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“That gave you the right to blow up his wedding? You almost got everyone killed. Are you hearing yourself?” Gilberto said.

“Fuck that wedding.” Maxwell directed his attention to the other two men. He was sweating now. “Cardez needed a wife to lock in succession and picked some girl nobody heard of. We’re supposed to treat her like royalty because she’s a Montague now? Solomon was right about one thing—Orlando’s legacy deserves better than some bitch you pulled off the street.”

I crossed the room in quick strides and grabbed Maxwell by the face. I drove the back of his head into the wet bar, sending bottles crashing to the floor. His eyes were wide as he grabbed at my wrist. I pulled him forward and slammed him back again.

“That random bitch is my fucking wife.” I punched him across the jaw. “That random bitch is carrying my child.” I was seeing red. Blood roared in my ears as I hit him again.

“Cardez, you’ve made your point,” Gilberto said, placing a hand on my shoulder.

I shrugged it off and spat on Maxwell. He was curled on his side, bleeding on the floor. He started coughing and groaned as he tried to get away from me.

“You’re done, Maxwell,” I said, chest heaving. “You're off the Table. Your territories will be redistributed. And your protection from this governing body is gone.”

“You can’t—” he croaked. “Luther, Gilberto—you can’t let him⁠—”

“You conspired against a High Table family at a Table sanctioned event,” Luther said from his desk. He hadn’t moved to help Maxwell.

“I request a formal vote,” I said.

“Seconded,” Gilberto said.

“Motion carries,” Luther said. “Maxwell Haynes has been relinquished from the High Table.”

Maxwell rolled in pain, tears mixing with the blood on his face. “My wife…Patricia…”

“I’m ending your bloodline, Maxwell.” I crouched down next to him. “Starting with you.”

“Cardez—” Luther warned.

I pulled the gun from my waistband. Maxwell was always going to die today. Despite Luther’s warning tone, he had to know this couldn’t have ended any other way.

“This could’ve been relatively painless, but you wanted to disrespect my wife and seed.”

I pressed the barrel against his forehead. “You’ll see Patricia again soon.”

The shot echoed off the walls of the study. I glanced over at Luther and Gilberto.

“That wasn’t sanctioned,” Luther sighed.

“I’ll call the cleaners,” Gilberto said, shaking his head.

Luther went to what was left of his wet bar. He found an unbroken bottle, poured two glasses and brought one to me. I took it and we drank in silence over Maxwell’s body.

“Are you really going to kill his family?” Luther asked.

“Yes.”

“This is going to set a precedent, Cardez. Your father never went this far, even at his worst.”

I scoffed. “Orlando’s the reason we’re here in the first place.”

Pops should’ve had Solomon put down years ago, but he was too caught up. Maxwell’s family had to die because I wasn’t leaving any room for a repeat to happen years down the line.

Luther didn’t argue with that. He clapped a hand on my back.

“Go home to your wife, son. Gilberto and I will handle this. I’m sending you the bill to replace my liquor and clean my fucking rug.”

44 LA’BELLE EVANS