While My Husband Cheated, I Married His Powerful Brother

Wesley’s gun was back in his jacket. The wine was still on the table. The candles flickered.

Veyra’s heart was still pounding. She could still feel the ghost of the barrel against her temple. She pressed the tissue to her palms. The paper was damp.

Wesley leaned forward. His voice was warm again. Polite. Friendly.

"I’ve been looking for a vice leader for a long time," he said. "Years, actually. I’ve interviewed dozens of candidates. Businessmen. Former military. Career criminals."

Veyra looked at him. "And none of them worked out?"

"They were too predictable. Too greedy. Too scared." He paused. "And then I saw the video of you at the pizza shop."

Veyra’s stomach tightened. "The pizza shop?"

"The one where you subdued a gangster with an unloaded gun." Wesley smiled. "You walked into a room full of armed men. You didn’t flinch. You didn’t run. You bluffed your way out."

Veyra said nothing.

"Most people would have frozen," Wesley continued. "Most people would have begged. You didn’t. You took control. You made them listen."

He leaned back.

"You have courage. You have intelligence. And you have the ability to think on your feet." He paused. "Those are rare qualities."

Veyra’s hands were still shaking. She pressed them flat against the table.

"You’re asking me to be your vice leader," she said.

"I’m offering you the position."

Wesley picked up his wine glass. He took a sip.

"Let me also clear up the earlier misunderstanding," he said. "The photograph. The interest in your relationship with Xavier Lala."

Veyra’s eyes narrowed.

"I didn’t know who he was at the time," Wesley said. "I was curious about you. I was curious about your connection to him. That’s all."

"And now?"

"Now I know you’re partners. And I know you chose him over Caspian Thorne." Wesley smiled. "That tells me a lot about your character."

Veyra said nothing.

"Today’s meeting isn’t about the photograph," Wesley continued. "It’s not about the apology. It’s about this." He gestured around the room. "The offer."

Veyra stared at him.

She thought about the Ravenwood Syndicate. The largest criminal organization in Etran City. Drugs. Human smuggling. Extortion.

And Wesley Wynn was its leader.

She thought about what it would mean to accept. The power. The resources. The protection. She would never be vulnerable again. She would never be locked in a basement again.

She thought about what it would mean to say no. The danger. The risk. The enemies she would make.

"I need time," she said. "To think. Before I answer."

Wesley nodded. "Take all the time you need."

"I’d like to be alone. Just for a few minutes."

Wesley gestured toward the door. "Of course. Take as long as you need."

Veyra stood up. She walked out of the room.

The hallway was quiet. The carpet was thick. The lights were dim.

She walked toward the restroom.

Wesley turned to Dorian. His voice was casual.

"Do you think she’ll accept?"

Dorian was silent for a moment.

"I have no idea."

Wesley laughed. "You really don’t, do you?"

"No."

Wesley shook his head. "That’s why she’s interesting. She’s unpredictable."

Dorian said nothing.

The restroom was empty.

Veyra stood at the sink. She turned on the faucet. Cold water rushed out.

She cupped her hands. She splashed the water on her face.

The shock was sharp. The cold seeped into her skin.

She looked at herself in the mirror.

Her face was pale. Her eyes were red. Her hands were still shaking.

She thought about the offer. The vice leader of the Ravenwood Syndicate. The power. The protection. The danger.

She thought about her mother. The promise she had made. The dream of becoming a doctor. The life she was building.

She thought about Dorian. The way he had handed her the tissue. The way he had looked at her. The way he had said he only cared about the child.

She pressed her palms against the sink. The marble was cool.

She was still weighing the decision when the door opened and then Xiomara walked in.