“You won’t shoot unless I shoot first. And as always, I’m unarmed.” I raised my hands in the air so he could search me if he wanted to.
His eyes narrowed. “I thought we’d finished this conversation.”
I lowered my hands.
“I have nothing left to say to you.”
“Well, I have more to say to you.”
He slowly sank back in his chair. “You’re such a bitch, you know that?”
I ignored the insult. “You won’t kill me for the same reason I won’t kill you—because we’re brothers. I don’t approve of this disgusting operation you have running here, but I won’t oppose you. I have enough forces to tear this place down in an hour, but I won’t touch you.”
“Careful, little brother,” he said as his eyes narrowed. “Sounds like you’re making threats.”
“Just reminding you where we stand.”
He drummed his fingers on the table. “What’s your point?”
“You aren’t indifferent to me. If you were, you would kill me. I’m not indifferent to you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here now. You wouldn’t either. So there’s some allegiance between us.” I placed my closed fist over my chest. “Even if it’s buried very deep.”
His eyes steamed with hostility.
“I’m sorry for what I did to our family. I mean that.”
He continued with the same blank stare.
“I’d take it back if I could.”
“Even the god of the dead can’t bring him to life, so you can’t take it back.”
“I’m being sincere.”
“I’m sure you are. Doesn’t mean I care.”
“Father would want us to have a relationship, even after what I did.”
“We’ll never know what he wanted—because he’s dead.”
My brother reminded me of Damien. Impulsive and emotional. I ground my teeth because he was so frustrating.
He leaned forward. “What the fuck do you want from me? When did Hades Lombardi become the biggest pussy in the world? Coming here, expecting a heart-to-heart like a fucking woman? Fuck off.”
“I want to make you an offer.”
“An offer?” he asked.
“You know I’m the biggest drug lord in the south of Europe.”
His eyebrows furrowed. “Don’t expect me to be impressed.”
“But you do know. And I’m looking for a partner.”
He couldn’t hide his surprise. He didn’t see it coming. “What?”
“My empire generates billions every year. Yes, billions with a B. Join me and leave this behind.”
“Why would you offer this to me?”
“Because you can make way more money working with me than you ever could selling pussy.”
He crossed his arms over his chest.
“And we can fix this.” I pointed between the two of us. “Brothers again.”
“Back to the pussy shit…”
“Ash, I’m being serious.”
He shook his head. “I’m missing something, and you aren’t telling me what it is.”
My brother may be irrational, but he was smart.
“What is it?” he pressed.
“You aren’t missing anything, Ash. This is genuine.”
He doubted me with his eyes.
“I’m a different man than I used to be. I’m married now, and that’s changed my entire life.”
“So, you are a pussy,” he said with a chuckle.
“Loving a woman with everything I have is the most courageous thing I’ve ever done. I take care of her, I provide for her, I keep my dick in my pants even when the offers pour in. I put all of my hopes and dreams into one basket. Loving something means you have something to lose… It creates more risk. Trust me, it doesn’t make me a pussy. Maybe someday, you’ll see what I mean.”
He didn’t make any more jokes. “Unlikely.”
“Stop raping women and actually put in some effort.”
Anger emerged onto his features. “I don’t mix business with pleasure.”
“You’re still an asshole.”
“Maybe.” He shook his head. “But I don’t rape women. Let’s just get that straight. Father did that shit. Not me.”
Maybe there was a chance he could be redeemable after all. “Then stop this.”
“No. It’s just business. Plain and simple.”
“Drugs is a business, plain and simple. Not people.”
“We’re of differing opinions.”
“It’s not an opinion, asshole. What you’re doing is wrong. If something like that happened to Sofia, I would put a bullet in my brain just to make the pain stop.”
His face remained stoic. “She must be one hell of a woman to make you settle down.”
Not just one hell of a woman… my soul mate. “She is. We’re going to start a family. All the more reason you and I should work this out. We’ve lost five years. Let’s not lose any more.”
“You don’t even like me, Hades.”
“Not true. I just think you’re better than this. Father poisoned your mind. You never would have gotten mixed up in this if he hadn’t.”
He shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not. We’ll never know.”
I wanted to throw in the towel, but every time Sofia popped into my mind, I kept trying. “Meet me halfway, man.”
He swept his gaze around the room, watching his men while his thoughts remained buried behind his eyes.
“Leave the past in the past.”
“I’m an easygoing guy, Hades. Life is too short to hold grudges. But what you did isn’t a grudge…it’s a betrayal.”