“Respect is earned, you pathetic little shit.” Old Bern’s facade cracked for only a moment. Rage leaked out from his eyes. “I only hope you don’t fuck up the Orchard dynasty. Remember, it’s more important than you. Worse men have stewarded the family. Don’t shame them all.”
Redmond leaned back, at a total loss for words, as the doors burst open.
My Sicilian friends stepped inside.
I stood and nodded to them. “Gentlemen. Welcome.”
Santo stepped forward. Blood coated his shirt and shoes.
“This the one?” He looked down at Old Bern.
I nodded. “That’s the one.”
He aimed the gun at Old Bern’s head.
Old Bern looked back at me. “Loophole, eh? Use an unaffiliated family to do your dirty work? Better hope nobody talks.”
“They won’t.”
He looked at his son. “Don’t disappoint me.”
“Fuck off,” Redmond said, backing away.
“Santo, do it.”
Santo pulled the trigger and blew Old Bern’s skull to pieces. The ancient Oligarch crumbled to the ground, and with him the old ways died.
I wondered if they’d be gone forever now.
Not that I gave a flying fuck.
“Well, that was fun,” Santo said, grinning.
“Did you finish off his men?”
“Yes, sir, I did.” He turned to stare at Redmond. “Should I do this one too? Might as well make it a clean sweep.”
I hesitated before I answered. Redmond’s terror was palpable. He looked at me, shaking his head.
“We had a deal, Kaspar.”
I grinned at him. “That we did. It’s okay, Santo. Leave him alone.”
“Whatever you say.” Santo shrugged and stepped back out into the hall, shouting at his soldiers in Italian.
I looked down at the body of Old Bern and wished it didn’t have to be like this.
But life was never easy.
I turned to Penny and gently took her arm. She was shaking, and she wouldn’t look at Old Bern’s body.
“Come,” I said softly, pulling her with me. “We have to go now.”
“You killed him.” She whispered the words.
“I did. And by the time the others realize it was me, it won’t matter anymore.” I steered her to the door.
Redmond followed. “When do we move on her?” he hissed, trying to regain some of his self-confidence after nearly shitting himself.
Stupid idiot. It was all worthless bravado.
“Soon. We move on her soon. Gather your forces and consolidate your strength. Make sure you have control of the Orchard family. Then, we’ll kill that bitch Maeve.”
Redmond grinned wickedly.
I pulled Penny away, and she didn’t resist.
I wished she understood why I was doing all of this.
Everything, all the blood, all the bullets, all the suffering and death, everything was for her.
From the moment I saw her to now.
Everything, for her.
11
Alice
Eight Years Ago
Blackwoods College
I waited until there was no sound coming from either end of the stairwell.
It was a cold, concrete structure, and I felt my hairs stand on edge. I was always anxious whenever I contacted Maeve, but this was on another level. She’d made sure I understood how important this mission was, and how there was no possibility of failure.
I either murdered Penny Servant, or I didn’t bother coming home.
The phone rang several times before Maeve answered. It was her private line, and only a handful of people knew the number.
Once, that would’ve brought me pleasure.
Now it only made me shift from foot to foot.
“Hello, darling Alice.” Maeve’s voice was silk on velvet, a smooth cascade of fresh running mountain water. I shivered and leaned against the wall, trying to steady myself.
“Hello, Mother.”
She wasn’t my real mom, and I never called her that back home. But since I came to Blackwoods, we had an agreement: I was never to use her name, no matter what, even when I was sure that I was alone and nobody could hear.
We had to be careful. This wasn’t some game.
And if it was, I couldn’t afford to lose.
“How are things at school?”
“They’re going well. I try to study as often as possible, like you asked.” Code for: Penny’s still alive, but I’m working on it.
“I appreciate your dedication to your studies.” Meaning: don’t fuck this up.
“I did notice something strange about my roommate.”
“Oh, did you? The coin girl?”
I tried not to smile. Maeve avoided saying her name at all costs, and took a strange, sick pleasure in demeaning Penny in often subtle ways.
“Yes, the coin girl. A boy’s been following her around. Maybe you’ll have heard of him. Kaspar Baskin.”
A long silence. Maeve knew the Baskin family intimately. They were another set of Oligarchs, an old and storied group of famous psychopaths, and she had no love for them at all.
“I might’ve heard of him. From what I understand, he’s very clever.”
“He seems extremely interested in my roommate. I’m not sure what that means.”
“Be careful with that boy. Your studies are paramount, and I wouldn’t allow some college crush to get in the way of you graduating on time.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it, Mother.”
“Good. I don’t want you getting embroiled in anything dangerous.” She emphasized that last word: dangerous. “Study hard and fast, my darling. I believe in you.”