Chapter 117: Why Punish Me Too?
(MILES)
"I haven’t forgotten," I say quietly.
He rubs his jaw and nods. "This could work, Miles. Just try and think of it logically for a moment. The Triple Triad Syndicate would become untouchable. That way, I have reason to keep Arlo alive without losing face."
I listen to him, taking note of how he feels he’s come up with the perfect solution to punish Arlo. I know in my gut that Arlo will never willingly agree to go with this plan. "I have spent enough time with Arlo to know he’d rather die than agree to be part of us."
He shrugs dismissively. "Then we will just kill him and take over his syndicate the old-fashioned way. He should even appreciate that I am at least giving him an option. Not that he deserves it anyway. He is an insolent arrogant brat. I’m willing to overlook everything he has done and spare his life. All he has to do is go with the plan."
My stomach dips because I know all too well that Sasha isn’t bluffing. If Arlo refuses to cooperate, he will kill him the first chance he gets. He will not care that it will hurt me, or that I don’t want him to do it. Sasha will make a choice that will benefit his syndicate. The bigger Triple Triads is, the safer we are as a syndicate. He knows that and he is aware that he should execute this move considering it is the perfect timing.
The only problem is that I’m caught in the middle. I’m bound to Sasha after years of loyally standing beside him, and the bite mark that I gave Arlo links me to him in ways that I can’t evade.
He leans closer to me. "You need to remember to make the right decision, not based on what Arlo wants, Miles. This is about coming up with a solution that works for me."
"What of me not wanting to marry, Sasha? Doesn’t that bug you at all?"