My stomach sank.
"She has black, short hair but I would know her from miles away."
Silence hung over our heads while I tried to catch up. Stella was in my bedroom and then she was gone. This place was locked up, but I had let my guard down. All this time, I thought she had played me.
"You were supposed to protect her," Ace roared, coming at me with his fists again.
I let him hit me because I deserved it.
"I asked you to keep her alive, not fuck her and then let her end up in their hands you sick son of a bitch."
I swung back out of instinct and he fell off me. A smirk grew on his face as we stared at each other panting.
"She's in Miami?" I asked. My voice was hollow as I tried to gather my thoughts.
"Yeah," he said sadly. "They have her and her friend Liddy there."
"You didn't get her out?" I asked, glaring at him.
"Oh yeah. I just went in there alone against thirty or so armed guards. No big deal."
I sighed and rubbed my face, forgetting that he pounded into it. I pulled my hands away finding blood in them. I deserved it and more.
"You promised," he whispered. The words were heavy and hung in the air.
"I thought she ran," I told him.
"She was taken," he said. "How the fuck was she alone that someone could get her?"
I couldn't answer. I didn't have one good enough.
"You should have kept your dick out of it," he growled, pointing the gun at me again.
"Are you going to kill me or what?" I asked.
"We are going to get her back and then I will deal with you. Xander is watching the place so I know she’s still there," he said.
"Xander? He knows you’re still alive?"
"Yeah," he said with a bitter laugh. "I sent him up here to check on you. I was shocked to hear you had a pretty girl on your arm."
"I was trying to protect her," I explained.
"Why?" he asked. "Because you are a man of your word or because she deserved to live?"
"Both."
Ace sighed and slid the glass of whisky to me. I took it and quickly downed it, needing something to numb the turmoil I was feeling. Knowing Stella hadn't run from me redirected some of my anger. Now I was just furious she was taken.
"Well, let’s go," I said, starting to stand.
"Not so fast," Ace said. "I'm waiting for backup."
"You want me to wait?"
Ace stood, coming to his full height and strength. I stood too, ready to defend myself now that I had something to fight for. I saw the anger and darkness in him, too. Blood would be spilled for every second Stella suffered. I knew then we would save her. The only question was how much would we lose doing it?
"Yes. While you were busy shacking up with my baby sister, I was making connections and getting men on our side," he said, coming to stand chest to chest with me. "We will get her back, and we are taking them down for good."
He was talking about my dad. The man who brought me into this world and taught me everything I knew. We would need to kill him and most of the leaders in the family. I was next in line and would rule the criminal underworld of Chicago. It was a day we had dreamed of, but I honestly thought would never happen.
"You ready for that brother?" Ace asked me. His look was challenging but trusting.
"Ready."
The next few hours went by fast. Sal and Tony showed and were more than ready to join the fight. We pulled every connection we had to get more men on our side. The lake house soon filled with criminals and ready to fight. Xander waited in Miami, watching my dad's compound for any sign of Stella. Weapons were loaded and packed up. Plans and back-up plans were made.
In the cellar, I pulled the bottle my father sent back as a gift. At the time, I didn't trust it. I sure as hell didn't now. I grabbed the bottle and shoved it in my bag. When I turned, Ace stood there watching me.
"Ready?" I asked, trying to push past him.
"Are you?"
"I will keep my promise, Ace. No matter what," I said.
After several tense seconds, Ace nodded and followed me up the steps. The boss had all his people close so no one would see the flock of armed men leaving my little lake house and boarding my private jet. He might suspect I would come looking for him, but he would never imagine how many I managed to turn against him or how quickly we could form a small army against him.
As much as Ace's death had torn things apart, it was a genius idea. With the invisibility of death, Ace was able to move without being watched. He found members spread across the country and revealed the dark secret only the top people knew about. Even if they were not against the selling of innocent women, they were pissed about being cut out of the profits. Ace had collected a lot of important resources that my father could never defeat.
The darkness concealed our convoy leaving the airport in Miami. We parked at a nearby pier and walked the rest of the way to the beach house so we wouldn't be seen by the guards. The sun was rising on the ocean's horizon while we hunkered behind the sand banks. The house looked still and almost relaxing if a person didn't know any better. Only we knew of the dungeon full of girls that hid under the house. Every man going in knew Stella's face and her safety was key. My fingers stretched and clenched around my gun.
"Atlas?"
I turned to look at Ace from where he kneeled, watching the house.
"I know you let her in," he said. "Get her back and keep her."
"I will," I promised. "And I'm giving her her brother back."
After that, the signal was made and I snuck down the sand hill. Approaching the house, I found one guard. He didn't even see me coming before I took him from behind and slit his throat. The limp body fell to the ground and I stepped over it. The next two were just as easy before I reached the window. I waved to my men watching before slipping inside.
The house was small compared to my dad's normal mansions. I tiptoed down the halls until I heard his voice. It was deep and it used to sound powerful and controlled to me. Now it just sounded sick and evil. Father was a word reserved for men like Officer Harlow. Men who loved and protected their children. Men who taught them to fight and to know right from wrong. This piece of shit was nothing but a sperm donor who knocked up a beautiful woman. He only took that spawn she created to be his assistant and help spread his evil.
As I stepped into the kitchen, he sat by himself. The man we all feared and respected was clipping his fingernails in his last moments of life. His eyes widened when he saw me and he reached for his gun. Only I was faster and had the barrel to his temple already.
"Atlas," he hissed.
"Pops," I said with a smirk. "I thought I would drop by for a visit."
His wide eyes and loud swallow told me he knew I wasn't here for a chat. Most parents would be thrilled to see their only child at their doorstep just to see them. My father knew better. He knew that I was here for one reason.
"I brought whiskey," I said, holding up the bottle.
I grabbed two glasses from the cabinet and slammed them down on the table. Using my knife, I cut the wax seal and was met with the hiss of air. I smirked at my old man as I poured two glasses and pushed one over to him.
"Should we make a toast?" I asked, taking a seat across from him. The shocked look on his face brought me great pleasure.
"To what?" he asked cautiously.
"To new leadership. New beginnings."