Total pages in book: 75
Estimated words: 72496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
Ivan shoved me to the ground. “Stay here.”
I tried to grab for him, but a bullet whizzed by me. Around a hundred people in black camo were walking toward the group of us, with another person in similar clothing, wearing sunglasses and a hood covering their neck and head like it was freezing out.
They held up their hand. The bullets stopped. “Lovely family reunion, what a treat, I make a deal with the devil, and he more than follows through.” They looked over at Ivan, who had gotten closer to the group. “You were useful, after all. I mean, you’re going to die, but I think you already figured that when you lured everyone here for me using your little pawn of a wife.” They looked over at me. “Should I kill her first?”
“Can’t.” Ivan held up his hands and stood dangerously close to my dad. “She was made last night—two of your own went to meet Satan, she’s the one who sent them and as acting boss, I made her—into the De Lange line, so technically, she can’t be cleansed.”
“And what makes you think I follow rules?” The person glared, their voice was just as raspy as before, terrifying sounding, painful.
Ivan shrugged, hands still up. “If you really want control over the Family, you’ll at least show that you’ll honor De Langes. If not, you’re just as bad as the guys standing in front of you. They did cleanse an entire Family line, well almost, since I’m still standing here. Point is, you’ll need loyalty once you do this. You can’t have your own men turning on you at such a pivotal point, can you? Oh also, when you pry the ring from my finger, you might need to size it down a few notches, you look—small.”
The person pointed the gun at Ivan, then switched it to my dad and shot.
Ivan shoved dad out of the way and stumbled forward, it hit right below his neck on the right-hand side, barely missing his head.
And then the gun trained on me.
The sound of sirens filled the air.
What the hell was going on?
Ivan moved to his feet, leaning forward. “Shoot me again if you want, or I guess you can try and run, but the place is currently surrounded by the FBI.” Ivan gave a mock salute. “Trojan Horse, bitch.”
Hundreds of FBI agents swarmed the grass with Junior and Tank leading the way like it was a normal occurrence in our Family.
I mean, I knew we had ties with the FBI, and we helped one another from time to time and that different people had worked undercover for them, but what?
“Drop your guns.” Tank held out his badge. “Now.”
No way?
He was back in?
I thought he had to give up the FBI in order to marry into the Family.
“Good work.” Junior patted him on the back.
Phoenix stumbled toward Junior.
But Junior shook his head and nodded to Ivan.
What did they know that I didn’t?
Everyone dropped their guns but the person who had shot dad, they pointed it between Junior, Ivan, and finally landed on Chase.
With a sigh, Uncle Chase stepped forward and called off Junior, then turned over and nodded to Phoenix.
I got up and walked over to Ivan; he was bleeding, but not bad. “What’s going on?”
“Well, it was kind of like the ending to Avengers, I just expected there to be more killing less talking, but I think, I can fully promise you to always tell you the truth now that it’s about to be out. I’m sorry I lied.”
“Huh?”
“Phoenix’s rise from the ashes.” Ivan wrapped an arm around me and winced. “And demons, never die.”
The person wasn’t putting their gun down, but it was shaking, genuinely shaking in their hands.
Uncle Chase stared the person down, unafraid of the gun pointed at his face and whispered. “Do it. I fucking dare you.”
The gun pointed from Chase to Phoenix now.
Phoenix just shook his head, then finally looked over at Junior. “What do you prefer?”
Junior smiled. “I’m no longer the acting boss of the De Lange Family. Ask him.”
All eyes fell on me, including that of Tank, who was still pointing a gun at this person’s head.
“Be right back.” Ivan kissed me on the head and walked away, I only hoped it wasn’t to his death—again.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
“Revenge isn’t just about getting even, it’s about making things right.” —King Campisi
Ivan
I didn’t believe it when I saw the text from King—directly from Junior. Proof. The proof we needed. The proof that stared me down in the face. I knew it would be volatile.
I didn’t, however, know how bad it could have gotten with the rest of the men there watching.
Some knew the history of the Families.
Others whispered about it.
How the De Langes fell.
And today, I would be the one—to make them rise.
I stood in the middle. The gun moved to my forehead. I took a deep breath and realized in that moment, I had to make the choice as boss.