My eyes train in the direction of the beautiful woman supposed to be asleep in bed, waiting for me to return. Not here. Not putting herself in danger.
Felix’s jaw twitches for a second. He wasn’t planning on Kai showing up. And does it appear he’s more afraid of her than me?
Kai’s eyes land on me. Her green beauties sending me warnings of Felix. She knew, this whole time. She knew Felix wasn’t on our side. He’s as evil as it comes.
She’s better at reading people than I am. Too bad we can’t convince everyone we would do a better job leading if we did it together. Her strengths are my weaknesses and vice versa. But everyone is right; we would always put each other first over the empire. Which makes us both the wrong people for the job. But Felix is no better.
I see Langston frowning, his gun aimed at Felix as he takes everything in. He was fooled by Felix too.
Felix just laughs at Langston. “Lower your gun, friend.”
“No,” Langston says.
“Lower your gun, or a dozen of your men die.”
I snap back to Felix. “I thought you came alone.”
“No, I took out your men alone. I never go anywhere alone.”
Felix snaps his fingers and three of his men, heavily armed start parading my team out, still handcuffed in chains and ropes.
I stand, my nostrils flared, ready to go to war to protect the men and women who have always been loyal to me.
“I’m going to kill you for this, Felix. My team doesn’t deserve to be treated like animals. Untie them. This is between you and me,” I say.
“I will. When you tell them the truth,” Felix says.
I frown.
Felix stands and steps forward. “For generations, a Miller and a Rinaldi have fought to become your leader. They have risked their lives playing a game that shows you the winner is worthy of leading you. Worthy of the technology that could wipe out entire countries. Worthy of controlling billions of dollars of assets. And for generations, it has worked. The Black empire has grown with each new generation and those who are loyal live incredible lives under their protection. Only one generation has ever threatened that system. Because they fell in love, they lost sight of what was important. They no longer put you all first.” He turns to Kai and me. “They are making the same mistake. They made an announcement when they first got together that they got married. That was a farce, a test to see how you would all react. You failed to react then. But now, they are in love. They will put each other above you. Now you must act. You want the strongest person to lead you. Well, it’s time they prove it to you.”
Felix snaps his fingers, and his men begin untying my team members. I should run over to them and check and make sure they are all okay, but my instinct is to run to Kai, to protect her from my madman of a half-brother. Instead, I force myself to stay.
Felix disappears down the back ladder and reappears with a woman who looks awfully similar to Kai. She has long, dark hair, and her body is bruised and beaten.
I growl seeing a woman so hurt in Felix’s grasp. He tosses the woman forward, and she falls to the ground.
“What are you doing?” my voice beams, and everyone’s eyes are on me.
“Winning,” Felix mouths, so only I notice.
This was never about ensuring I was the best leader. Felix just wants to be leader himself. And he’s more dangerous than Milo ever was. He’s smart. He’s ruthless, heartless, and determined.
“Kill the woman,” Felix says, taking out his gun and aiming it at Clifton. “Or I start killing your men.”
I frown, not moving. For one, I will not be blackmailed. Two, Clifton can hold his own.
“Why?”
Felix laughs. “I’m threatening the life of one of your men, and you wa
nt to ask me why I want you to kill this woman? Some leader you are.”
“My men know I won’t be blackmailed. I won’t kill someone innocent.”
“She’s not innocent.”
The woman cries on the floor in front of me. “She is.”