Page 316 of Venom Sweeter than Honey
Despite his shock, a smile flickers briefly on his face though it quickly fades in realization. “Levi..."
I shake my head in disbelief, as though it can dispel whatever sick fucking twisted hallucination this is.
When it doesn’t, I finally manage the words. “It was you..."
Astor's eyes briefly track Violette, followed by Lazarus, as they enter the bedroom behind me. He shows no fear, or any other reaction to their presence.
Only the guilt in his gaze is palpable.
My voice is made breathy by the shock coursing through me. “This whole time... it wasyou.”
Astor’s words do nothing to soften the blow of his betrayal.
“I didn’t know, Levi... Not at first. Not until you came to live with me."
The weight of what he doesn’t say hangs between us.
“My life ended because of you... I losteverything.”
Astor’s silence gives way for my rage to trickle in and I close the short distance between us. Fisting the front of his shirt, I draw the gun tucked into the back of my waistband, and thrust the barrel under his chin. “Is your greed so powerful, it was worth destroying a family? Innocent lives?”
Astor’s jaw flexes, emotion burning bright in his gaze though his words are spoken low and steady. “Not greed, Levi. Revenge.”
My mind harks back to the woman and two daughters. The jungle gym in the backyard. Forcing me to acknowledge a truth that I’m still not ready to accept.
“Your father had my family slaughtered. Had his men string up their mutilated bodies for me to find.”
Nausea churns my stomach.
My denial is absent from all conviction. “No..."
Astor huffs a sardonic laugh, and still does nothing to resist my fierce grip. “Shall I show you the pictures from the coroner’s office?”
The look in his eyes confirms what my intuition tells me–he’s not bluffing.
As excruciating as it is to admit it... I know my father was not a good man. He was good to me and my mother. Maybe even his men. But anyone beyond that inner circle may as well have been chum for sharks.
And just when I thought it couldn’t possibly get any worse...
“Do you wanna know why?”
The bile rising to my throat says no, but I can’t find the willpower to deny him.
Astor gives a rueful shake of his head. “It wasn’t even for greed, Levi, butspite...All because I refused to work for him. I was a criminal defense attorney before this.”
I’m going to be sick.
“I didn’t build this empire untilhedestroyed my life.”
For the first time since my initial deployment as a Navy SEAL, my gunhand trembles.
Tears burn my eyes as my rage gives way to the shattering of my heart, but years of hunting and lusting for this man’s death urge me to pull the trigger.
My thumb flicks the safety off.
Yet, despite my being the son of his greatest enemy, not an ounce of anger burns in his gaze.
Astor’s eyes slip shut in acceptance.
