Page 46

Chapter 46

Massimo

It's early in the morning, and I'm at the Tower with the rest of the Chamber leaders. Although, dragging myself out of bed, away from my little princess and her tight pussy, is the absolute last thing on my wish list. However, I was required to attend this meeting in person.

But I'm a strategic man who's very committed to implementing his plan, so I had woken Nova up to fill her sweet cunt with my cum. Afterward, I had her warm my cock while I fed her breakfast, and then filled her with round two of my cum. She was limp and already drifting off to sleep when I tucked her back into bed and kissed her softly, promising I'd be back as soon as I could.

The conference room door bangs open, pulling me from my thoughts. Ash fills the doorway with a scowl before he slams it shut.

Sile sips his coffee, looking at him with a small smile. "Too early, friend?"

Ash stalks into the room, then sits in the chair, looking like he's about to murder someone. "Can we get this fucking dog and pony show on the road? I have shit to do."

We're here today because we have reached the decision to add two seats, and our new co-leaders will be joining us.

I voted yes, not because I'm yielding to Ivan's threat, but to avoid unrest among some of the criminal factions after he planted the idea that we were abusing our power and unwilling to share. Optics and playing the politics game have become a necessary evil. Unless the Chamber wants battle and war within our city—something the Chamber was specifically formulated to prevent—then we must adapt to the current context.

Dom kicks his feet up on the table. "We all have better shit to do, Ash. And for the record, I'm fucking against this."

"I know, Dom." I rub my forehead. "As you vehemently have stated. Several times."

He scowls at the door. "Well, where the fuck are they, then?"

As if on cue, Molly, the assistant for these meetings, opens the conference door to let Ivan and Zara in, followed by Bill.

Ivan struts around the room and scans every corner. He's never been to the Tower before, let alone to the room where our most important deliberations and decisions take place.

"Thank you, Molly." Zara, leader of the Sirens, says as she walks in with a slow, model-like walk.

Zara is stunning, with ebony skin and a tall, lithe body. With her dark, dangerous energy, she's a perfect blend of a supermodel and a femme fatale. She leads the Sirens, a group of women who hunt those who hurt children and women. Their punishments fit the crime—broken bones the first time someone is punished for physical abusers, and death if they offend again, along with brutal consequences for sexual abusers.

Ivan drags his nails along the wall as he continues to walk around the room.

"Do you need anything else?" Molly asks us, hiding her distaste for Ivan behind a practiced smile.

Bill shakes his head. "Thank you, Molly."

She slips out of the room, closing the door behind her.

"Please have a seat, Zara and Ivan." I indicate the open ones across the table.

Bill is about to pull out his chair to sit, and Ivan grabs the back of it.

"Thanks for pulling my chair out for me; I never knew you were such a gentleman, Billy."

Bill's light brown face flushes with anger, and he jerks the chair from Ivan's grip, then sits roughly. "Fuck you, scum."

"Fucking cunt," Dom growls and lowers his feet from the table .

Ivan hikes his brows. "What now? Is that any way to talk to your peer, Dom?"

Dom's nostrils flare, and his fists clench on top of the table. Normally, he's a laid-back, nonchalant guy—one who is cunning and could be plotting your death without you even knowing. But with Ivan, he runs hot.

Ivan finally sits his ass down beside Bill. Zara slips wordlessly into the empty seat between him and Sile. She reaches for the coffee carafe and pours herself a cup.

Ivan nudges a cup toward her. "Two sugars, sweetness."

Zara doesn't miss a beat and shifts the carafe—pouring hot coffee on the table before she continues to pour it on Ivan's lap.

He yelps and stands up. "Fucking bitch!"

"Sit the fuck. Down ." I let malice seep into my words.

"Oh, and we're just going to let this disrespect slide?" he snaps.

Ash cracks his knuckles. "The only disrespect to be punished will be yours. With my fists breaking your face."

Ivan eyes Ash's big hands, each finger wearing a silver, thick ring—his version of fashionable brass knuckles.

"What a fucking welcome to the party," Ivan sneers. Ash makes to move to him, and Ivan steps back. "I can't sit in a wet chair."

"Then don't be a misogynistic asshat." Zara sips her coffee and arches a manicured brow.

Sile fights a smile and points to the corner. "There's a dry one there."

It's an office armchair—no wheels and it will sit lower than the others.

Ivan's jaw works as he crosses his arms. "I'll stand. Reigning over you." He chuckles and studies me. "Glad to see that you saw reason to my…uh, encouragement for your vote, Massimo."

It's a mammoth effort to keep my face unreadable. This fucker is trying to paint me as biased and weak to my colleagues, trying to take a shot at me.

"Your attempt at threatening me"—my colleagues all eye me because I hadn't shared this with them, but my gaze is locked on Ivan—"means nothing. You mean nothing, Ivan, and you have no power over me, my family, or my decisions. Imply or act like you do again, and trust me when I say, I will annihilate you."

I voted for stability and avoiding unnecessary bloodshed within our city, as this maximizes our gains. However, if needed, the Santoros would go to war with the Serpents and do exactly as I threatened.

He likely sees the truth and commitment behind my words, and wisely moves on from me. His gaze slides from me to Dom. "How's my sweet girl Nina?"

Wrath coats Dom's features, and I realize this is why he runs so hot for Ivan. Nina is Dom's younger sister, who he has ensured has no role in or connection to the Saints.

"Speak of her again, and I'll pluck out your eyes and let the rats feast on them and then you."

Sile sighs, shaking his head. "Can we push aside this pissing match, Ivan? Is this really why you wanted a seat on the Chamber?"

Ivan narrows his eyes, scanning the room before breaking into a smile. "Just measuring up my colleagues. No harm, no foul, yeah?" He claps his hands together. "Now, shall we begin? I'd like to table an item for discussion: bringing all our inner circles together. A little meet and greet, if you will. It would give us a chance to get to know each other better and allow our seconds-in-command and heads of security to familiarize themselves since we'll be working so closely together. It's a good way to start things off on the right foot."

His idea isn't terrible, but unease settles in me at the thought of having all my inner circle—Marco, Vito, Gemma, and Gabe—present. That would leave Nova alone with just the guards and Jerome.

"Unless you have a reason why we shouldn't?" Ivan scans the table and ends with me.

Is the fucker testing me? Or am I being overly paranoid?

"It's a good idea," Ash rubs his chin, looking at the rest of us. All agree until I'm the only one who hasn't weighed in.

I finally nod in agreement.

I'm certain Ivan is up to something. I just have no idea what.