Page 143 of Unraveled

“Just cut the cake,” Dom said. “After that, they won’t even notice when you go. They’ll be too drunk and working on a sugar-high.”

“You get to be the lucky—or unlucky—fuck that stays behind to make sure they don’t tear my club apart,” Gian warned.

“I can do that.”

Fine.

As long as Dom knew …

Truthfully, Gian was grateful for his brother. Dom had been one of the very few constants at Gian’s side since he took over the family. He had made his brother, as he promised to do, and gave Dom his proper in to the family business. Besides, it was a hell of a lot easier to make Dom his consigliere when he was already a made man.

Dom became Gian’s right-hand man practically overnight. But that was how it needed to be, and Gian didn’t give fucking nobody the chance to argue or question it. Dom was better suited for the consigliere position than a Capo or underboss, simply because the men knew him, Gian trusted him, and he was not there for everyone else, only his brother.

As he had always been.

His underboss, on the other hand, had been something he allowed the men of the family to pick. It was unusual, and certainly not the norm, but they had their voice and vote in something.

Stephan was who they chose.

Somedays, Gian wanted to kill the bastard.

Other days, he was worth his weight in arrogant, ignorant gold.

“Hurry up!” someone shouted from behind Gian.

Dom chuckled. “Let them eat cake, Gian.”

“Didn’t saying that get someone killed once?”

“She didn’t give them the cake, though.”

Gian didn’t think that was the point.

Still, he went ahead and sliced into the cake. While the outside had been a gold and black trimmed masterpiece, the inside was a vibrant crimson color. Red velvet, it seemed.

Like blood.

It was oddly appropriate, considering how much blood he had already spilled.

“All right, move over, let me handle this,” Dom said.

Gian willingly gave the knife to his brother, and let Dom get to work. If there was anything Dom liked, it was food, and good conversation. Gian was able to step aside, and barely anyone noticed as they were too busy drinking their liquor and shoving their face full of cake.

Gian knew, in that moment, he should take the time to appreciate what he was seeing. Calm and peace. Content men. Vanishing violence. A family ready to work.

He should have been happy.

He should have been … a lot of things.

Being a boss was not as easy as he had thought it would be. He had only been given a glimpse of what that position was like when his grandfather filled the spot. Now, sitting in the seat himself, Gian had his eyes wide open.

It was fucking lonely at the top.

Gian was constantly surrounded by people.

He had too much work to do.

He never stopped moving.