Each limousine had a driver, and we knew there were men inside, but those were the elders’ security detail.
And now, as we stepped through the double doors into the room, each of those elders sat waiting. The tables had been turned to form a U-shape with the opening pointed at us.
Cole had set up this meeting. After Gene’s betrayal, he went underground. He already had men outside the family he trusted, but he scouted and recruited even more. When his army was big enough, he reached out to his uncles, and this meeting was the result. Because they hadn’t struck against us, they either wanted peace or they didn’t want to be killed. Standing before them now, I studied each one intently. I needed to see their reactions. I needed to gauge whether they were willing to follow Cole, or if they would have to die.
Cole started. “You all have come tonight because each of us has a wish for peace.” He gazed at me. “We’re tired of the killing, and I have no wish to murder my own blood.”
That was unnecessary. The unspoken sentiment was strong enough, and I waited, making sure each of them registered the real meaning behind Cole’s words.
None of them said a word, but they sat up straighter. A few grimaced and looked away. They got the meaning. I knew they had.
Cole continued. “As you know, I have my own men. With Carter beside me, we have enough holdings and assets to be a formidable enemy.”
At Cole’s mention of being their enemy, they glanced at each other. Fear. Uncertainty. I caught those two emotions before they could be masked. They quickly went back to being statues, but they were growing restless. One couldn’t keep his hand still, so he tucked it under the table. Another’s eye kept twitching, and he coughed, wiping his face to cover it up. A third leaned forward, his eyes even more intent on what Cole was about to say.
They needed the family. They couldn’t go against both of us, not if we were together. I saw their surrender.
Cole paused and looked around the room. He was going to keep going, tell them about all the men he had, how I had built up my own security detail again. Every word he was about to say had been carefully picked to let the elders know we weren’t to be taken lightly, that we were a real enemy, if they chose to go that route. It was either accept us back in, or be damned.
But I knew it was done. They wouldn’t go against us, not after what I’d done to the Bartel family, who had all gone underground after we took Andrea back. So I cleared my throat. Cole glanced at me, his eyes narrowing for a second. Then he nodded and stepped back.
It was my time to talk.
I looked each elder in the eyes before I did. “You know what I did to the Bartels. I cut their family in half. If you touch Emma. If you betray Cole. If there is any attack on my loved ones, I will hold you responsible. I will do more than cut your family in half. Let me be very clear.”
They were riveted. They knew I was speaking my truth. I would kill them, no hesitation.
“Emma is why I’m no longer the Cold Killer. If something happens to her, I will hunt each of you down. I will take from you what you took from me. I will do to you what I did to the Bartels, but it will be three times the damage. Do not think this is a bluff. You will die.” I pointed at Cole. “He is the true leader. His bloodline is the true leadership of this family. You will uphold those traditions.”
One by one, they looked from me to Cole, until all eyes were on him.
He stepped forward. He was their leader. I saw it. He saw it. They saw it. I didn’t want to kill my own family. I had been praying, hoping this would be the result, and it was, but I had lingering doubts. If they’d betrayed him once, they could do it again.
Cole looked at me and nodded, a fierce determination coming from him. “I will fulfill my father’s leadership, and my first order of this family is to release Carter from us.”
A stirring sounded from the men.
I silenced them, holding my hand in the air. “Cole is granting my request. I asked to be released. After this day, all my business shares will be sold to Cole. He is taking my place in more than one way, but if he needs me, I’ll be at his side.”
They needed to accept that, and as they stood, coming around the table to me, I knew they had. A line formed, and each one of them hugged me before returning to his seat.
Cole was the last. No words were spoken. This was the end, and we knew it. I would go back to Emma, and I would live my life free, like I had before AJ was murdered. Cole would always be a brother, and he was the one they needed to fear. As I left, I heard him announce the other reason for this meeting. “There are three men among you who are traitors to the Mauricio name because they aligned with Gene. They supported him as he was going to kill me and Carter’s woman. To show your loyalty to me now, those three traitors need to stand up.”
I paused outside the door. Cole already knew who the men were. He’d searched for them, but the elders needed to hand them over. When I heard the first name spoken, I started forward. It was done. As I went to the stairs, I heard the last two names.
I was almost to the next floor when I heard the gunshots.
One.
Two.
Three.
It was done.
A woman stood in front of AJ’s tombstone with a bouquet of flowers in her hands. Her head bent down, but I could see, even through the car window, that she had my build. Her shoulders were slender, and her dark hair whipped around in the wind. That was all I could tell. But Andrea and I looked so much alike that we must’ve taken after her.
It was the logical conclusion, but I wanted to know. A part of me didn’t want to look like her. AJ had taken me away, and I couldn’t remember most of my childhood. I knew that was because of her, and in some way, some small way, I blamed her.