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CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE ETHAN'S POV Rose's concentration is unwavering as she meticulously cleans my face. Her fingers are gentle yet firm, and when she reaches the cuts near my eyes, she pauses. "It might hurt a little." 'It's nothing." 'Have you been hurt like this before?" 'Of course. Being shot makes this look like a child's game." She strokes the pads of her fingers over the scar on my chest. 'How did this happen?" 'That was because of Godfather—Gotham." 'Was Gotham part of your group?" "He trained us. Godfather is one of The Underground's first generation. They're called Team Zero, and all have weird names. My group is considered part of the second generation." She continues to carefully clean my wound. 'What's the difference between the first and the second generation?" 'The first generation are now old men—and women. We're younger and prettier, I guess?" She shakes her head. 'Is that the only difference?" 'Well, that and the fact that they were drugged. Their loyalty was ensured by a special type of drug." "Is there a clear criterion for being in the first or second generation?" 'Not really, but the first generation lost most recollection of their previous lives. We didn't." 'That's sad. Are there many of them?" 'Not really. About a dozen." 'How do you differentiate between them and the second generation?" "They all trainned us, so all second-gen know them. Besides, they have weird names: Gotham, Ghost Crow, Shadow, Mist, Fire, Scar, Poison, etc. It's like a den of vipers. It's not their real names, but even they don't remember their actual names." "What about you?" Her eyes hold mine, hostage, appearing darker late at night. "Is Ethan your real name?" 'It is. This is the name my mother gave me." 'How about your last name? Is it Hunter?" I could lie to her, but what's the point? She already knows my plan, and I'm in no mood to keep her in the dark any longer. I slowly shake my head once. 'Then what is it?" 'Fitzpatrick. My real name is Ethan Polterizxk." She freezes, her hand suspended in midair as the realization settles in. 'You…are you related to Rolan Polterizxk?" 'He's my uncle." 'You're…" "Russian? Yeah. Half, though. My mum was Northern Irish, and she considered herself British." 'Oh." 'What type of ‘Oh' is that?" 'It's an ‘Oh, that's what the accent change means.'" 'Accent change?" 'You sometimes speak in a different accent during sex." 'I do?" 'You do." 'Mmm. I overlooked that." 'Do you slip into it subconsciously?" "I guess. I shed it away long ago, but it keeps coming back." She gently strokes the cotton on my skin. 'Why?" 'Why what?" 'Why did you shed it away?" "Godfather is British, and I was with him speaking in an English accent, so I picked it up." 'That's all?" 'And I didn't want the memories related to the accent." I don't know why I'm telling her this, but now that I've started, I can't stop. 'I did speak in a Northern Irish accent when I was with Godfather because it reminded me of Mum and how my father wanted me to speak more like an Irish person. He was a snob about all his Irish lineage and what-the-fvck-ever." 'Your father was Nick Polterizxk, right?" I nod. 'I heard about him from Uncle River. He said he was a good leader and that his brother, Rolan, is worse than him." "I don't know about good. Like many crime organization leaders, he was blinded by profit and power. Still, he didn't deserve to be shot in the back by his brother." A soft gasp leaves her lips. 'He was?" "He died at the hands of the one person he trusted the most. Isn't that ironic?" 'Unfortunately, it happens more often than you think in our world." She strokes my cheek. 'So now you want to destroy your uncle?" 'And everything the fvcker stands for. He's the one who sold me in the black market and made me into this, but he's not the only one. The ones who contributed that night will pay too." 'Oh, Ethan." 'Save your pity, Princess." "I'm far from pitying you." Her expression is determined and complex, and she holds no doubts. "I want to murder him for you." I want to murder him for you. Her words take me by surprise even though they shouldn't. If there's anything I've learned about Rose after staying with her this long, she has a strong sense of justice and doesn't back down when she decides to protect someone. Maybe, if Mum had someone like her, she wouldn't have died as she did back then. Rose and I could have met under different circumstances. Me, as the Irish's heir, and she, a Russian mafia princess. I wouldn't have been the shadow who sometimes doesn't know whether I want to be seen or simply disappear. A fiery gleam sparkles in her eyes as she speaks with conviction. 'I can do it." 'Do what?" 'Kill Rolan for you." 'I could've done it myself a long time ago, could've sniped him down while he was walking the streets, but I didn't. Because death is a way out for that scum." 'So, what's your plan exactly?" "Make him suffer first. Toy with him. Only then will he be granted death." 'That means you'll keep using the brotherhood, and I won't allow you to hurt anyone in my organization." 'You're awfully loyal to people who keep trying to chase you out." 'So what? That doesn't mean I didn't snatch my rightful place. I may not be a"—she makes quotation marks—''brother,' a fact they won't stop reminding me of. I might hate Mikhail's sexist ass and despise Pharaoah's slippery nature. I might distrust Damien's recklessness, Adrian's mysteriousness, and Igor's secretiveness, but my loyalty lies with what those men stand for. I will not allow you to destroy them." 'And how do you intend to stop me?" 'With my life. Kill me first, then you can do whatever you want." 'Fvck, Rose. You'd put your own life on the line?" 'If it's the only thing that would stop you, I wouldn't hesitate to use it." Touché, Princess.