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Kale’s.

“I started the plan early, I did not expect this push back,” I bit out, lying through my teeth.

My brother, Chard, raises a brow. “We simply were wondering why you acted sooner than originally agreed. Scotch”—he thumbs to the only man in this room who isn’t a part of our families—“didn’t have time to prepare a story for the public.”

My heart beats harder and faster. I don’t want the truth to get out.

Especially not to these men.

That the body that was just found. The one with blood dripping from his eyes.

Was not because of me.

I should be the only one who has access to the poison… Unless my son…

Another problem for another time.

Straightening my spine, I stare down at the men.

Chard. Scotch. Julienne. Rondelle.

Fifteen and a half years ago, we agreed to act.

To attack the other founding families. The Barleys and the Rouxs.

To ensure a union could not be had. We would kill the remaining Barley women.

We didn’t expect the poison to be contained so quickly.

To only take three casualties.

And so we agreed to regroup before pushing it out on the streets again.

But now with this first death, we would be forced to act quickly.

“He is still a John Doe,” Rondelle comments. “His fingertips were scrubbed off, his teeth removed, his face battered in. Your work?” He cocks his head, watching me appraisingly.

“Yes.” Spinning away from the circular table, I march to the expansive window and stare outside as the sun sets. We are on the outskirts of town at my estate.

This meeting was gathered as soon as the body was found, and I hadn’t had time to think up an excuse.

It diverged from the plan.

But I need to claim ownership. If not…

Why do they even need me? My brother has been chomping at the bit to take my place, and it was only this poison that secured my spot all those years ago. After the embarrassment of losing my promised wife.

My hand moves on its own, hovering over my shoulder. To the injury that came from me trying to dissolve the last reminder of the betrayal that rocketed me into action.

Bad luck. Just like both the Barleys and Rouxs are.

“Well, I say good riddance. Fill the streets with it. Kill as many people as we can. Finish this once and for all. I’ll get our bastard brother, Dice, to begin distributing it out. The Rouxs and Barleys won’t recognize him, he grew up outside the family,” Julienne exclaims. “Once the Barleys and Rouxs are gone, we can have free reign.”

Always ready to kill without thought.

Slowly, I twist back around. “We need to start small. A few deaths here and there. Nothing that can be traced back to us…”

I can tell Chard is still displeased, his eyebrows are knit together, but he inclines his head. “And then we flood the market with it. So there’s no way it can’t be traced back.”