Page 4 of Cruel Possession

I didn’t think my life was going to look like this. I thought I was going to have more of a background role. Be a supporting character instead of landing the main role in this tragedy full of drama and way too much action, more than I want to deal with.

I sigh and swipe my keys off the corner of my desk, dangling them from my index finger as I leave the office and head outside, only to be met with the icy air and snow on the ground.

It wasn’t snowing when I left for work this morning, but now everything is coated in an icy white layer.

I should be heading home to sit in front of the fire. Right now, I could be curling up on the couch with a good book. I could pretend that just for once, I didn’t have to go to a meeting in some secret but very public location, likely arranging the death of another person.

Not that I mind, but it might be nice to just have one night off.

I unlock the door to my sleek, midnight-blue Cayman, slipping into the leather seat and tossing the purse into the seat beside me.

A tow truck pulls into the yard, dragging a car behind it.

It looks like one of the cars that’s going to be chopped and sent overseas. With the cars finally shipped to Columbia, the cocaine is going to start coming in again.

Taking the Lyndes’ control of New York is going perfectly to plan.

And now all that’s left for the day is a meeting with a man who is more than willing to open a chain of pleasure houses along the East Coast.

As I turn the key in the ignition, my phone buzzes.

I pull it out, unlocking it and pulling up the new message.

PITA:Friday. Midnight.

Chapter Two

AIDEN

“Would allof you just shut the fuck up for five minutes?” I press my fingers to my temples. I love my family. I’d die and kill for them without a second thought. But they drive me up the wall most of the time. “I didn’t call this meeting so you could all air your grievances with each other. Do that on your own time.”

Ellie snorts and moves around the room, gathering up the bottles of beer. “Yeah, because when have any of them been good at getting along for more than a few minutes at a time?”

I roll my eyes to the ceiling. “I don’t know. Considering the fact that you’re all fucking adults, I would think that you could manage to get along.”

I don’t know why I bother with them anymore. Talking to my own reflection would go better than trying to corral my brother and sisters. And then there are their spouses to contend with, too.

Joshua eyes me from the corner of the room while Skyla gets in Royce’s face, poking a finger to his chest.

Gia sits in the corner while Bianca plays in front of her with her toys.

Fuck knows what Summer and Jade are whispering about in the other corner, but I know they’re not listening to me. I don’t know if it’s ever occurred to them to listen to me, and I’m the one who raised them, along with Skyla.

Dropping them all off at an orphanage when Dad died would’ve been easier.

It’s not the first time I’ve had the thought, and I doubt it will be the last, but fuck. I’m so tired.

I pull out the gun from the holster on my hip, aiming at a spot on the brick of the mantle in the living room.

My finger wraps around the trigger, squeezing, and the gunshot has everyone shutting up.

I tuck the gun away. “Now that I have your attention, we need to talk about why there was another body left on my doorstep.”

Skyla smirks and sits on the couch beside Summer, kicking one leg over the other. “It’s been quiet for the last couple months since I met with Zoe, so why don’t you tell us who you pissed off?”

I grind my teeth together, wishing that wringing her neck wouldn’t have all my siblings turning on me. Wouldn’t have me hating myself right after she released her last breath.

Joshua meets my icy glare with one of his own.