His Mafia Prince
Chapter 135: The Bigger Picture

Chapter 135: The Bigger Picture

(ARLO)

I’m shocked that Dalton knows of Sasha’s arm tactics. I don’t respond to it though.

"Don’t act so surprised, Arlo. I know you. There’s no way you could have agreed to that marriage if they didn’t threaten you."

My face warms. "I don’t know what you are talking about." I am certain that he has No idea that I have Miles’ bite mark. I doubt he’d be pleased if he learned about it.

Sweat glistens on his forehead as he bites his jaw. I can feel his desperation. "Arlo, listen to me. Other syndicates aren’t pleased with the news of the Sovereign Ring Syndicate being absorbed into the Triple Triad Syndicate. We know why Sasha is doing it. He wants to be untouchable. The other syndicates are willing to join hands and help me take down the triple Triads once and for all."

"Good luck then. I hope you manage to bring the Triple Triads down. I don’t see how you are going to succeed anyway."

"They might be strong, I get that. But they can’t outdo a coordinated effort to bring them down." He laughs gruffly.

"You already have the support of other syndicates. So, what do you need me for?"

He smiles wryly. "See, your impending marriage to Miles could be our opportunity. You could help us once you’re on the inside, they will never see us coming. That way, we could rip them to shreds."

"Are you asking me to betray Sasha while living in his home? A surefire way to die. But then why would that bother you? Haven’t you tried to kill me twice already?"

He grimaces. "That’s in the past. Let’s leave the past in the past and focus on the situation at hand now. See the bigger picture."

"I’m literally still in the hospital because of you. How can you ask me to let the past be the past?" I grip the bed and my stitches tighten painfully. I wince.

He lets out a defeated sigh. "I should have planned this out sooner. It would have saved me all the trouble I went through. And yah wouldn’t have been mad at me. Listen, we still got time to fix this mess. If you join us, you will have your freedom and syndicate back instead of going with Sasha’s plan. Sasha is so arrogant. He is so convinced that you will go along with his plan that he will never see this coming. But think of it, Arlo. If you work for me, you will be very rich, and powerful. No one will dare to come at you again. Don’t you want that for yourself?"

"I’m going to have all you’re offering if I join the Triple Triads. Your point?"

He blinks rapidly in a manner that suggests that he is so done with me. "Sasha might give you the power, but you will never be free. You will be married to his second. Please don’t lie to me and tell me that you want that marriage. You’re my cousin and I know you. Miles is a thug. He isn’t even your type. You should pick a cultured and powerful alpha. Not a thug. Your alpha shouldn’t be a puppy yes man like Miles is to Sasha."

He isn’t entirely wrong. Miles isn’t my type of alpha. The way that Dalton dismisses Miles still sparks a surge of anger in me. I have to hold my anger because the last thing I want him to learn is that I’m bonded to Miles. "You already tried to kill me, so what makes you think that I can trust you enough to want to work with you?"

His eyes glitter with frustration. "Please, Arlo. Can we stop being petty? I’m offering you everything that you have ever wanted without giving you insensitive demands like Sasha. You will have all the power and money that you have ever wanted. How can you pass on such an offer?"

My hand ball into fists. "I don’t want your offer. Dalton. You need to go. Miles or Sasha will swoop in here any minute to check on me and they will kill you on sight."

"You are seriously considering loyalty to them instead of me? Your flesh and blood?"

"You mean the same flesh and blood who tried to kill me twice?"

"Arlo? How many times do you want me to apologize for that?" he sounds frustrated. "You’re like a fucking dog with a bone."

His callousness makes me shake my head. "Even if I was dumb enough to buy your plan, how can I trust that anything you tell me is true? You could be making all these ideas up for all I know. There are probably no syndicates willing to help you pull Sasha down. You’ve proven to them how disloyal you can be by going to the extent of trying to murder your own cousin for greed. I know certainly that nobody wants to work with you. Not an organization as powerful as Sasha’s."

"I’m telling the truth, Arlo. I don’t know how you want me to convince you." His face is flushed. "The question you should be asking yourself is why the hell you think it is okay to team up with the man who killed your father in cold blood." He snaps. "Even if I was wrong for trying to kill you, Sasha is the cause of all this, or have you forgotten?"

"I still hate Sasha." I stiffen.

"And Miles?" his eyes narrow. "Don’t you hate him too? He is just as guilty as Sasha. Both of them are responsible for what happened to Uncle Kasi."

"Yet here I was thinking you understood why Sasha did what he did to my father."

His gaze flickers. "I’m starting to get the feeling that you don’t really hate Miles."

I look away. "Of course, I hate them both." I do hate Sasha, but I have different feelings toward Miles. The memories of how he touched me come flooding back into my mind. At that moment, I knew that he would do whatever it took to protect me. Part of me suspects that he would even go against Sasha to protect me. I didn’t see that earlier but I do now. He has fully accepted and taken on his duty as my alpha. I couldn’t hate him even if I tried.

"I’m giving you a chance to get your revenge on Sasha, but you are too dumb to see it. That’s all you’ve ever wanted, and I’m giving it to you now."

"And here you are hiding in a hospital begging for my help. How much of a threat are you, really?"

"Look, I found you, didn’t I?" he purses. "I could have gone back into hiding but I looked for you instead. This is your chance to end Sasha, once and for all. I’m not just doing this for you. I want Sasha out of the picture for my own reasons. I know that you can’t trust me easily again., that’s why I’m making this gesture. I’m risking my safety being in here with you when I know that Miles and Sasha are out there. Which is why I am presenting this plan. You want revenge. I’m offering it to you. Open your eyes, Arlo."