Possessed by Lies (Truth or Lies Book 5) Read online

  “Leave Kai out of this!” I growl.

  “You’re weak,” he spits. “Kai is your greatest weakness, just like your mother was your father’s. He eventually realized his mistake and got rid of her.”

  “My mother was not a mistake.”

  “Kai is. She puts everyone in this company at risk. Get rid of her, and I’ll let you rule. I won’t ruin you. I won’t kill you.”

  “You couldn’t kill me if you tried.”

  Felix rolls his eyes. “How do you think I was able to sneak onto this yacht, dismantle your security system, so you saw what I wanted you to see, and tied up a dozen of your best men? Father taught me just like he taught you. He knew he needed spare heirs in case you weren’t strong enough.”

  His words sink in. Milo was dangerous, but he didn’t have the skills needed. He was strong, but his need for revenge got in the way.

  Felix fooled us all.

  Me.

  Kai.

  Langston.

  We all thought Felix was on our side. And he took out a dozen of my best men. He would be a tough opponent. I don’t know who would win.

  “Give up Kai, and I’ll let you live. I’ll let you rule. I’ll even join your side.”

  “Why do you care who sleeps in my bed?” Kai is so much more than just the woman who sleeps in my bed, but maybe if he doesn’t realize that he won’t care as much.

  He laughs. “Don’t try to fool me. You forget, I watched both you and Kai in that prison cell. You both lived and breathed for each other. I know Milo told Kai our true history to try and break you up. But I can already tell from the smug look on your face he failed to end your love for one another. Kai has already forgiven you and fallen back in love with you.”

  He speaks the truth, but there is no need to verify it.

  “What did Milo tell Kai?”

  “The truth.”

  “Which is?”

  “That you can’t love each other.”

  “Why?”

  “Because love makes you weak. Our families have been fighting forever to be the strongest. It’s an honor to rule this empire. If you fall in love with each other, there will be consequences—your death. And the death of any person you care about. I will not let you live if you don’t give up Kai. You will put her first every time over this empire. You can choose some random whore to be in your bed, but not Kai Miller. She will never become Kai Black. She will never be allowed to be your wife.”

  That’s what Milo told her. That I would be killed if she kept loving me. She had no incentive to heal—no reason to fall back in love with me after what he did.

  “I’m sure Milo told Kai a story. This isn’t the first time a Miller and a Rinaldi have fallen in love. It ended in their demise. The death of their child. They never recovered,” Felix says.

  I curse under my breath.

  “All of those men and women that follow you? As soon as they realize you two love each other, they will come for you. They know the stories from the past. The fools that fell in love almost destroyed the empire for love. They won’t let you and Kai do the same. I won’t let you.”

  My anger erupts through my body. “This is ridiculous! Me loving Kai has nothing to do with whether I would be a good leader or not. You just want me gone you so you can make a claim for the throne.”

  Felix shrugs. “Maybe, but then I’m giving you an out. Give up the girl, and I’ll back off. I’ll ensure all the men your father charged with keeping you in line never come out of the shadows. You will be free to run the empire how you want. I’ll serve you. We all will follow you wherever you lead us. But if you keep her, I’ll make sure you never wake up again.”

  My father did this. He arranged this. He’s controlling me even from the grave. Ensuring I stay cruel, dark, evil. He knew I would fall in love. He may not have anticipated me falling in love with Kai, but he knew I would. And he saw love as a weakness. That’s why he killed my mother. He got rid of his own weakness, and he wants me to do the same with Kai.

  “Honestly, I would prefer you don’t give the whore up. I’ve always thought I would make a better leader,” Felix sips his beer cockily.

  “Who are you calling a whore?” Kai asks.

  Fuck no.

  My eyes train in the direction of the beautiful woman supposed to be asleep in bed, waiting for me to return. Not here. Not putting herself in danger.

  Felix’s jaw twitches for a second. He wasn’t planning on Kai showing up. And does it appear he’s more afraid of her than me?

  Kai’s eyes land on me. Her green beauties sending me warnings of Felix. She knew, this whole time. She knew Felix wasn’t on our side. He’s as evil as it comes.

  She’s better at reading people than I am. Too bad we can’t convince everyone we would do a better job leading if we did it together. Her strengths are my weaknesses and vice versa. But everyone is right; we would always put each other first over the empire. Which makes us both the wrong people for the job. But Felix is no better.

  I see Langston frowning, his gun aimed at Felix as he takes everything in. He was fooled by Felix too.

  Felix just laughs at Langston. “Lower your gun, friend.”

  “No,” Langston says.

  “Lower your gun, or a dozen of your men die.”

  I snap back to Felix. “I thought you came alone.”

  “No, I took out your men alone. I never go anywhere alone.”

  Felix snaps his fingers and three of his men, heavily armed start parading my team out, still handcuffed in chains and ropes.

  I stand, my nostrils flared, ready to go to war to protect the men and women who have always been loyal to me.

  “I’m going to kill you for this, Felix. My team doesn’t deserve to be treated like animals. Untie them. This is between you and me,” I say.

  “I will. When you tell them the truth,” Felix says.

  I frown.

  Felix stands and steps forward. “For generations, a Miller and a Rinaldi have fought to become your leader. They have risked their lives playing a game that shows you the winner is worthy of leading you. Worthy of the technology that could wipe out entire countries. Worthy of controlling billions of dollars of assets. And for generations, it has worked. The Black empire has grown with each new generation and those who are loyal live incredible lives under their protection. Only one generation has ever threatened that system. Because they fell in love, they lost sight of what was important. They no longer put you all first.” He turns to Kai and me. “They are making the same mistake. They made an announcement when they first got together that they got married. That was a farce, a test to see how you would all react. You failed to react then. But now, they are in love. They will put each other above you. Now you must act. You want the strongest person to lead you. Well, it’s time they prove it to you.”

  Felix snaps his fingers, and his men begin untying my team members. I should run over to them and check and make sure they are all okay, but my instinct is to run to Kai, to protect her from my madman of a half-brother. Instead, I force myself to stay.

  Felix disappears down the back ladder and reappears with a woman who looks awfully similar to Kai. She has long, dark hair, and her body is bruised and beaten.

  I growl seeing a woman so hurt in Felix’s grasp. He tosses the woman forward, and she falls to the ground.

  “What are you doing?” my voice beams, and everyone’s eyes are on me.

  “Winning,” Felix mouths, so only I notice.

  This was never about ensuring I was the best leader. Felix just wants to be leader himself. And he’s more dangerous than Milo ever was. He’s smart. He’s ruthless, heartless, and determined.

  “Kill the woman,” Felix says, taking out his gun and aiming it at Clifton. “Or I start killing your men.”

  I frown, not moving. For one, I will not be blackmailed. Two, Clifton can hold his own.

  “Why?”

  Felix laughs. “I’m threatening the life of one of your men, and you wa
nt to ask me why I want you to kill this woman? Some leader you are.”

  “My men know I won’t be blackmailed. I won’t kill someone innocent.”

  “She’s not innocent.”

  The woman cries on the floor in front of me. “She is.”

  Felix fires, hitting Clifton in the chest.

  Fuck.

  Clifton drops to the ground. Felix aims his gun at the next man, while Clifton heaves on the ground.

  “Kill her or I’ll kill another of your men.”

  I growl. “I will not be threatened.”

  “Pussy. Being a leader is about putting your men first in the face of anything.” Felix turns toward the remaining men. “If he won’t kill a random woman to protect you, he sure as hell won’t put you above the woman he loves.”

  All their eyes go from me to Kai. They know I love her. There is nothing I can do to hide it.

  “What about now?” Felix asks, aiming the gun at Kai instead of my men.

  I have the gun in my hand aimed at the woman before I even realize what I’m doing.

  Felix laughs. “See! He would kill an innocent woman to protect Kai, just not to protect you.”

  Felix holds the gun loosely in his hand as he laughs at me for falling into his trap. I don’t have to look at all of my team to know how pissed off they are that I didn’t protect them. He just turned my entire team against me.

  “Good thing Enzo isn’t the only one who is fighting to be the leader,” Kai says, and then she fires at Felix.

  She hits his hand, knocking the gun loose. His eyebrows raise at her, as if he knew she was the one that could take him out, not me.

  Fuck, why didn’t I shoot him in the first place? Because he got in my head. Because as much as I hate him, he’s my brother. The only family I have left. And maybe I feel like he deserves a chance to realize how my father corrupted him before I kill him. Maybe I feel remorse for killing Pietro.

  Felix jumps over the side of the yacht along with his small team of men. Kai runs to the edge with her gun in her hand, but from her disappointed look, I know he’s gone.

  I stay frozen as a dozen eyes glare at me. My own team is pissed.

  Kai takes matters into her own hands and runs to Clifton. She immediately applies pressure to the wound and starts barking orders for one of the men to call the doctor.

  Odette looks at the surviving members who take part in the vote for the leadership position. “I think we should vote.”

  14

  KAI

  VOTE.

  Why the hell do they want to vote right now? A man’s life hangs in the balance.

  “We can vote on who is in charge later. Clifton just got shot. He needs all of our attention right now,” I say.

  The doctor arrives on the top deck and takes over, applying pressure to the chest wound. After a quick examination, I realize the injury isn’t as bad as I first thought. Clifton will survive.

  Odette looks from me to Enzo who is still standing frozen. I don’t know why he’s not acting. But I can tell Felix got under his skin. He told him the truth about the previous generations of failed lovers. About Felix being his brother, I’m sure. But I’ve never seen Enzo like this.

  He looks terrified, in shock, unable to act.

  The woman Felix threatened still cries on the ground. The men are all looking stunned at Felix’s little show. The whole scene is a mess.

  “Langston, get this woman somewhere safe,” I bark.

  He nods, scooping her up.

  “Denziel, go check on the security footage. Get it back in our control and ensure Felix and his men are gone,” I say.

  He nods, running off.

  “Vance, check to see if Felix’s explosive threat is real.”

  I look at the remaining men. “The rest of you be on high alert. Felix could come back and launch an attack at any moment. Be ready to evacuate.”

  Odette looks from me to Enzo. “We need to vote.”

  “The vote can wait.”

  “No, it can’t. Not if another attack is imminent.”

  I swallow hard. I’m not the person to lead if there is an attack. They are pissed Enzo put my life above theirs. I’m carrying a child I won’t hesitate to trade all of their lives to save. They just don’t realize it. They can’t vote me their leader over Enzo.

  “All those in favor of having Kai be the new leader, raise your hand,” the woman says, raising her own hand.

  Slowly, I watch as hand after hand goes up. More than just the four currently conscious that are part of making the decision. Every hand goes up.

  Fuck, what did I do?

  I feel sick to my stomach. I just reacted. I just protected myself, my baby, and Enzo. And in turn, I protected all of them.

  And now my baby’s life is even more at risk.

  I glance over at Enzo who looks even more terrified, because he doesn’t want me to be at risk either.

  Slowly, Enzo walks over and kneels in front of me. I’m not sure he’s helping his cause with the team at showing so much respect to me. “I will protect you at all costs,” he whispers.

  I stand tall, stern, and unmoving. I can’t love him. I can’t show them I love him. There will be a mutiny. They will kill us all and most likely let Felix lead them.

  “You put all of their lives at risk, you deserve to be punished,” I say to Enzo.

  Enzo just bows his head. Locking him away will at least protect him until I figure out how to get the crew to care about him instead of me.

  “Lock him in a bedroom,” I tell Odette.

  She nods and grabs Enzo to lead him down the stairs. Enzo gives me a concerned look. He doesn’t want to leave me, but he has to. If he stays, he’s putting us all at risk. He’s already shown how much he loves me. I can’t show how much I love him in return.

  Enzo disappears and then it’s me with a dozen eyes looking at me to keep them safe, when all I want to do is grab the first boat and get as far away as possible from all of them.

  Denziel returns. “I’ve checked the security footage, Felix and his men left on a yacht. They were headed south.”

  I nod. “Thank you.” Everyone continues to look at me, waiting for me to give more orders. “Everyone stay on high alert. Felix will be back. Maybe not today, but he will be back. And when he comes, we will be ready.”

  And then I head inside, away from all the prying eyes. I don’t trust a single one of them, and I’m not sure why they trust me. It’s in this moment I realize how easily a leader can be knocked from his thrown by his own people. They all love their jobs, but they risk their lives every day. They won’t do that if they don’t one hundred percent trust the person leading them. Enzo just lost their trust. I don’t know how long I can hold onto it. And Felix is going to do everything he can to make us look bad, and him look good. So they will trust him instead of us.

  I take a deep breath as I walk down the hallway to Enzo’s bedroom, where I assume Odette locked him away. He’s going to be pissed I had him locked up. But it was the only thing I could think of that would show I didn’t love him like he loves me. The team needs to trust one of us, at least until we can show them how bad Felix is.

  I unlock the door and then step into the bedroom.

  Enzo is lying on top of the comforter with his arms stretched behind his head, and his legs crossed. He didn’t bother taking off his shoes.

  I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this.

  “Are you pissed?” I ask, as the door falls closed behind me.

  “At you?”

  I nod.

  His lips thin, before the grin forms. “I’m not pissed that you make an incredible leader; strong, capable, and powerful.”

  “But you are pissed?”

  Enzo swings his legs over the side of the bed and walks to me in one giant step, like two magnets being pulled together. But he stops himself short of slamming into my body.

  “I’m pissed that Felix threatened your life. I’m pissed that I was foo
lish enough to trust Felix, when you could see his deception. I’m pissed that you ordered me to my room like a child instead of letting me stay to protect you. I’m pissed that I was this close to getting you to tell me you love me again, and that Felix ruined it for me,” he says, moving his thumb and finger an inch apart.

  He somehow moves closer, but he still doesn’t touch me. His breath is on my lips, his eyes burning into mine.

  “Am I right?”

  I swallow down the lump. “About what?”

  He exhales hard, frustrated with me. “You love me, Kai. You were going to admit it. But now you won’t because Felix outed our love to the team. And you think you are putting ourselves and the team in danger if we admit that we love each other out loud.”

  Truth. But also, a little bit of a lie. I can’t admit I love him because of the baby. If it were just us I had to worry about, I’d have admitted it in front of the entire team and fought anyone who threatened us with Enzo by my side.

  I nod, knowing the more words I speak, the weaker I will become. I want to tell Enzo the truth. I want him to know my secret. I was planning on telling him, but now…now I need to think more strategically. I need to know we have a plan to get rid of Felix and keep the entire Black organization from turning on us.

  Enzo shakes his head. “This close.” He moves his thumb and finger an inch apart again. “This close. We are always this close to getting everything we’ve ever wanted. We were this close to happily ever after.”

  I chuckle. “You don’t really believe that. We are always this close to happiness, and this far from getting everything we’ve ever loved ripped away from us. Maybe that’s our love story, one in which we stupidly keep trying, even though the entire world is against us.”