Fallen Empire (Dirty Empire)

“What do you mean? You want us running drugs?” Caleb’s face morphs with a mixture of amusement and shock. Dad and Peter never stepped foot at a drop location; it’s way too risky. That’s what Ivan and JJ were for. “No fucking way. Get one of the other guys to do it.” He starts naming some of Dad’s lackeys, paid to carry guns and shoot when needed.

“They can’t be in charge! None of them could find their assholes in the dark. You two need to be there to make sure it all goes smoothly.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t have killed off Uncle Peter and his entire family then, huh?” Caleb mutters.

“Get the men in line under you and get rid of them if they’re not!” Dad snaps back. “Call Puff. He’ll send bodies. That’s why we took his family. It’s called leverage. Learn how to use it!”

Yeah, Dad’s a master at wielding leverage, even on his own sons.

I sigh. No matter what objection I give, he’ll have an answer for it. “It’s too hot right now. The feds are all over us, and Ivan was just grilled by Navarro’s men. If they got the details out of him, they could be setting a trap for us. We’ll end up either dead or in that hellhole with you. We need to move the drop—”

“We’re not moving the drop. It’s already on its way and Eduardo does not take well to chaos,” Dad cuts in. “Our two biggest dealers are waiting and if we don’t get them product, they’ll go to Navarro. They’ve told me as much. So no, this delivery is happening and you two are going to personally manage it.”

One of the steps creaks. I look up to see Mercy disappear up the stairs, her long, slender legs carrying her swiftly, as if she can’t get away fast enough. I hadn’t realized she’d peeled away. Is it about the meeting with Navarro? Is it about this phone call? About the casual threats my father tossed around?

Maybe all of it.

“Gabriel!” Dad barks, grabbing my attention.

“I gotta go, something came up.”

“What do you mean ‘something came up’?” Dad sputters. “We have things to discuss—”

I end the call and toss my phone on the counter.

“Oh, man, he’s going to be pissed.” Caleb chuckles.

“He’s already pissed.” Maybe I shouldn’t have been so abrupt and cavalier, especially when Dad needs to keep believing he has my balls in his fist, but I’m tired of this game.

Sure enough, my phone rings. I can practically feel him seething. I let it ring until it cuts off.

Seconds later, Bane’s phone rings again.

I meet my brother’s gaze, my rage churning.

“Dad doesn’t bluff about certain things.”

Like when he threatens to carve up a person’s face.

“He’s also not stupid.” Caleb gives me a knowing look.

Dad’s going to keep calling that phone, until he finally clues in that something’s wrong: there must be good reason Bane isn’t answering. And then he’s going to start getting suspicious, wondering why his son would have the nerve to blow him off like that.

And then he’s going to shift his focus to Duncan Wheeler and pull whatever strings he has left to get his grubby hands on him.

My gaze trails up the stairs. I can’t make Vlad Easton happy, and I don’t care to try anymore. Mercy, on the other hand, I want to make happy for the rest of our lives. That’s becoming clearer to me every day. But if we don’t deal with Vlad Easton now, he’ll hurt Mercy in ways that won’t ever heal, that she won’t ever forgive me for. I can’t sit around and wait for that to happen. We might not have all the pieces in place but we have enough to make a move.

“There’s a reason Dad never let Mom near the business and Mom never asked questions.” Caleb lights up another cigarette, his tone suddenly somber. “Mercy knows too much. You’re putting her in danger.”

“She was kidnapped by Bane. She was already in danger. And she knows a lot, but she hasn’t done anything. She’s innocent.”

“And the feds have already tried to use her father against her once.”

“She’s proven herself. She chose me.”

“And if DeHavilland can’t get his conviction overturned? You think she’ll choose you a second time when the feds come around again?”

“What the fuck are you trying to tell me, Caleb?” I snap. “You don’t want me to be happy?”

He holds his hands in the air in a sign of surrender. “Hey, calm down. I’m just trying to look out for you guys. You and I both know Lewis won’t be the last agent to come at her. The hard-on they’ve had for us will not shrink once Dad’s gone.”

He’s right about that. “So, what am I supposed to do then?”

“Don’t tell her more than she needs to know. At least about what’s about to go down.”