Kellen
Haze from half a dozen lit cigars rolls around the ceiling beneath the fan and the overhead lights make shadows twist over the long mahogany table deep in the heart of the mansion. Hayle family captains sit around lounging, smoking, watching me. Finn’s there with Angus, along with Burke and a few of his neutral friends, and several of the captains that have officially come to my side: Rogello Galofre, Jacob Townsend, Tovia Macondo, and a few others.
Tara sits on my left, right where she belongs. I put her in a gold dress and studded her with jewelry, and she looks like a movie star from the twenties, like a fucking goddess sitting among mere mortal men. She glows, beautiful, and it’s hard to keep my eyes off her.
I notice several of my men looking at her too.
I don’t know if I’m angry or happy. I wanted her around to distract them, but also because I want them to understand how deeply she’s involved in everything.
But to have her ogled like this?
Fuck, I don’t know if I can resist the urge to break someone’s knees tonight.
“Gentlemen, thank you all for coming,” I say and Burke laughs.
“We’re not fucking gentlemen, Kellen, god damn it. Let’s not pretend like we are.”
The others all laugh. Burke beams at them. He’s popular among the other captains and the lieutenants—power didn’t go to his head and he still acts like one of them instead of like one of the biggest bosses in the family. Humility sometimes can be its own strength.
Even though it’s all bullshit with Burke.
“All right then. Thank all you fucking scumbag loan sharks and killers and thieves for coming to my humble abode.”
More laughter. I grin at them.
“Not that we had a choice,” Tovia says. He’s a thin man, dark hair, dark eyes. “Word’s out about you. Seems like the whole family’s having a civil war now.”
“This isn’t a war,” I say, shaking my head slowly. “The war’s been fought. The war’s already over. Those few captains and crews that still back Hugh won’t last for long. They’re few, and getting fewer every day as the fucking cowards run from the city and hide out in other states. We’ll hunt those bastards down and they’ll end up dead in their beds before long, but first it’s Hugh. We need him, and we need him now.”
Some more murmurs. Burke leans forward, puffing his cigar, and uses it to point at me. “How do you propose you do that, eh?”
“I’m putting a bounty on Hugh’s head. A million dollars to whoever can bring him to me, dead or alive.”
I get some surprised looks. A million is a lot—but they don’t know how much cash I have in reserve right now. I’ve been frugal the last seven years, and now it’s time to spread some of that money around.
“That’s a generous offer,” Tovia says, nodding his head. “But it doesn’t change the fact that—”
The doors burst open. Two men stride into the room. One is a staff member, the head of the household, an older man named Terence. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Hayle,” Terence says, bowing his head. “This man says he was invited, but he doesn’t have an invitation.”
“I thought you’d want to hear from me, Kellen.” Clyde Garvin grins at me.
He’s one of the captains that followed Hugh after shit went down, and he’s by far the strongest of the bunch. He’s young, with light brown hair, a muscular frame, and light blue eyes. Handsome in his own way. The room bristles at his presence, and I wave poor Terence away.
Clyde remains standing near the door.
“We were just discussing your employer. I was offering my men a million dollars for Hugh’s head.”
Clyde’s eyebrows raise. “A million? Well, shit, I was going to do it for free. Guess I’m a cheap date.” He winks at me and I tighten my jaw to keep myself from wringing the fucker’s neck.
“What the hell do you mean, Clyde?” Burke asks loudly. “Why the fuck did you show your stupid damn face here?”
“Word about this meeting got out and I figured this was my chance.” Clyde’s smile slips and fades as he looks at the men around the table. “The strength of the Hayle family is gathered here in this room. The few left on the outside are weak. I followed Hugh because I thought he had answers, but I can see now that I was wrong. I didn’t know you, Kellen. You were around before my time. I should’ve met with you sooner.”
I tilt my head, studying the young captain. It’s unusual for a captain to be so young—he’s only twenty-four. My father promoted him two years ago, which was astonishing at the time, or so I heard anyway. Clyde’s capable and smart and deadly, extremely deadly. I wasn’t afraid of him when I worked the streets and ran my crew out in the city, and I’m not afraid of him now, but I’m smart enough not to start a fight with a man like him before I know I can win it.
And here, right now, in this room, I can win.
I slowly stand up.