The Devil's Redemption | ✓

|43| The comfort

"Oh they did, on record, it looks perfect and they paid off every journalist they could find not to cover this but they forgot about something. Or well in this case someone, Melody Klein, Carson's girlfriend at the time. She took that pic for "future purposes" she said, in case Carson fucked her over and well obviously he did, so recently she posted it online. For everyone else it's just a dumb preppy kid getting arrested for us it's a ticket to success."

"No one covered the story this time?" I look at the picture again.

"No, it's been years and Carson is not really relevant anymore since he has moved on from the party lifestyle so no one cared," Rick answers as I hand him his phone back.

"Think it will be enough to blackmail Nathan?"

"Definitely, that man only cares about his status. That's why he went for Matteo, he tries to catch the biggest of the biggest without putting himself at risk, and since you and your brother were more of working peacefully in the shadows kind of guys he took the case. And catching Matteo made him stand out, if he wants to keep that good reputation he will talk."

It could work, no one gets hurt and we all get what we need. I must admit it's a solid idea and also the only one we have got.

"Okay, contact him. I will meet him personally." It's time I get back into the game.

"Are you sure? I can do it." He tries knowing I shouldn't be the one to do this.

"I have to be the one to do it, if my father is behind all this I want him to know it is me who is after him." It's not only that I have to do it, I need it.

If I let my father go the first time it's because I thought that after handing everything down to Matteo he would finally leave us alone. He knew that sooner or later Matteo will outsmart him, that no matter what he did the business will be his. He built him for it, to replace him when he had nothing more to give. For a second I believed that maybe he had enough dignity to leave with his reputation still intact. That he would let us be free for once in our lives. I was wrong... I wanted freedom so bad that I let it blind me.

"If your father is behind everything that has happened, if he took Matteo down it could mean that this is not more than the beginning," Rick adds knowing better than anyone what my father is capable of. "If he wants the business back and you are standing in his way-"

"He might be coming for me." I end his sentence.

"The thing is if he wants to take you down why would he hide again? With Matteo out of the picture, it will be easier to take over, why retreat? What if he is done, if he finally left and we are looking for a fight we shouldn't be looking for." He asks.

"I don't care what he is doing, I won't let him get away this time. Not after everything he has done." He has ruined my life now it's my turn to ruin his.

"Are you sure you wanna do this?"

"I am. If I don't end this I won't be able to live in peace. I will keep thinking he might come back. Because if he did it once what's stopping him from doing it again?"

My father is no one to act without thinking, he loves playing with people, with their heads. He doesn't go all in guns blazing, he waits, he confuses you by making you believe his next move will be some way and then it's the absolute opposite. He gets inside your brain and manipulates you. It's not a game of who is stronger it's a game of who is smarter. And if he does act on his impulses, as he did with Danielle, it's because he knows he would have never won that game, not against Matteo. But he believes he can win against me.

"If we do this, if you go after him you could put Mia in danger." Rick looks back as if gesturing in her direction. "And also Danielle."

"There's no reason for my father to know about Mia and most of the time she is with me but we should put some men looking out for her anyway. Choose some you trust and make sure they aren't seen. She will kill me. As for Danielle, I'm pretty sure my father won't go there again, his war against Matteo is over. It's my turn now but tell her we will be also putting some people looking out for her." If there's someone who knows my father's ways that would be me but I'm not going to risk it either.