"I want to believe you, Johnny, but I know how you deal with shit! You live for the game, mate, and that works for you, but will it work for kitty? You are letting your rage and pain drive you. Let her heal you…I mean, really heal you. Put all those emotions into her and the life that you both can have. I don't want our children, if there are children in our future, to continue this fight."
"I'll only be able to do that when Geno is dead," John replied, thinking of his precious American. "I can't have a man out walking the streets who wants you and kitten dead. Help me kill the Italian bastard, and I promise you I'll deal with my shit."
At that moment, Luther and Duff walked back into the conference room. John pat the Irishman lovingly on the back before standing up and walking back over to the head of the table. As the two men sat back down, John asked, "You both okay?"
"Fine, mate. Let's just get this over with so I can go get a drink," Duff said, raking an agitated hand through his reddish brown hair.
John nodded before he hit the play button on the remote. As the video came on, the hair stood up on their necks as they saw the Italian standing in the center of several dead women who looked like Gillian. The women had been stabbed to death and were missing their eyes. Geno was covered in blood and was holding a picture of his son Galen in one hand and a knife in the other. He was breathing very hard and looked as though he was in a dark rage. As the camera panned closer to him, he began talking. "I hope you enjoyed my little gift, Kenric. You might have even just been looking at a pair just like them, but in Gillian's face. Enjoy every moment while you can, because, soon, she'll be dead and rotting in an open grave. You killed my boy, so now I kill your bitch! I'm not only going to kill her, but rape her, and I'm going to make you and your Irish fuck watch. After you've watched her suffer, then you get to watch Patrick suffer. By the time I get to you, Kenric, you'll be begging me to let you die. I might even keep you alive a little longer so you can relive the deaths of those you love most. Just know this, bitch…I'm coming for you. You won't know when or how, but I'm coming. There are people you trust right now who are working for me, and when you figure out who they are, it will be too late. Hold those you love close while you can, Kenric. Soon, they will be dead, just like these whores at my feet."
John's eyes blackened, and all he could see was red. How dare that Italian son of a bitch threaten those he loved! Those poor women in the video had died a horrific death and all because they looked like his precious kitten. John was not only feeling rage, but he felt sadness for the victims and their families. These women had died because of Geno's hatred for John. His kitten and Patrick were also trapped in the middle of this fight because of him. The guilt he was beginning to feel was almost as strong as his rage. There was no way in fuck that John would let Geno get close to kitten, and he knew what it would take to ensure that it never happened.
"This isn't your fault, John. You had nothing to do with those women dying," Patrick said out loud, watching his brother intently. He, himself, was sickened by what he had seen but knew that John would be taking it personally. "Domenico is a sick fuck and we've known this for quite some time. There is no way in hell that he will hurt Gillian. He would have to go through us first, and the bastard is scared…has been for quite some time. Domenico knows that we are not only smarter than he is but stronger and deadlier. We just have to ensure that there are absolutely no fuck ups that allow him to get to her."
"John, you know we will keep Gillian safe, even at the cost of our lives," Duff responded, disgusted by what he had just watched. "I think I speak for everyone here when I say that."
"Who do you think the rat is, boss?" Luther asked angrily. He personally would kill anyone who dared to betray John.
"I have known about a traitor in our midst for a while now," the Brit replied, still trying to digest what Patrick had said. The Irishman mentioned making sure that there were no fuck ups, but John had already done that in France. "I am pretty sure I know who it is, but I am waiting for him to make a mistake."
"So, what do you propose we do, boss man?"
"We are going to find Geno and end this bullshit before he comes to us," John replied, making eye contact with each of the men sitting at the table. "As you guys know, I have already sent Dylan Cinder and a handful of men to four of the addresses listed in the journal. Deep down, I knew the bastard wouldn't be there because he is running from me, but we have gained valuable information of his possible whereabouts from staff. I would propose that we put all of our resources into finding him and killing him once and for all."
"And how do you propose we do that, Johnny?" Patrick asked, the uncomfortable feeling already growing in his stomach. He already knew what the Brit was going to say.
"We go on an old-fashioned manhunt," John said in an icy, deadly tone.
Patrick looked at his best mate and shook his head in aversion to the idea. They had not been on a 'manhunt' since they were in their early twenties. Patrick knew, just like John, that Geno would come to them, but it would take time. If they went after the Italian, which is what Domenico wanted, then they ran the chance of losing not only the lives of their men but their lives as well. If Patrick lost John, his own life would be over. That last thought had his mind going to Gillian. In Gaelic, Patrick's eyes met John's as he asked, "And what about kitten? What do we do with her while we are on this manhunt?"
John's eyes blackened a darker shade as he coldly replied in the same language as the Irishman, "You let me handle my woman, mate."
"Fine, I will," Patrick replied coldly before he glanced at his watch and stood up. Buttoning his expensive suit jacket, he turned to leave the room.
"Where the bloody hell do you think you're going, boyo?" John asked as he, too, stood up. Couldn't Patrick see that he was doing this for Gillian? He was trying to keep the two of them safe.
"I need some air, John. Besides, you don't need me. You already have all of it figured out on your own. Doesn't really matter what I have to say about it," Patrick said over his shoulder as he continued to the door. "I'll see you at the meeting."
Luther and Duff looked at each other as Patrick slammed the door shut behind him. They could feel the tension and anger rolling off the British billionaire in waves. Although they didn't agree with John about hunting down Geno, they would both follow him into the pits of hell because they loved him and were loyal. It was one thing to be reckless when you were young, but they weren't children anymore. Plus, they worried about John overall. The Brit had never dealt with his emotions regarding the Italian, and they knew that he was allowing his anger to fuel his actions. They loved John like a brother and could not handle the thought of him dying. Although the Brit thought he was invincible, they knew he was not.
John, getting up from the conference table, had the two men looking at him. They sat back in their chairs as he said, "Gentlemen, get a plan together in the next couple of days and send it to me. You know what I like and how I like it done. Tell kitten nothing about our conversation today. I'll talk to her when I feel the time is right. Duff, you head back to the manor and, Luther, come with me."