Bound by Love and Blood

Chapter Six

Vivian

I sat at the head of the long, polished oak table in my office, the weight of my family's gaze pressing down on me. The room was thick with tension, every silence heavy with unspoken words. Uncle Robert sat to my right, his expression calm, though his eyes betrayed a hint of concern. Across from me were my cousins—Ryan and Samantha, the twins, both looking expectant, and Christopher, who sat with his arms crossed, a scowl etched deeply into his features.

Taking a deep breath, I gathered my thoughts. "Thank you all for coming," I began, keeping my voice steady. "I called this meeting to discuss what happened last night."

Christopher's scowl deepened. "You mean your failed attempt to confront Dominic?" he interjected, sarcasm dripping from his tone.

My green eyes locked onto his, a sharp warning in my gaze. "Yes, Christopher," I replied coolly. "That's exactly what I mean."

Robert cleared his throat, cutting through the tension. "Let's hear her out, son," he said firmly. "This isn't the time for bickering."

Christopher rolled his eyes but stayed silent. I appreciated Robert's intervention. I needed to keep this meeting focused.

"I confronted Dominic last night," I continued. "But things didn't go as planned. He believes that I'm responsible for his brother Tony being in a coma."

Ryan leaned forward, his brow furrowed. "But we didn't order that hit, did we?"

"No," I confirmed. "We didn't. Someone else is playing us against each other, and we need to find out who."

Samantha exchanged a worried glance with Ryan. "Do you think it could be the Russians? They've been trying to muscle in on our territory for months."

"It's possible," I admitted. "But we don't have any solid evidence pointing in their direction yet."

Christopher scoffed. "So, what's your plan, Vivian? Are we just supposed to sit back and wait for more attacks?"

I met his gaze, unflinching. "No, Christopher. We're going to be proactive. I've decided I'm going to try form a temporary alliance with Dominic to find out who's behind this."

The room erupted into a chorus of protests. Christopher's voice rose above the rest. "An alliance? With the Italians? Are you out of your mind?"

"Listen to me," I said, my voice cutting through the chaos. "This isn't just about us anymore. Whoever's doing this wants us at each other's throats. They attacked Dominic's brother and tried to take me out as well. We need to find out who's pulling the strings and stop them before they do more damage."

Robert nodded slowly, his eyes thoughtful. "She's right. We can't afford to let our emotions cloud our judgment. This is bigger than our rivalry with the Italians."

Ryan and Samantha exchanged another glance, then nodded in agreement. "We're with you, Viv," Ryan said resolutely.

Christopher remained silent for a moment, his jaw clenched. Finally, he spoke, his voice low but grudgingly respectful. "Fine. But if this blows up in our faces, don't say I didn't warn you."

"Noted," I said. "Now, we need to start gathering intel. I want every resource we have focused on finding out who's behind this. We can't afford to miss anything."

My family members exchanged determined looks, the weight of the situation settling over us. Despite our differences, we were united in this. And together, we would find the truth and protect our own.

As the meeting adjourned and my family dispersed, I remained seated, my mind already racing with plans and contingencies. I knew the road ahead would be treacherous, but I was ready. They had underestimated me before. They wouldn't make that mistake again.