Chapter 24 To Zoya's credit, she doesn't even flinch when I pull the trigger. I knew it was only a matter of time. Sooner or later, I'd have to deal with the rot. There've been whispers and rumors circling like vultures among my men, and I never believed for a second that I'd cleaned house entirely back at the bar in Russia. And when I spoke to Da, he didn't need to say much, just enough to confirm what I already knew in my gut. There were whispers I'd made a mistake. That marrying Zoya was a weakness. The only men who thought that? Branson's loyalists. The old guard who'd rather see the past reign than step into the future. I suspected he assured their loyalty with empty promises or threats against their families. Our feud, Branson's and mine, isn't something I've taken lightly. I haven't shared the details with anyone. No one but Da. And up until now, even he's leaned toward Branson's side. That'll change. In a few days, once the truth surfaces, it will change. So when I made every man in that room stand, when I watched their eyes slide over to Zoya, the woman I've crowned my queen, I knew. I knew exactly who'd betrayed me. I didn't hesitate. I pulled the trigger with the ease of someone who's done it before. Who knows when justice must be swift. Another woman might've screamed, might've run from the room in horror. But not my lass. No, not my beautiful, brave lass. She stayed standing beside me, spine straight as an arrow, eyes sharp and calculating. She's kind, yes. Gentle, sometimes. But beneath that soft veneer is a core of steel. It's what I love about her. Back to the task at hand. Ah. Introductions. I gesture to my left. "You've met Ashland, love," I say. "My first cousin." Next to Ashland sits Lorcan, Nolan's lad. He's got the same dirty-blond hair and piercing blue eyes as his cousin. The same lean build and restless energy, always scanning, always calculating. "And Cavin, my brother. Would've been at dinner tonight if he hadn't had business to handle." Thick with muscle, he has my father's build and my mother's eyes. He's got that quiet power, the kind that doesn't need to posture. "Cavin runs guns out of Belfast. Loyal as hell to our family." He might see Zoya as a threat to the Irish legacy. That'll change too. "Daire," I say, nodding my head to the youngest at the table. Twenty-five. Reckless. Scarred knuckles. Bitter mouth. Eyes that have looked up to me since he could walk. He'd do anything I asked. "Now," I say coldly, "why the fuck did you pull me out of my bed in the middle of the goddamn night?" I've walked into the warehouse mid-meeting, summoned by Ashland. I jerk my head at the cooling body on the floor. "Lorcan. Clean it up. Fast." I don't like killing. But I hate my wife being disrespected even more. This meeting wasn't mine. They called it. They tested me. It wasn't subtle, and it wasn't smart. Orchestrated by Da and Branson's old guard, no doubt. They wanted to see if I'd gone soft. If marriage, if love, had weakened me. They wanted to prod the heir and see if he'd bite. Well, I did. And the blood's still fresh. The body's still bleeding out, and I keep my voice calm, like I'm discussing wine instead of murder. "Now, men," I say, "why the hell are we all here?" No one answers right away. Cavin leans forward eventually, slow and deliberate. He's built like a brick wall, thick arms covered in ink. When he speaks, people listen. "Wasn't meant to be a test, sir," he says, flicking his eyes toward the body without flinching. "But... there's been talk." I don't blink. I wait. "Hmm?" He clears his throat. "Some of the younger lads... ones who don't remember what it took to build this empire... they've been wondering. Whispering. They see you married. Gone for days at a time. Think you've gone soft." "I'd like to think I've proven I haven't," I say. Cavin nods once. "Maybe they just needed a reminder. Bit of a culling, aye?" Definitely. The silence after that is thick. Nobody breathes too loud. They all just learned that proximity won't save you. "Now," I say, resting my hands on the cold metal table, knuckles wide and scarred. "Let's make one thing clear." Every man straightens. Nobody speaks. "I'm the heir. Not Branson. If any of you are loyal to him, you tell me now. I've made it clear I don't trust him. I'm loyal to my father." I draw my gun and place it on the table. "I won't shoot you. But this is your only chance to walk away." They stay still. "Where've I been?" I ask, scanning the room. "Cleaning up the messes none of you could stomach. Making deals your fathers never dared dream of. And I married a woman strong enough to stand beside me while I build something bigger." I nod to Zoya. "She is not a weakness. She is your queen. And you will treat her as such." Cavin gives a slow, understanding nod. He's always understood the bigger picture. "You think I'm distracted?" I ask. "No. I've been focused. Belfast is ours. Dublin's folding. And there are men across the sea waiting to kneel at our table." I scan the room again. "But if any of you want to play petty kingdom, whisper behind my back, test me, I'll bury every last one of you and rebuild from the ground up." Another silence. And this time, they know it's their test. I start pointing. "You," I say to Daire. "Ride out. Reinforce Belfast. Cavin runs point. No movement without his say-so." "Aye. Yes, sir," comes instantly. I round the table and stop behind Zoya's chair, placing both hands on her shoulders. She doesn't flinch. "My wife will be protected. And anyone who forgets that won't get a second chance." A chorus of "Yes, sir" follows. But one voice cuts through. "And the Russians, sir?" I turn my eyes on him. "What about them?" "They murdered half our crew. You're saying there's no retribution?" I press my lips into a thin, bloodless line. "Those responsible will pay. That's a promise. But if you trust me, I will not lead you astray." My voice cuts through the silence. "Do you understand?" "Yes, sir." "Good." I nod. "Then we're done here. For now." I glance down at Zoya. "You ready, love?" She stands. And together, we walk out of the warehouse, leaving behind silence, a body cooling on the floor, and a room full of men with questions I'm not ready to answer. Not yet. A Fated Encounter movie summary talks about Emma Brown who is forced by her father Henry to take her sister Bella's place and marry Tommy Anderson to save her business. Unlike the rumor Tommy turns ou...