Page 65 of Destroyer

"Nico planned this?"

"That boy is asset to you," Piotr praises.

"This boy is nephew?" Balen's son questions, relaxing back as he laughs. "Small boy, insane plan?"

"You know Nico?"

"He phoned me. I didn’t know my sister was dead. I thought she arrived here and found what she needed to be happy. But to hear what my sister went through, and then her son. My nephew was barely raised."

"Gavriil taught the boy what was of true value. Taught him how to survive as mafia pawn," Piotr growls.

"Why are the four of us here?" Knox questions, his eyes on Gregory.

"Nico was supposed to be here for this bit. You know how he rises to a performance." Gregory shrugs. "I can try, but it will lack the Nico flair."

"Just tell us what the fuck is going on Greg," Kaulin snaps.

"Your fathers have fucked everything up. They all put money and power above love and family. Nothing comes before family and yet your father's have forgotten. They all conspired in the murder of Ioana Balen.

You and your mothers have been taken, except from Piotr's, whose mother has passed. Your fathers will be given the choice to save them. If they put family before their reputation, you will be free to leave."

"Well, I'll be OK then, little bro. Dad puts Mum before the world. You know that." Kaulin relaxes back, looking too smug for a bound man.

"I put my own revenge on that one," Gregory huffs. "If he chooses her, she'll be told about him playing the field."

"Then Mum is dead. Greg, how could you do that?" Kaulin tries to stand, but two Russians grip his shoulder.

"If he chooses to sacrifice Mum, then you'll be head of the family and Mum will come home."

I glance at Gregory, and the determined frown on his face. I can see this is his plan, probably an addition to Nico's plan in exchange for Gregory's help.

"Is this the case for all here?" Cristian frowns. "Shoot my father. I want my mother home. I'll run the family from Romania."

I see the plan now, all four of these men will walk out of here as the head of their respective families. Before they leave, positive relationships will be forged, strengthening all of them. Nico gets his revenge on the grandfather who made him suffer throughout his childhood. He will have revenge on Edward for killing his mother and he will have revenge on his biological father for turning his back on him. All without killing anyone himself.

Clever little psychopath.

He's rearranging the entire playing board to make one move, but that move wins him the game.

"Each of you can choose the outcome." Gregory hands each man a small push button detonator, with the Russians unbinding two of their prisoners so everyone was free.

"Caeo." Knox stands up and leans in against me. "My father is the biggest risk to Porter and Nico right now, probably to us."

"If you do this, I wouldn’t blame you."

"There is no way I can't do this. I don't trust him. But can I really murder my own father?"

"He murdered your sister. You've wanted to kill him for years."

"What about you?" Knox turns to Gregory. "Are you still my go-to guy?"

"Honestly, I didn't think you'd want me after this," Gregory shrugs. "I picked the kid over you. But with your dad whispering in one ear and you in the other, it was hard to know what was right."

"If we do this, are we uniting together?" Kaulin sighs. "My dad would do anything to keep Mum from knowing he was a cheat. Even killed a few good guys and kicked out my brother."

"My father rejected my sister when she fell pregnant and kicked her out into the streets. She couldn't get a break for twelve years. When someone helped her out of the country, he killed her." Cristian has a heavy sigh.

"That was not me personally, but my family helped her and the boy out. It was the coldest winter on record that year, but they survived that." Piotr opens up.

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