“Kiara’s videos weren’t the only ones I received.” His voice is filled with loathing and disgust and it makes me sick to think of my father sending videos of my girl and his own fucking daughter! “You’re alive because of how Kiara reacted toward you. If I didn’t see the… love in her eyes the day you walked into my class you would be dead. I would have also killed your brothers at the cabin for standing in my way.”
“Why would Tony send you videos of his own daughter, why would you care about my sister?” His eyes harden and crinkle at the corners.
“I may be a part of this life but that doesn’t mean I’m like the others. I don’t dabble in the sex trade, never have and never fucking will. Tony was a huge investor with the Bratva and in case you haven’t noticed your holdings are losing value because the Russian’s are pissed.”
“So?”
“My daughter will not become collateral damage because of something your father did. The Russian’s will come for you and your family for stopping their monthly shipments.” Everything begins to click into place. Ever since I took over for Tony, nothing I have done has seemed to appease the other four families in New York, now I know why.
“I will never be a part of something like that.Ifthey come, I will be ready.”
“Notif, butwhen. They will come for you, boy. Either you take them out before they get here or you put your family in danger. Prove to me you’re nothing like your father and actually do care for my daughter and I might be swayed to help you take out your enemies.” I scoff.
“Like the other families where you come from will agree to that.” He quirks a brow and smiles cockily at me.
“What other families?” My eyes widen.
“You run Florida, on your own?” He nods. “How?”
“I married her mother to make peace, when Kiara’s grandfather hid her and her mother from me, I killed them. It caused an uproar with the other families. It was kill or be killed and needless to say, the streets ran red with their blood and not mine.” I stay silent mulling over his words, I know he has a double meaning to them I just need to figure out what that is. Kiara sits up and pulls my focus to her, she smiles at me before turning to face her father. I can see from the look on her face that the little minx has been awake listening this whole time.
“You want Bishop to take out the other families and put his brothers as the heads so they will run New York.” A proud smile stretches across his face as he nods at his daughter.
“Clever you are, my dear. If you want to stop the Russian’s from coming after you and your family you need more men. You need this city locked down and ready to fight at a moment’s notice.”
“It will take time,” I grit out as I wrap my arm around Kiara. She huddles into my side and rests her cheek against my chest.
“You don’t have time, the families are already plotting against you.” I glare at the bastard.
“How would you know that?”
“How do you think I was able to roam freely through this city with an army and not have you alerted?” My hold on Kiara tightens. Those double-crossing sons of bitches sold me out because I refuse to steal little girls who haven’t even bled yet and ship them off to be whores. I’ll kill each and every one of those fuckers forever thinking they could cross the Murdoch family and live to tell the tale.
“As soon as Knight is out of here, it will be war.” Anthony’s eyes sparkle with glee. He may be calm and kind in front of his daughter but even I can see the beast beneath his mask that thirsts for the blood of his enemies. The beast inside me thirsts for the same thing.
Chapter24
Kiara
6 DAYS LATER…
Knight is finally home. He will be off the football field for the rest of the season but he doesn’t seem to be worried about that. He hasn’t looked at me since we picked him up from the hospital, or spoken to any of us. Rook is taking it the hardest having his twin shut him out. Bishop has ordered Rook to return to school even though he has rebelled against the idea. Car and I are going back Monday, which means I only have the weekend with Bishop. He’s agreed to let me go back without Gage or Mav because Anthony has said he will resume his position as my history teacher and will have men surrounding the whole school. I don’t know what has changed between them or how they becamefrenemiesbut I’m not mad about it. King is pissed about it but has managed to keep his thoughts to himself. Anthony has been nothing but kind and true to his word.
He has called me daily and we even went to dinner last night, it was weird at first and I felt awkward until not two minutes after we sat down to eat did Bishop stroll in. Anthony just laughed and said he was wondering how long it would take before he gave up tailing us and just joined. I know there is bad blood between them and I’m choosing to stay out of it. Anthony has offered to pay for a councilor if I want. I’ve been mulling over the idea for days now and I just don’t know if that is something I can do. I don’t want to relive the past but I also don’t want it to hold me back either.
“Can I sit?” I close the book I wasn’t even reading and look up to Car smiling and nod. She sits on the lounger next to me. I hate that her eyes are hidden behind her sunglasses, we haven’t spent any time together since we’ve been back. It’s almost like the night we were all back together was the last time we were all together. They never stay in the room with one of their siblings long enough as there is a huge divide in the house and I don’t know how to help Bishop or any of them fix it. Car and I used to be so close but now I feel like I don’t have the right to pry into her business. She hasn’t told any of us what happened and Anthony refuses to speak on the matter until Carlina is ready. “You know, I used to love sitting out here as a girl and swimming with my brothers.” She smiles fondly.
“What happened?” Her smile vanishes.
“I learned my father was a monster and I was nothing more than some hole he could sink his cock into whenever he wanted.” I flinch at the harsh edge to her tone. “He wanted to break me, he thought he did at one point.”
“Car, if you want to talk about what happened with… Anthony, I’m here for you.”
“Why do you all assume it was bad?” That catches my attention, I stare at her utterly confused.
“Wasn’t it?” I question. She lulls her head to the side and stares at me.
“Can I trust you to keep a secret?” I don’t hesitate.