Fallen Empire (Dirty Empire)

“You should have told me,” Caleb mutters, still focused on our father’s betrayal. He snaps a finger at Merrick and then holds out a hand, wordlessly demanding a smoke. For once, Merrick doesn’t have a sharp retort. He simply holds out the pack and the lighter for him.

Caleb lights a cigarette and takes a long drag. “If I’d known, I could have gone to Fulcort with you today and snapped his fucking neck—”

“And how would we ever get any answers out of a dead man? That’s why I didn’t tell you.” The last thing I needed was Caleb there. They can’t tolerate being in the same room on the best of days. My brother wouldn’t have been able to control his temper. He would have killed our father with his bare hands, or at least tried. “You don’t think he gave Bane explicit instructions about what to do with her if something were to happen to him? We need him alive if we have any hope of finding Mercy before Bane carves her up into pieces.”

Caleb pinches his brow. He’s finally seeing the bigger picture. “And let me guess, he’s going to keep her tied up with Sergeant Psycho while we get his precious Harriet back on track, like he’s wanted all along.”

“That’s the gist of it. And apparently, anyone who might challenge us taking over is no longer an issue.” I give him a meaningful look.

His eyebrows arch in surprise with that bit of news. “That was fast.”

But we knew it was only a matter of time before Bane caught up with our uncle and cousins.

“And what about this alliance with Camillo that he was pushing for? Has he heard about that yet?”

“Of course, he has. Says he expected as much from you.”

Caleb rolls his eyes. “And? Is he pissed?”

My eyes dart to Vince and Merrick. It would be so easy to slide my gun out and sink a bullet in each of them, and concede to our father’s demand. We’d have more bodies to clean up though. If we keep piling them up in here, eventually no cleaner will be able to erase what we’ve done.

But it would also mean I’ve become the very thing I don’t want to be—like Vlad, a cold-blooded murderer.

Vince stiffens in his seat.

“He said the job was only half-done, didn’t he?” Merrick says through an exhale.

They’re smart, I’ll give these two that much. I hesitate over how honest I should be. “Our father wants to take over your territory and he thinks eliminating you two will make it easier to do that. He’s also waging a war against Navarro. He’s got something planned. He wouldn’t tell me what it is though.” We could probably hunt down Ivan and JJ, another one of my father’s dependable minions, and find out if we really wanted to. Whatever he’s got cooking, those two will have their spoons in the pot.

“The old man has lost his marbles.” Caleb chuckles bitterly. “And you told him to go suck Chops’s dick because there’s no way in hell we’re on board for any of this, right?”

The more Caleb speaks, the happier I am I went to Fulcort alone. “No, I didn’t say that. I played along to buy us time, and we’ll keep playing along with big red bows around our necks until we can find Mercy. Do you understand?” My own anger and desperation bleeds through my tone. “I’ll do anything to make sure Bane isn’t given a reason to hurt her.”

“Anything?” Vince’s gaze flitters to my hand, and the proximity of it to my gun. The dangerous gleam in his eye and the way his fingers twitch tells me he’s weighing his next move.

Merrick, though still lounging, looks like he could spring to action at any second too.

We’re quickly sliding back onto thin ice with these two, as far as trust goes. The air is growing as tense as it was that first night they strolled into the office at Empire in Phoenix with their offer of this unorthodox alliance.

Caleb, sensing the volatility, edges in. “No. We’re not backstabbing shitbags like our uncle. Us taking over your territory is a stupid idea, made by a desperate old man who can’t handle not being in control.”

“As long as he has Mercy, he is in control,” I counter. Does Caleb not see that?

My brother curses. “Listen to me, Gabe. Let’s make one thing clear: we’re not giving Vlad what he wants, no matter what. Because once we start that, it’ll never end. Not until we’re in Fulcort-grade jumpsuits or buried in the fucking ground!”

He’s right. I know that in my head, but my heart is twisted into a thousand painful, anxiety-ridden knots. “But he can’t know that.”

“No, he can’t,” Caleb agrees, sucking on his cigarette. “We have to play along until we find out where Bane has stashed her.”