Except I’m terrified for Enzo.
Enzo is all business as he calmly walks over to greet the man who dared to step foot on his yacht unannounced. To my surprise, Enzo extends his hand to the man, but the way the new man grips it, most likely draining his hand of blood, I know it’s not a friendly shake.
“Phin,” Enzo says.
The man just nods back.
“What are you doing? You don’t need to do this. You are just wasting both of our times. You can’t challenge me for leadership. That’s not how this works. Even if you win, it will change nothing.”
“It’s not about winning. It’s ensuring you are still strong enough to lead.”
“How much did my father pay you to do this?” Enzo says, letting him know he knows the truth.
“Plenty, but I would do this for free,” he says.
“You know the consequences if you lose. This action can’t go unpunished.”
“I don’t plan on losing.”
“Then that’s foolish; you should always plan on losing. Not everyone can win all the time. Everyone loses. You might win, but this could be the time you lose. Do you really want to pay with your life?”
The man ignores Enzo and steps forward. “I want to challenge Enzo for leadership. I understand if I win, I won’t become Mr. Black, but then I never was a mister anything. But I want to prove to you all, that Enzo isn’t fit for the title either.”
“You do understand if Enzo is deemed unfit to be leader, the job would fall to Kai?” one of the crewmen says.
I glare at him. I need to protect myself and stay out of this game, but I don’t like being treated like a weakling by any misogynist.
I open my mouth, but Enzo steps in. “Don’t talk about Kai that way. She’s more than capable of being a leader. She would do a better job than I would. So don’t act like she’s less than.”
“She?” Phin says. His eyes travel to mine.
I glare at him as I stand taller. I will not let him think less of me. I’m strong. I’m powerful. I could lead this organization easily. I am worthy.
He smirks at me.
“If she’d rather challenge me, I’d gladly swap her for you, Enzo.”
I frown.
Even if I had a gun and this man had no weapon, I’d lose. He’d beat the crap out of me, and I’d lose my child. I can’t fight him, even if I want to put him in his place.
“Beating up on a woman doesn’t make you worthy,” Enzo says to Phin.
He smirks.
“What are the rules of your challenge?” Enzo asks.
“Rules? There are no rules. We fight to the death,” Phin says.
“The death, really? You’re willing to risk your life against me, all to prove I’m not worthy?”
“Yes,” the man grins, revealing teeth that look like they’ve been shaved into points. The tattoos around his eyes turn into sharp horns ready to ram into Enzo.
No rules.
Death.
That means they can use any weapon. They can use any other person to help them. They can cheat, play dirty. Everything goes. Which means this won’t be fair. Enzo was blind-sided with this challenge. Phin was prepared. He will be ruthless in his pursuit.