Twenty years ago; Trenton, New Jersey- Constantine:
Constantine was fuming, he wouldn’t allow Emmaline to take Liam. He would not allow another woman to take another son, another child from him. She needed to be stopped, she couldn’t be allowed to leave, couldn’t be allowed to live after what she had planned. He never thought he’d put a hit out on his own wife, but he wouldn’t allow her to betray him and get away with it. Liam was a Rhys, the only heir he had to his empire and he wouldn’t allow her to take his son from him. He may have loved her, but business came first, business would always come first. She had no clue that he was aware of her plan and he would use that to his advantage.
Constantine drummed his fingers against his mahogany desk, he needed someone he trusted to take her out. He had many lieutenants he could trust, but perhaps he could use this to get two traitors out of his organization. He saw the way his wife looked at him, the way he looked at Emmaline in turn. Maybe he could use this development to take them both out. Have him take care of Emmaline and then his most trusted lieutenant could take him out in turn—then everyone would know you don’t defy the New Jersey Murder King.
Constantine would take care of this problem, sure he would need to marry again, his son would need a mother after all. However, he would never again allow another woman to have this kind of power, hold over him. He would learn from his mistakes, never give another woman a chance to gain the upper hand over him. His new wife would know exactly where she stood and what was expected of her.
Constantine would never allow himself to ever appear weak, weakness meant takeovers, takeovers could mean death, he would never allow anyone to ever take his family from him ever again. He would never allow anyone the chance to take his city, his state from him and his family, the rightful rulers of New Jersey. Even the Governor answered to him, he would never give up that kind of power willingly. Even if he would have to take out every enemy and a dozen of his own wives, he would never allow any other family to rule New Jersey.
Present day; Trenton, New Jersey:
Liam was taught vigilance before vengeance. His father repeated it over and over starting shortly after his mother was killed. He always thought it was his father’s way of telling him that Bastien would soon regret killing his mother. The older Liam got, the more it was drilled in his head, but he always questioned why his father let the man who took his mother from him live free. He understood you had to be careful, calculating, but where was the vengeance his father swore by? Was his father going soft in his old age? Did he have some plan he failed to tell Liam? Was he mistaken on who had killed his mother? These questions swirled in his head every time his father would remind vigilance over vengeance. He was never able to figure out a reason his father may have had for allowing Bastien to live.
Liam needed to prove to himself and everyone that he was now in charge of that he belonged, that he had what it took. He needed to show that time didn’t matter, if you crossed the Rhys family you would pay, no matter how many years were to pass. He would prove that he was stronger, smarter than his father ever was. He would correct the mistake his father made in allowing the murderer of his mother to walk free. He would prove that he was cold, calculating, a man to be feared. He would show that he alone could take his father’s place as king of New Jersey.
Present day; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:
Olivia knew Bastien was tense, on edge ever since they learned Liam would be taking over. She had grown up with him, she could always tell when he was trying to keep something bottled up inside. She could sense when he was trying to keep things from her. She had known something was wrong when he tried to avoid telling her the truth of her parents death. She knew he was concerned what Liam coming to power would mean for them. Would his defiance come to bite him in the ass? Would Liam see them as a threat or let them remain?
Olivia knew what Constantine had asked of her surrogate father, she also heard the whispers that he was still blamed. She knew Liam was likely to blindly believe his father, presumably placing a target on Bastien’s back, as well as those closest to him if Liam was smart.
Olivia would be damned if she let the Murder King’s son threaten them, threaten their empire. She may only be his second and not a true heir, but the respect she had had always been earned, never given freely. She had to prove herself on more than one occasion with a new prospect, they would always foolishly believe her to be a weak woman. They would always be surprised when she bested them. She may have gotten her place from her “father,” but that didn’t mean she didn’t earn it. He knew she could outperform any man who ever worked for him, after all she learned all she knew from him.
Olivia knew she and Liza would be the first marks any decent boss would put a hit on first, she also understood that Liza was equally as capable as she, but she also worried for her safety. She was well aware that Liza would hate being followed by any of their men, but if Liam were able to take her out it would surely start a war between the two men. She knew she needed to tread carefully but she also knew she needed to say something, find a way to ensure Liza remained safe.
Olivia paced Bastien’s office, gracefully twirling her stiletto, her tell when she was deep in thought trying to decipher how best to approach a subject, or when she was truly angered. She wasn’t about to launch the thin blade, aiming it at the wall so he knew she must be in thought. A small smirk played on his lips, “what’s troubling you Livvy?” He questioned.
Olivia turned, her green eyes ablaze, he was bating her, “who are you putting on Liza?”
Bastien’s smirk slipped from his face, “no one, you know she wouldn’t tolerate any of my men trailing behind her.”
A soft smirk played on her lips, a man she would hate, but a woman, “then let me tail her.”
“Livvy,” He replied, his tone low and in warning.
“Fine.” Olivia replied rolling her eyes, oh how she hated that nickname and he knew it. “I just hope she stays on guard then.” Two can play the bating game. She thought as she left his office, only time would tell if it would work.
Present day; Trenton, New Jersey:
Drake chuckled as he watched Liam go through the photographs once again, “you gonna keep staring at them or make a move?”
“You know father said vigilance before vengeance.” Liam replied, his eyes never moving from the pictures laid out on the mahogany desk.
“He did, I’m starting to think you have no intention of evening the score,” Drake said, purposely bating his lifelong friend.
Drake knew Liam could be cold and calculating when necessary, but he also knew he took his time. Sometimes it was better to hit them fast and hard, no matter what Constantine had drilled into their heads.
Liam’s jaw clenched, he knew what Drake was trying to do, but maybe he was right. Maybe now was the time to strike. “Hit her first,” he stated tapping the picture of the young woman with teal hair, “she may be his girl but she is relatively unguarded, that will be his downfall.”
“Okay, who do you want?”
“Get the Vancoeur kid to do it.”
“You sure? He acts tough, but I don’t think he has what it takes to pull off a hit like this.” Drake questioned. If he were anyone else he would have been done for questioning the new boss.
Liam chuckled lightly, “exactly. If he screws up we have an excuse to get rid of him.”
Drake nodded before leaving to give the order, he had to hand it Liam, either the pompous jackass would prove his worth or he would be gone. Personally Drake wanted to see him fail.
Twenty years ago; Trenton, New Jersey-Emmaline:
Emmaline had made a mistake, she never should have allowed herself to get in so deep with Constantine. She should have listened to her friends, listened to the whispers of what he’d done to his previous wife and son. Why had she ever let her heart control her brain? What was she thinking getting involved with a man like him?
Emmaline needed to get away, take Liam and run. She wasn’t sure who she could ask for help, who she could trust. She was always surrounded by his men, never left alone. It was like he didn’t trust her, she felt like she was suffocating under his thumb. She needed to escape, get away. She needed a way out. She required a new life, a safer life for her and Liam. She just needed to find a way to break free, from this world, from this life, from him. She needed someplace safe to start over. She just needed someone she could trust to help her escape.
Present day; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:
Liza hurried across the street, her black knit hat pulled down low, covering her teal colored locks, her black pea coat pulled tight and up covering the lower half of her face. She never took such care to conceal herself, but she knew the streets may not be as safe as they once were, luckily Bastien knew she could take care of herself so she didn’t need to be flanked by men who probably spent less time in the life than she had. Her hazel eyes scanned the area as she walked, she smirked as she spied the dark figure lurking in the shadows. Almost, got to be better than that. She continued on her way, her head ducked down as she past, almost failing to spot the second figure trailing behind. Almost.
