ME: You have my word. Be careful.
Taking a deep breath, I shut the phone off and stuck it back in the hidden panel on my desk. Rubbing my temples, I already had a headache, and it was only 7am. No doubt, Darren had wanted to find me off-kilter after the benefit by making it so early. I’d only gotten a few hours sleep, too anxious to sleep any more after the information Loren had shared.
Part of me believed her, knowing my father was creative and always had a contingency plan. But the part of me that had shot him, and saw him fall to the ground as I escaped the burning building, didn't know how. I’d never told anyone the full story of that night. Not even Sax. My shame and guilt had kept me from wanting to relive it. But now, I was worried I’d missed something. In my panic, had I slipped up, allowing my father to escape and survive all these months?
If I had, I’d never forgive myself for allowing him to hurt Imogen again. That was a burden I couldn’t place on her.
My hands shook as I lifted the gun at the man I’d once admired. He’d been missing, not wanting to show his face once he realized I disapproved of his plan. Sax had taken on the hunt for Imogen while I tracked the Reaper down, knowing I had to be the one to do this.
“I expected more from you, Atticus. I taught you better than this.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. I taught myself the important things. I used to admire you, you know? I used to look up to you and thought you were the greatest man to ever live. But these past few years, I’ve seen your cracks, the destruction, and vileness you so desperately tried to hide with good deeds. I know what you did, father,” I spat, the bile wanting to emerge at the thought.
He smiled, his lips curving up in a vicious smile. “Oh? Do tell me, Atticus, how you manage to think you’re so much better than me? Your hands are just as dirty!”
“I’ve never raped anyone! Or molested children. You’re a disgrace to the Mascro name. This is not what Grandfather wanted our family to become. You’ve tainted all the goodwill he built all because of your greed and incessant need for power.”
“Bravo!” He clapped, shooting me an indecipherable look. “Let me tell you something about my father, the man you look up to so much. Who do you think taught me? Hmm? His whole family motto was a lie, a pretty facade for the other families to believe, while he secretly bought up all the property and businesses he could get out from under them. We own a fucking empire, and you want to what? Make it legitimate, so we lose half our profit? You’re the delusional one, Atticus. I see now that I chose wrong. I should’ve made your—”
I didn’t let him finish, no longer caring to hear him. Firing the gun, I jerked back from the recoil, my hands sweaty as I attempted to realign my grip. Dayton chuckled, and I searched for where he’d ducked. I spotted some blood on the ground and followed it. Taking a step, a shot rang out, hitting the wood next to me. Jumping back, I peek around the large container.
It had taken all day, but I’d finally tracked him down to an old warehouse on the docks. He’d been staying in one of the shipping containers. Based on the number of items in it, he’d been planning this for a while. It was a mini office and room with clippings all over the wall.
When I’d entered, I hoped I could have a reasonable chat with him, but that quickly dissolved when he showed no remorse for his part in Imogen’s capture and rape. I’d raised my gun when he laughed about it being good for her. We were out in the warehouse now, too many containers to get a good line of sight. He wasn’t stupid, so I’d need to catch him off guard. Trying to visualize the area in my head, I guessed the pattern of containers, hoping they followed a similar route as another warehouse we owned.
Heading in the other direction, I took a few turns and then doubled back in the other direction, praying it would lead me behind him. Dayton had thankfully stopped spewing hate-filled insults, but it also meant I had no idea where he was. A sound up ahead had me freezing, and I counted to ten before I slowly took a step and peeked around the corner.
I found my father muttering under his breath as he spread gasoline over a pile of papers. He was probably trying to cover his tracks and erase all information on his future plans. Too bad he wouldn’t need them where he was going. Raising my gun, my hand no longer shook, and I aimed it at him with a steady arm.
“Your reign is over, Dayton. It’s time I took over the family and made us what we’re meant to be, not this perverted sense of family you’ve made us. You sicken me.”
“That’s rich coming from you, son, now isn’t it?”
He looked right at me, and I fell into his trap. When I realized he was distracting me, I looked over to see him tossing the lighter onto the pile of papers. I watched it fall in slow motion, his fingers waving as he turned to retreat. I rushed forward, for some reason trying to catch the lighter despite being too far to do so.
When I realized the lunacy of my actions, I raised my gun and fired off a few shots. I heard one hit him in the back and the other in the leg. He cackled like it was great fun, turning to fire one himself. I dove, the fire igniting in the same instant, and a whoosh sprang up behind me. I could feel the heat of the flames on my skin as I crawled forward. Standing, I turned back once more, finding Dayton lying on the other side of the fire, not moving. Shooting once more in his direction, I raced back out the way I came, the fire licking my heels as I ran. The smoke was thick by the time I made it back around the front, the circle I had to make not doing me any favors.
Coughing, I pushed open the door, the hot handle scalding my fingers at the touch. Gasping in the clean air, I fell to my knees, the gravel biting into them through my suit. Another loud boom had me standing again and moving forward to get out of the blast range. I stumbled again, but this time, an arm reached out and grabbed me. I tensed, raising my gun, but found Sax there.
“Immy?”
“I got her. She’s…” he cleared his throat, emotion thick, and shook his head, not able to finish it. I didn’t know how to face my sister after this, knowing the pain I’d allowed to happen. Dayton had fooled me, and it had cost my baby sister her innocence. It wasn’t something I could ever return to her, but I vowed to never let her down again, doing whatever it took to make sure she survived this.
“Reaper?”
“Shot. Dead.”
He nodded, helping me over to the black car I’d driven. We sat on the hood of the car, watching the flames rise until there was nothing left of the place. It took a few hours, but there was nothing left to save by the time the fire department arrived. Sax and I walked through the ruins and made our way to the spot where I’d last seen my father. Nothing remained there but a pile of ash and bones. Crouching down, I reached back for a bag and placed the bones and ash into it. This would be a reminder of what power cost. It was the dawn of a new era for the Mascros, one where we could be proud of our heritage and what it meant to be family.
That was the promise, no, the vow, I made on that day. The day I killed my father, I rose up, and took the mantle of boss.
“Mas.” I jerked, my knee colliding with my desk as I sat up. Blinking, I found a grinning Sax in front of me.
“What?” I asked, craning my neck. Shit, I’d fallen asleep, the few hours catching up to me.
“Are you listening?”
“Hmm?” I looked up, finding him watching me in concern now. “Sorry, I didn’t get much sleep. Darren insisted we talk this morning, and the little I got was restless.”