Page 126 of Devious Corruption

This isn’t like me. I’m the fucking fun brother. The one who shows up late to meetings, who spends all night having the time of my life and sleeping in the next morning.

But everything’s changed now.

“You need a drink?” Alexander offers, coming to sit next to me.

“It won’t help.” I rub the back of my neck. My head fucking hurts, too.

“You haven’t talked to her?”

“No. Not since she called and said she was settling in.”

“She’s going to be fine.” Alexander assures me, but our little sister is on the other side of the country, living with guilt and pain all by herself.

“She needs us; you shouldn’t have let her go.”

He cocks a brow. “Let her? Since when do we let her do anything?”

He sighs.

“I can’t fucking believe she got caught up with those fucking people.”

“She didn’t know who he was at first; it was only later when she realized it.” Alexander regurgitates the same excuse she gave us when we were all finally able to talk about it.

I lean forward, pressing my elbows into my knees and scrubbing my hand over my face.

“She’s grieving, Kaz.” Ivan sinks into the chair across from me. “She just needs a little time.”

“Fine.” I fold my arms over my chest and lean back. “What’s this meeting about anyway?”

Alexander shares a look with Ivan. “Maybe you should have a drink.”

“Just fucking tell me.”

“There’s been talk back home. With the death of all three DeAngelo brothers, there’s a vacuum for power. Their uncle wants a truce with us while they find their footing.”

“I really don’t give a fuck what that family wants.” I want them all alive so we can kill them again. But slower this time. They died too quickly.

There wasn’t any pain. There should have been more pain.

“A truce has been discussed and agreed to,” Alexander informs me.

“Fine. Whatever.” I shove out of my chair and stalk to the wet bar in the corner, pouring myself two fingers of vodka. It’s not enough—the burn it gives me—but it takes some of the edge off.

I want to kill.

To avenge the pain my little sister is going through.

To get vengeance for all the fucked up, horrible things that family did to us over the past few months.

“They’ve proposed a marriage.”

I pour another shot. “Oh yeah? Who’s?”

“Turns out there was a sister. Sienna DeAngelo. It’s been suggested she marry one of us.” Ivan says, getting up from his chair.

I pour the drink down my throat then laugh. “You’re both married already.”

“Right.” Alexander nods, waiting for reality to hit me.