“Taking what should have always belonged to me and my family.”
“Are we going to talk face to face like men, or are you going to shoot me in the back like a coward?”
He chuckles, but it isn’t a pleasant laugh. It's the kind from a tortured soul that no longer knows how to find joy anymore.
“Sit,” he says.
I walk forward and take a seat in one of the lounge chairs I’ve sat in dozens of times. Most men like doing business in an office. I prefer putting men in a different element, and watching them squirm, see how they react. Doing business on the top deck of my yacht doesn’t feel out of play, but unfortunately, Felix seems to have learned all the same tactics I have.
He takes a seat in the lounge chair opposite me, still gripping his gun, but it is no longer aimed at me. He picks up his beer with the other hand. His eyes nod toward the table next to me. There is a bottle of beer next to me.
I don’t drink beer often; it seems like such a boys drink. When I drink, I want the alcohol to hit my system fast and strong. I don’t waste calories on a drink that will take a dozen of to get me remotely drunk.
But this morning, I guess I’m drinking beer. I lift the bottle and take a swig.
“What do you want, Felix?”
“You always were the impatient one.” He takes another swig. “Don’t worry, we have all the time in the world. All of your team is currently tied up.”
My eyes widen, and my nostrils flare.
He smirks. “Go ahead, look on your cameras.”
I pull out my phone and pull up the security cameras again. This time, I see reality instead of what Felix wanted me to see. All of my team is tied up and handcuffed together in one of the bedrooms.
“Who came with you?” I ask.
“You think I need a team to take out yours? I was able to take out all dozen of your men without breaking a sweat.”
I underestimated Felix. I know that now. I don’t know what he’s up to. I don’t know why he helped me when I was Milo’s captive, but I know it wasn’t for my benefit.
“Who are you?”
Felix leans back with a smirk. “Ah, now you are asking the right question.”
I wait. This is all one big game to him, and I’m not sure how to play it yet. Thank god I didn’t wake Kai up. Langston is protecting her, and he won’t let her leave until I tell him it’s safe to bring her here.
“I’m Felix Black.”
I choke on the beer in my mouth.
Felix grins, like his entire life has been leading to this moment, and my reaction fell right into his plan. I’m usually good at keeping a poker face, but I’m not prepared for this.
“Or Felix Rinaldi, if you prefer. I think Black has a better ring to it. And since our father always went by Black, and you go by Black, that’s what me and my brothers have always gone by.”
Brothers.
I have brothers—plural.
I always knew my father was an evil bastard. He was never kind to my mother. He was the reason she died in the end. But I never knew he fathered other children.
I was raised as an only child. I was told I was the only option to follow in his footsteps and become Mr. Black, ruler of his empire. But I had brothers. There were other people in my family that could have carried some of the burden.
Instead, my father kept them a secret. But now that I examine Felix closer, I see the resemblance. The dark hair, tanned skin, crooked grin, dangerous eyes, tall, muscular body. I’m surprised I didn’t question it before.
“Your mother?” I ask.
“She thought he was the love of her life. But he was a wild man who traveled often. She never gave up hope that he would decide to give up his other life for her and her sons.” He shrugs. “She died when I was still a toddler.”