I had put those tears there.
I had done all of this.
None of my cousins would look me in the eyes, and the worst of it, Violet went and sat next to Chase.
On the opposite end of the table like she’d already made her choice despite the ring on her finger.
Despite the hole in my heart.
I winced when Phoenix grabbed a towel and held it to my back. “Superficial, you’ll live.”
“Unfortunately.” Nixon finally spoke. “Someone talk now.”
Dante still had his gun ready to shoot, so clearly, nobody trusted me anymore, and he’d always been one of my favorites, closest to us in age, fun.
Now he looked lethal.
Great.
“Before we talk…” Andrei stood and then walked over to me; he knelt in front of my chair then pulled out his knife; it had the Petrov crest on it. I knew it well. He undid the buttons of his shirt.
I didn’t know he was going to do this here.
For all of them to see.
But I knew what he wanted me to do.
So, I too slowly unbuttoned my shirt, revealing the Campisi crest that had been tattooed there, right along with the Russian symbol beneath it, hidden in the ink.
“Blood of my blood.” Andrei’s voice shook. “Nephew.” His eyes bore into me. “True heir to the Petrov line.” He sliced across his hand and then brought the blade across his heart, doing the same then handed it to me.
I made the same cuts and then put my hand across his heart while he put his across mine.
“Blood over life, the prince… has returned as king, protect the Family, thrive, love, dance, drink… live.” He slid the crest off his finger.
I held out my left hand, the sickle tattoo seemed to glow to life as he slid the ring onto my finger.
And crowned me, king.
Boss of the Petrov crime Family.
And the Petrov Family line finally set to rights.
A weight seemed to lift off his shoulders as he kissed my right cheek, then wrapped an arm around me and pulled me against his chest.
“Regardless—” He stood and faced everyone. “—of what’s said today, he is the Petrov boss—and you owe him your allegiance the same you did me. We are thankful that I’m no longer divided between two families, now we can truly be one.” He said that last part with his eyes on Violet.
She held her head high and then lifted her left hand, heavy with my mom’s old ring. “One Family.”
Andrei nodded to her.
Gasps were heard all around the room.
I expected Chase to launch himself across the table and kill me.
Instead, he looked between us with a frown. “Not training under Nikolai, are you?”
“She’s training under someone…” Maksim joked, earning a seething glare from Dad and choked out. “Too soon?”
By the looks of Chase’s white fingertips, as he squeezed the knife in his hand, I would definitely say it would always be too soon to have that discussion.
“We’re going to need more wine…” Andrei went over to the bar, grabbed seven bottles, and put them on the table.
Once everyone had a glass or a bottle to chug from if you were Chase, Andrei sat and started talking.
“Last Christmas, Violet was kidnapped.”
Violet’s mom Luc gasped and reached for her daughter. Chase looked ready to break someone’s neck.
Phoenix continued. “She was dancing at the club. Tank was taken down, a few rogue Russian associates were there to kill Andrei.”
“Because everyone wants to kill Andrei,” Andrei said, making a face as he tossed back a gulp of wine in the most un-Italian way. “Good thing I am not easy to kill.”
“I wouldn’t go that far…” Chase smiled a cruel smile.
And I was back to wondering if I would live through the night.
Phoenix rolled his eyes. “You’re lucky I tolerate you—”
“I tolerate you too. I think this is what you call friendship?”
“Could you guys table the bromance for like five seconds?” Junior snapped. “What happened after that?”
Andrei sighed and shared a look with me that basically said I’m so sorry that you’re going to die now. Perfect. “Breaker, as you know him, was with me. We were approached by the men, they drugged her and said that I needed to prove that I was still the Russian boss—typically my father would—” He made a face. “—fuck one of the women or take their virginity as a consolation prize for himself, it’s a sick tradition, twisted even for my own men, and one of the old ways I’ve extinguished for obvious reasons. I had to choose between my loyalty to the Sinacore Family, my family, or loyalty to the Russians, and already as you well know, we’ve had men weekly trying to rise up and take the Family back from my grip because as much as they fear me, they don’t want my loyalty split.”
Violet locked eyes with me.
“I’m sorry,” I mouthed.