quinn. Twenty-year-old college student, recently returned to Faders Bay. However, I do not need to share this information with you as tradition dictates that all of you have personally signed off on this young woman becoming my sacrifice.”

Nervous glances are shared between one another, and a thrill shoots through me. They don’t know where I’m going with this, nor how it will end for them. “What tradition does not dictate is that the name of my sacrifice become common knowledge among our members,” I state. “Over the past two weeks, there have been multiple attempts on her life in a bid to ensure I do not complete my sacrifice, therefore making me unable to take my rightful position at the head of this organization.”

I step directly into the center of the circle, shifting around and letting my hard stare lock onto each man, letting them feel my wrath. “Let me be very clear,” I state, each word loud and authoritative, reverberating through the office. “One of the twelve men standing before me tonight has betrayed me by sharing Oakley’s name with those who mean us harm. In doing so, that person has betrayed Empire, our blood, and our way of life. A betrayal against me is a betrayal against your brothers, and you will be punished.” I pause, shifting around the room to see the true fear in their eyes. “Do not be fooled, brothers. I will find who is responsible. And when I do, I will enjoy holding this person to the full extent of our laws. There will be no trial, no vote . . . no hope. Just my dagger across his throat.”

With that, I turn and walk out of the room, each step echoing through the silence.

Making my way out the front door of the mansion, I hit the grand entry stairs and sail down them before leaning up against a post at the bottom. One by one, The Circle members exit the Thorne estate and quickly hurry to their cars. Those who are usually quite vocal are now quiet and timid.

A moment passes before the last Circle member is gone and a shadow steps in beside me. “Starting strong,” Nikolai says. “Some aren’t going to take well to that.”

“I don’t give a shit what they take well to,” I tell him. “If I don’t set the tone now, they’re going to walk all over me, and I don’t take kindly to that. Within a week, they’ll be dead and buried. I won’t hesitate to make an example of anyone who refuses to fall in line.”

Nikolai watches me for a moment, both concern and curiosity deep in his stare. “Come and join me for a drink,” he says. “It’s about time you learned some things.”

Nikolai doesn’t wait for a response, simply turns on his heel and climbs back up the grand entryway. I trail back into his estate behind him and to his home office. He offers me the leather-studded armchair across from his desk and I take a seat, watching as he crosses to his liquor cabinet and pours two drinks.

“What’s this about?” I question as he hands me a glass.

Nikolai takes the armchair beside mine, taking a slow, heavy breath and reaching for the pack of cigars on the small table between us. He cuts the end before resting it between his lips and lighting it. Impatience gnaws at me, and as a cloud of smoke puffs out in front of him, I have to ball my hands into fists to keep from ripping the fucking thing right out of his mouth. “Nikolai,” I warn.

He glances my way, and after getting his fix, he lowers his hand, the edge of his cigar dangling over the ashtray. “You mustn’t tell Myra I was smoking in the house. She’d have my balls for it.”

“To be quite honest, I don’t give a shit what your wife does with your balls. I am, however, interested in what things you feel I need to know.”

“Patience is a virtue, Zade, and unfortunately, it’s not a lesson you were ever fond of learning,” he states before his face becomes shrouded in seriousness, finally getting down to business. “What do you know of Oakley Quinn? Have you looked into her background?”

My brows furrow. What kind of stupid question is that? Of course I’ve looked into her background. I nod. “There’s absolutely nothing interesting about her. She lived here as a kid. Her father died and she went to live with an aunt in Missouri. She had issues with a troubling ex-boyfriend, then decided to move back here.”

“What do you know of her father?”

I try to rack my brain for what I found on the man. “Not a lot. Matthias Quinn seemed to be some kind of hero within the community of Faders Bay. He was dumped with Oakley as a newborn after a one-night stand and worked as a local firefighter. Wasn’t winning awards for his lifesaving work, but he wasn’t exactly the runt of the station either.”

“And if I told you the background check you did on him was all fabricated?”

I watch him cautiously. “What aren’t you telling me?”

Nikolai lets out a heavy breath before taking his glass and lifting it to his lips. He tips all its contents down his throat before settling his stony gaze back on me. “Matthias Quinn is the illegitimate, only-born son of your grandfather, Julius DeVil.”

I stare at him, not following along. “The fuck did you just say?” I question the words only-born son on repeat in my head. “Because it sounds a lot like you’re trying to tell me that I am not the legitimate heir of Empire.”

“That’s exactly what I am trying to tell you, Zade. You are not the rightful heir of Empire. The blood does not run through your veins. It runs through Oakley’s.”

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