Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Viktor

T he ceiling offers no solutions to my problems. How the fuck can I fix this? Time is passing, and I'm no closer to finding Ava. Fiona is driving me crazy. Every day is a new argument, and every night she tries to get in my bed. The clan is falling apart. Fights are becoming more frequent, and my father doesn't care. The only thing he cares about is money. It doesn't matter how many reports I give him about what is happening—it falls on deaf ears. Worst of all, he's being seen with Cillian around the city frequently.

I need a minute of peace. I have to clear my head from the white noise. Not having Ava with me has created a black hole, and I'm out of sync. She's the only one who can bring calm in the chaos. Her absence has me feeling lost, as though there's a part of me that's missing, and it's frustrating.

I look at the time. It's not even five in the morning. These days I'm lucky if I get four hours of sleep. I've developed a routine since she's been gone. As soon as I wake, I hit the gym hard. The pain of working out helps me turn off my brain. I'm about to start another set of bicep curls when my cell rings. The screen reads Oliver.

"Where are you?" he asks before I speak.

"The gym."

"I'll be there in a minute." He ends the call before I can question him. I grab a towel and my bottled water.

"Good morning," I say as he enters.

"It's not going to be good when I give you the news." In an instant, I'm on high alert. My first thought is Ava. Something must have happened to her.

"Is Ava okay?"

"This is not about her."

I let out a breath. "What is it then?"

"We have our first casualty."

As he says it, I feel my frustration growing. I knew it was coming, but I was hoping it wouldn't.

"Fuck."

"I know."

"Which side?"

"Ours. A foot soldier, barely twenty-two. He joined us three months ago."

This is only the beginning. I know it will get worse from here.

"What happened?" I ask.

"The kid was off duty and having a drink in a bar. An Irish said something, and the kid reacted. The details are still coming in, but apparently, it was three Irish against one Scot."

"Why the fuck was he alone at a bar? Everyone should be at least in pairs. I gave specific instructions." Running my fingers through my hair.

"We're trying, but we can't control everything."

This is my issue with working with the Irish. I can't control everything.

"Does he have family stateside?"

"His mother and a little brother."

"See to it that they're taken care of."

He stares at me in silence.

"What now?" I demand.

"Our father doesn't want funds used for anyone in the lower levels. All soldiers are on their own."

"Is he losing his fucking mind? We take care of our own." My anger is at boiling point. This is the shit I'm talking about.

"He isn't thinking clearly. His relationship with Cillian is growing. Cillian has somehow become his right hand."

I walk to the door. "Fuck my father. Find a way to take care of his family," I snap. "I need to take a shower."

I don't know where to start. My anger is leaking out all over. My father has always been a hard man, but stooping this low is unprecedented. We have always taken care of our own, regardless of rank or time served in the clan. The minute a man joins the Manarch Clan, he becomes family. No man is more important than the other. We all bleed the same color, the Manarch Clan blood.

In the shower, a million thoughts are trying to break through. This shit is getting out of hand. If we aren't careful, we'll have our own civil war. Perhaps that's what Cillian is trying to accomplish, to destroy us from the inside out. But it's more than that, I think Cillian is looking to eliminate the Manarch name entirely. I need Ava. She brings the clarity I desperately need right now. I need the strength she gives me. I think back to a conversation we had when things were good between us—before she left.

"Viktor, you can't do that and not expect some kind of retaliation." Ava's mind is incredible. She's so smart.

"What do you know?" I tease.

"Standing up to your father means creating a greater divide."

"Yes," I say, even though she isn't asking.

"Standing up to him means standing up to your entire family. What happens when people start choosing sides?" I give her a look to continue. "You'll create a divide that will alter the dynamic of your family. Think about how nothing will get done because you're in the middle of chaos. You'll be facing war. You won't be able to achieve peace. The resolution comes only after both parties find a compromise where both sides get something."

At that moment, I couldn't have been prouder or fallen deeper in love with her. She was born to be my partner. It isn't just love that connects us. She isn't just a submissive or wife material. She brings a perspective that I lack. What is it they say? Behind every great man is an even greater woman. Being with Ava showed me what I was missing.

I've never claimed to be a perfect man, but with her, I am. She's everything. When I'm with her, I want to be a better man. It's not just about the Manarch name. There's more to life than the clan. She taught me about love and how there's strength in it. With her, I can face anything and conquer everything. Seeing her drive off that night was harder than I could have ever imagined. I just need to tell her the truth, my truth. I'm in love with her, and I need her by my side.

I need to find her and make things right. But I need to stop whatever Cillian is up to first. The longer this continues, the more men will die, and I can't allow that. My father might not care about the clan, but I do. I'll not let my father or Cillian destroy the legacy of the Manarch name. This is my legacy too. If my father doesn't want to end Cillian, then I will.