Chained Hands (Chained Hearts Duet 1)

“What?”

“You really bought her?” he asks, confused. “He owed you money. You could have taken anything he owned.”

“He owed me a life, so I took hers.” Dillan owed me—I gave him money for his businesses, and he never met the deadlines for payment. Depending on how I am feeling on any given day, I could decide to be lenient or ruthless. I was lenient with him the first time, but when I saw him at that club with her …

… I knew I was going to be fucking ruthless.

All Dillan thinks of is pussy and money. But he doesn’t think about money in the right way. He has gambling problems, and in return for that problem, he now owes me a considerable amount. I’m in business, and his debt is always more than what I lend, but that’s smart business and I am nothing if not a smart businessman. This business of ours has been in the family for generations, and it will continue that way into the future.

“Are you sure that’s a smart move?” My eyes fall to Joey again, and he shakes his head and focuses on his hands resting on the table. “Sorry, boss.”

I would have killed anyone else for those words, but Joey is my brother, and because of that, he gets chances.

Chances that are rewarded to him and only him.

Our mother lives in an apartment on the upper east side. I pay for everything, her cooks, and people to be at her beck and call, even though she has her own money. While my father is buried under ten feet of dirt where he belongs.

The day I got that call, I was young, only twenty-one and not ready for the responsibility that came with it.

Joey and I were at a strip joint, the day before I had to work with my father, and he made me shoot one of his men simply because he betrayed him. My father told me it was another lesson for me to learn and remember.

You kill those who betrayed you.

No second chances.

Zero.

My father tapped me on the shoulder, then told me to fuck off after I did what he asked.

Joey knew, he was out the front waiting for me, and when I walked out, he declared we should go and get fucked up and watch some tits bounce.

I was halfway through my second bottle with a girl on my lap and another trying to kiss my lips. These women knew who my family were and wanted a piece of the forbidden fruit. I didn’t care who they were, all I wanted was pussy.

My father told me to fuck who I wanted but marry only who he said. So I did just that. Fucked every chance I could get. It was the only thing he didn’t dictate to me—where my cock went—that was until the day I got married. But even then what did it matter when others didn’t care.

I’d never seen a healthy relationship—my own parents didn’t have one because my father controlled everything and that’s that.

“Keir.” Joey pushed the stripper away from me, so I glanced at him over my shoulder—his face deadly serious. “We need to go.”

I remember those words clear as day because his next words changed my life.

“Papa’s dead.”

I never shed one single tear at his funeral, and we never found the asshole who shot him. Even with all the resources at our disposal we couldn’t find them.

My mother cried, even though she shouldn’t have.

Everything my father was went to me. I became the king of the mafia, and my life was forever changed. And I wasn’t sure if people realized the extent of his teachings and if they were ready for another iron fist ruler.

Glancing back at Joey he’s the only person I trust, but that doesn’t mean if I had to, I wouldn’t kill him.

If he ever betrays me, he will join him under the ground.

Two servers come out and place plates of food in front of us. Everyone at the table waits until I lift my fork before they do. The boss always eats first—it’s a sign of respect in this house.

“Is there something wrong with your food?” I ask her as everyone starts to eat. She’s sitting there doing nothing, staring at the table in complete silence as if she didn’t even hear me.

Everyone stops talking, and a hush fills the room as we wait for her to answer. My fingers squeeze the utensil in my hand hard enough to leave an imprint while I wait.

“I …” She shakes her head. “Nothing is wrong,” she finishes. She picks up a piece of bacon and places it into her mouth. I watch as a look of disgust coats her face when she chews it. Everyone’s eyes are glued on her, confused by what’s going on, but I know exactly.