Page 119 of Doubts of the Egoist

His cheeks flushed and muscles tensed as he realized everyone in the room knew exactly what had happened behind those doors. He was glad he’d thrown on his jersey, and now they couldn’t see the marks on his body. His imagination ran wild, making him feel observed, dissected, and on display. Either Yugo’s concerns were sinking in, or he had gotten into Kuon’s head and planted those thoughts again. Kuon didn’t know. He hated the paranoia overtaking his mind but didn’t know how to stop it.

He lowered his chin, glaring at everyone from beneath his short lashes. As his gaze flicked from Yugo to his partners and back, he found it symbolic that only Greg stood at Yugo’s sidewhile the others faced him across the desk. Though typical for an office, it made him realize almost everyone in the room was connected to Yugo’s past. Almost everyone here was connected to the Santelli family and could have been involved in the massacre.

Yugo had been active in Vienna for years. Why strike now?Could the shooting of Rick be a warning for Yugo to leave Sicily alone? How many people knew about his plans to retake Sicily?He dragged his gaze around, surely most of the men present did.Could it be related to something else? Something he didn’t tell me? Yugo has many secrets. Will have even more if I close the door and walk away.

Kuon hated it.

He could still leave, but a tiny thought kept stinging his mind.What if the next bullet is aimed at Yugo?He was now certain that Rick wasn’t the target, but rather collateral damage—a warning.

Those thoughts might have taken only a second because no one scowled at him for wasting time.

Greg caught his gaze and nodded, silently encouraging him to enter. It was as if he knew that if Kuon backed down, these jackals would see it as a sign of weakness. If he stayed, he couldn’t appear weak or insecure, not in front of them. Nor could he discredit Yugo by seeming disloyal.

No one would judge him if he left for good, but then he’d never find out who shot Rick. If he left, he might never see this asshole again.

Kuon looked at the Black Duke, wavering.

Can I forgive him? Can he forgive me? Can it really workout?

Yugo’s thin lips curled into a bitter smirk. His hand, resting on the desk, turned palm-up and reached forward. His ironic gaze suggested that he didn’t expect a miracle to happen, yet he still flipped his hand up. That tiny gesture—an outstretched invitation—settled Kuon’s mind.

Motherfucker, how do you always do this? Kuon snorted, swallowed the lump in his throat, pushed his doubts aside, and stepped into Yugo’s world, displaying all the confidence he could muster, even though he didn’t feel it.Don’t make me regret it.

“Don’t call me that,” Kuon warned Tobias, nodded to the rest present, and crossed the room. Without hesitation, he stood on Yugo’s right, balancing the power scales. He didn’t touch the Black Duke, but what he did was enough to stretch a boyish grin across Yugo’s face. “I hope I didn’t interrupt anything important.”

Yugo rose and, placing a hand on Kuon’s shoulder, murmured, “Gentlemen, let me introduce Kuon, my partner. Please, get comfortable around him because I want him by my side at all times.”

TO BE CONTINUED…