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“Mine doesn’t drag me from our bed in the early hours of the morning.”

“Yes, they do Vince.” I put my runners on. I didn’t even have time to waste by walking slow. “I just don’t make a big deal about it.”

“Which one of them fucked up tonight? What state are you suddenly expected to rush to?”

“I’m not fighting with you.” I walked back into the kitchen, looking for my car keys. “I understand you're frustrated, and I’m sorry. We will talk about this.” I turned around, not even surprised to see he had followed me. “But I can’t right now.”

I went up on my toes and kissed him. “I am sorry.”

Before I could step away from him, he pulled me back to him. Kissing me harder.

“I promise. When I get back, we will talk about it.” I kissed him one more time and left. Praying to a higher power that Marcel’s wife and their baby were okay.

CHAPTER 29

Vince

“My first great grandchild is dead.” Damius looked at Marcel. “An unforgiveable loss.”

For the first time since we were teenagers, I felt sorry for Marcel. Emmie and him had been trying for years to get pregnant. I respected all my cousins wives. But she was always the sweetest.

Seeing Marcel, this upset, got under my skin. We might fight behind closed doors, but when it came to the rest of the world. I’d stand in front of a bullet for him, which technically, I had done. Twice.

“I have requested that the family is to come here, face the consequences directly.” Damius cleared his throat and looked down at the ground. “We shall handle this as a family.” He gripped Marcel's shoulder.

The table behind Damius was setup with torture devices.

It was going to be a long fucking night.

The doors opened.

Madeline. Why was she here?

Looking from her to her uncles and cousins.

Her family is responsible.Fuck.

The satisfaction sparked in Damius’s eyes as he watched my reaction.

Nikolai stepped to my side; I could feel his hand ready to grab me. I wasn’t fucking stupid.

The tightness in my chest, as the formal introductions, finally ended.

“A loss of my first great grandchild, that was named in, my Honor.” Damius stepped forward. “In some ways, an extension of myself was killed by incompetency.”

He slowly walked in front of them, only to tap his watch twice in front of Nathaniel, marking him for execution.

But Madeline was standing right beside him.

Marcel shifted. Ready. Had he read the mark as her cousin, or her? That twitch in his jaw.

Fuck it.

Damius stepped out of the way, and I moved forward. Trying to make it as quick as possible, but Madeline still reached for his hand as I pulled the trigger.

His body hit the ground. Followed by a long silence.

“Zeke, you are lucky to have another son.” Damius stood in front of him.