Jokel's POV
My fists clenched so tightly, my knuckles turned white. Join forces with the Rivens? The very name tasted like poison on my tongue.
"Have you lost your mind?" I growled, my voice barely restrained. I didn't care about his position in that moment. "The Rivens are the reason my family suffered so much, yet you suggest I do what?"
Don didn't flinch. His expression was unreadable, his eyes calculating, showing barely any emotion. "Your personal vendetta aside, you know they're the only ones in the country as powerful as your ring. Refuse, and you might as well prepare for your downfall."
Ramon shifted beside me, his silence heavy. I hadn't even noticed he was standing there, too caught up in this damn conversation. He knew I was about to do or say something irrational. He also knew it would be foolish for me to start a war with the Don.
I leaned forward, my jaw grinding. "What makes you think I won't kill them the moment I lay eyes on them? Especially the bastard who killed my father?"
The Don smiled thinly. "Because you know your timing, Luciano. You know when to strike, and when not to."
"Well, forget what you think you know about me," I spat. "I swear on my father's grave, I'd rather die than—"
"Capo, per favore aspetta," Ramon interrupted in Italian. 'Leader, please wait.'
I glared at him, but he was my best friend. If he stopped me, there had to be a reason.
Rising to my feet, I told the Don, "It's been a long night. I need to rest. Have a safe return." I forced a bow before leaving the garden with Ramon.
Shortly after, I was informed that the Don had left. It was time to face Ramon.
"Why?" I glared at him.
He sat beside me on the sofa, leaving some space between us. "You were going to reject your only opportunity to avenge your father."
"How?" I snapped. "By helping the Rivens like we're friends? You must think I'm some kind of fool."
Ramon remained calm, waiting for me to settle before continuing. "I know you'll think what I'm about to suggest is the weakling's way of getting justice, but it's actually the smartest way to get what we want."
Seeing I was willing to listen, he went on. "We've been searching for Daniel Rivens for years but never found him. Even when we did, it was in places we couldn't reach. Now, an opportunity has arisen, an opportunity to get close. If you play your cards right, you might earn his trust."
"So, what you're saying is I should play the snake?" I asked, veins throbbing as I spat on the ground. "I'll be no better than a backstabber, like that rat, Daniel. No. I won't shame my father's name. I'd rather spend the rest of my life searching."
I stormed out of the room, my blood boiling and my teeth grinding. Ramon's words still echoed in my mind, but I refused to entertain them. Join forces with the swine? No. I was not that desperate.
By the time I reached my quarters, my temper still hadn't cooled. My pride wouldn't allow me to play that game, no matter how effective Ramon said it was. My father and I built this empire with blood and sweat; I wasn't about to bend a knee to his killers.
The night pressed on, thick and heavy, as if the air was trying to suffocate me. I tried to focus, make plans, find alternative measures, but my stream of thought was interrupted when the message came.
"Capo, there's a shipment of weapons arriving at the docks tonight, from our Mawe contractors."
The words hit me, but something wasn't right. A chill ran down my spine. I could feel something bad was about to happen, the same feeling I had the day my father was killed. But the shipment was too crucial and valuable to ignore.
"Send a small team," I ordered. "They should be ready for anything."
I tried to shake the uneasiness, but hours passed, and there was no update. No word, nothing. I paced, waiting, my pulse thrumming like a drum. It was unusual for me to get so riled up by the arrival of a shipment. Something was definitely off.
Finally, my phone rang. I snatched it up, hoping for good news. Instead, I heard ragged breathing on the other end of the line.
"Capo…" It was one of my lieutenants. His voice was barely above a whisper, weak, like he was holding on to his last breath. "We were ambushed. They kn- they knew everything. We lost it all."
My blood ran cold.
Without a word, I grabbed my coat and headed straight for the docks. As soon as we arrived, the stench of death hit me. The same team I sent was lying on the floor, butchered like animals. Blood stained the ground, pooling beneath lifeless bodies. My shipment was gone.
I stood there, my mind reeling, anger burning through my veins. The shipment might have been small, but it had crates of gold in it. And my men… my pride was deeply wounded. Then I saw it, bold and taunting. The emblem of the Rivens sprayed across the warehouse walls. Mocking me.
I felt a white-hot rage rising in my chest, but before I could act, my phone buzzed again.
I answered, my voice low and dangerous. "What?"
A cold, smug voice slithered through the phone. "Luciano, did you like my little gift? Take it as a warning; if you ever mess with my son again, I will show you the power of a true leopard."
I gripped the phone tighter, the plastic groaning under my fist. Chuckling, I hung up, but my smile was soon replaced with a scowl.
Daniel Rivens thought he humiliated me, but he didn't understand that he had just made the biggest mistake of his life.
I put the phone to my ear, and after one dial, the Don answered. "I have considered your proposition. I'll join forces with the Rivens."