CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FOUR: HE'S BACK ETHAN'S POV I'm here in front of the people I used to be a part of, who welcomed me into their homes at age 26 because River, my previous boss Leonard, liked me a lot. It's different now. The strain feels like a whip waiting to rip open my back. I used to be popular with most of these men because I was the City's strongest hitman. I was the only one of their soldiers who could match my abilities. I carried out all of their dirty work and killed those they needed to be killed. They used to like me, but now that I've been gone for so long, they are unhappy. The fraternity forbids anyone from leaving, at least not alive. A person can only quit by dying. My attention drifts from Raven, River's younger brother, seated at the head of the table, to his elite circle. Everyone is looking at me oddly except Nathan, my loving daddy, who knows the situation. And she, too. To see my little mafia princess better, I cock my head to the side. In actuality, she is seated within the inner circle. She ought to be pleased with this growth. Although Rose is no longer so young. The little bit of innocence she still had on her face when her grandfather was alive has aged and been lost. Her bright blonde hair and fair skin make her more of a princess. Her makeup gives the impression that her facial features are sharply defined. She appears to be hiding. She has nude-coloured lips, and her eyeliner vibe gives a queen a thing. Her body seems erect and flat, almost like she cannot move or control it. She's nothing like the Rose who would run around and bother River so that he would accompany her to the garden or the Rose who was pestering Hades and me until we taught her how to shoot. The girl inside was removed and replaced by this icy adult. However, when we make eye contact, her eyes expand. She is completely silent now, and this is the only response I require. Rose's eyes have always had a mysterious quality. Not nearly blue, but close. They can become darker, like the sea amid a storm, or lighter, like a clear summer sky. Then there are situations like this where they find themselves in the middle and unsure whether to cause trouble or let things go. Her eyes gradually stop expanding and change colour to a deep black. I secretly grin. Rose would never voluntarily let go, of course. She personifies tenacity and annoyance. She is usually defeated by her Russian half. It doesn't matter if she lived with her American father for the first twelve years of her childhood. She shed the person from the past and entirely accepted this way of life when she joined her grandfather. Why are you in this place? Pakistan poses the initial, subtly hostile query. He stands up and holds a rifle at my chest, saying, "You fled the City when you knew the punishment." "I'm happy to grant you your wish if you came to your death on your own feet." Sander's gun cannot hit me since my father, Nathan, has moved forward and is standing up. As he used to whine to River, my 'father' is elderly and has a terrible knee that affects him in the winter and when it rains. However, he is tall and broad, with a white beard that he trims regularly. Because Pakistan is an attention-seeker, Father may not be the most well-known monarch. Still, his charisma and sharp intellect have kept him in a position of authority for many years. He excels at picking and winning fights in addition to choosing them. He's the best ally you could have in the City. The others are incredibly evasive. "My son is Ethan. You cannot interact with him in any way. Rose says in her icy, distant voice, "Just because he's your son doesn't mean he's exempt from the rules." The penalty for betraying the brotherhood is death. Is that a painful time, or what? Even though I anticipated this response from everyone, for some reason, I never imagined Rose would express her opinions about me so straightforwardly. Nathan warns Pakistan, "I hope you're ready for an internal war if you hurt a hair on his head." Raven adds, "There won't be an internal war." Theo hears me say, "You heard him." So, why don't you sit down for a change?" His finger is on the trigger as he directs a scowl my way. Honestly? He's so dreadfully erratic that he might possibly shoot me right now. He views everything with the term "war" as entertainment rather than a danger. More than everyone else in this room, he experiences highs. Other than me, of course. Raven commands Sander to take a seat. Sander reluctantly agrees, putting his gun away because leaving it out would insult Leonard, the boss. Nathan remains by my side as if he suspects one of the others will stand and repeat Sander's show. My attention shifts to Rose, who is gazing at me with such venom that it appears as though I have slain her family and eaten their corpses. Anger is healthy. She needs to be on her toes around me; being angry will achieve that. Raven yells out, "Ethan," my name. I turn to face him and smile. Indeed, boss. "I'm not your boss," "Yet?" I grin. He still has the same dejected expression. "You only get one opportunity to defend yourself. Apply it wisely. "Hmm, where should we begin?" I act as though I'm thinking deeply. "I was always an independent hitman until River took me in. I execute clean hits and leave the scene until the next task is called. This was independent work. I technically had no affiliation with them and had not left it. I pretend not to understand when Sander curses at me in Russian. "What have you been doing? Raven enquires. With his nearly flawless American accent, Pharaoh says, "We searched a long time for you. He and Thorn have been silent since they don't want to offend Nathan. Sander is the cretin who doesn't give a damn about anyone. I say calmly, "I went on a discovery journey. "A quest of discovery? Rose mutters, her teeth clenched. "Are you laughing at us?" I put an arm around Nathan's shoulder and said, "I really did go through it, Princess." I was trying to find my family. Who would have guessed he was precisely where I left them? The fact that I joined the city before learning who my family was was such a strange coincidence. I unwittingly resemble my father." Pharaoh thinks, "I'm curious. How did you wind up in the UK when you were young?" Ah, I see. I point at Laye and say, "I was adopted by my assassin pals and lost all my childhood memories. He is the one who conducted a background check on me before River hired me, so he is aware of my history." Laye sips from his beverage. He was an orphan who was raised by trustworthy hitmen. I grin and clap my hands. "Exactly. But I've always wished to track down my actual relatives. "You did that in thirty years? Sanders asked. You'd be astonished at how long it takes to find out about a long-ago accident, especially considering that I had little information and was preoccupied with killing and other things at the time. I decided to devote my efforts to finding my family seven years ago. That is why I departed. "And you looked for your family for seven years? Rose replies back," It's a long, exhausting trip. Want a real-time account, please?" She doesn't notice me as she sips her coffee while grimacing and moving it off the table. Before speaking, Sander lights another cigarette and stuffs it into his mouth. I stated that he could not be admitted back. She concurs with him, and despite the kind grin, my jaw clenches as she adds, "I also say he can't be a part of the brotherhood anymore." He cannot stroll in and out as he pleases because this playground is not for children. Hades?" While observing the action alongside Laye, Hades, who had remained silent, lets out a breath. "The previous Boss, Leonard, gave Ethan the title that he has. We cannot simply ignore him and pretend he never existed. "Hades!" Rose hisses, and he responds with a groan. I give myself a thumbs up and say, "Yeah, Remember, that's me." Raven says, "Let's vote," at last. "Raise your hand if you want Ethan to be punished and exiled." Pharaoah and Rose do it simultaneously. I pretend to grin, but suddenly I need to slap her upside the head. She has never been on that a**hole's side. Despite her repeated glares at Hades, he refuses to follow her example. Raven says in an excellent, extremely Russian voice, "Now, those in favour of Ethan returning to the brotherhood, raise your hand." First, Nathan raises his hand, and then Elliot and Thorn do the same. Next are Hades and Laye. They are the smartest of the two. They know my abilities are more significant than the brotherhood's rules. Rose and Pharaoh lose by a score of six to two after Raven raises his hand last. "Welcome back to the Clan, Ethan," he exclaims as they release their hands. You will be penalized if you leave at this time. I smile and make the cross sign. "Cross my heart and hope to die, but until death do us part, I will serve the brotherhood." Rose gets to her feet as the redness on her face increases behind the heavy makeup. If you'll pardon me. Raven halts her before she can move, "Wait." "You agreed to marry Nathan's eldest son; he is here now." Ethan replies, "I assumed Belle would be the one," "Rose volunteered to get married on Belle's behalf,"  "You consented to wed me? I seem shocked when saying this. It doesn't take a genius to know Rose would sacrifice herself for the girl she's been shielding since they were youngsters. As I predicted she would. When I got Nathan to put the idea about marrying Belle off in Raven's brain, I anticipated it'd somehow come down to this. Undoubtedly wanting to backtrack on what she just said, she stutters. Still, she restrains herself because she knows that the most essential rule in the brotherhood is to keep your word; otherwise, no one will respect you. "Have you had a change of heart?" I asked. She returns my deadly glare with a resounding "No." "We keep our word, and I am the future queen of Amber." In agreement, Raven gives his grandniece a proud nod. "Well, that settles it. Nathan, bring me the dowry." Rose appears to be about to vomit, but instead, she kisses Raven's knuckles and walks out of the room, her heels making a loud, assured noise in the empty space. As the door closed behind her, I grinned. I chuckle at Raven. "Please excuse me; I need to speak with my fiancee." The plan's second component is finished.  Now let's move on to the third.