I pulled the car into the parking lot of the elite Hale Club, and climbed out. The sky was darkening as dusk moved closer to night, leaving the parking lot lights to burn a little brighter next to me. There was no sign of Killion‘s car, or his driver for that matter, but that didn’t mean that he wasn’t here.
I looked at my phone on the passenger seat next to me, still hearing the bastard’s smirk infecting every fucking word he’d left me. My pulse thundered. My mind was a vengeful storm, unleashing its rage inside me.
My hands trembled as I climbed out and reached for the gun pressed against the small of my back. Determination fueled me, driving me to yank back the slide and check the round. I had a full clip, that was all…
Could I do it?
Could I pull the trigger and kill a man in cold blood?
Ryth’s face filled me, and the answer quickly followed. Yeah, for her I could. I shoved the door closed and strode toward the club with the gun in my hand, held down beside my thigh. Fear surged, and I swallowed it down, knowing that this was probably the end for me.
I saw it now as I made my way to the private entrance at the rear of the club. The cops would be called. Maybe I’d be taken out by the bouncers before they came anywhere near the place. If I were Tobias, I might’ve had a chance…but I wasn’t my little brother.
I was just me…
“Hold the door open for me, Mom,” I murmured, stepped up to the entrance, and pressed the buzzer as I slipped the gun behind me.
For a second, I thought the door wasn’t going to open and security would swarm me before I even got a chance to step inside. But then the door opened, and the security guard was there, meeting my stare. “Mr. Banks.”
I lifted the gun, aimed it at the guard’s face, and stepped in. “Move.”
His eyes widened with surprise before his jaw tightened. I pushed in and pulled the door closed behind me. “Killion, is he here?”
The guard didn’t answer, not until I shoved the gun toward him. “Yes, yes, he’s here.”
He’s here…he’s here…he’s—
I scanned the hallway, driving him backwards and into the back room of the club. There were no dancers in there yet, no terrified women dressed in black, red, and white, dragged from the Hale Order to fuck and control. No, just corrupt men with one intent—to corrupt and debase everything they touched.
No, the back room of the Hale Club was quiet and dark. I lengthened my stride, shoving the guard toward the front, where the music was louder.
“Stay where I can see you.” I scanned the club, searching the darkness for Killion, then focused on the guard as I motioned with the gun toward the empty tables.
I hadn’t come here to shoot the guard, but if he stood between me and vengeance, then I’d have no other alternative but to pull the trigger. “Where’s Killion?”
He pointed to the darkened lounges on the far side of the bar. I followed the motion, searching the gloom. My heart raced as my mouth went dry. I pushed the guard harder as I made my way around the end of the bar, drawing the gaze of the bartender as he wiped glasses.
His hands stopped and his gaze narrowed. Fear bloomed before he glanced to where the shadowy outline of a man sat amongst the tables…
Killion.
My heart was in the driver’s seat now, forcing me forward. The gun wavered in my hand as I left the guard behind and strode toward the dark shadow sitting all alone. The closer I got, the more clearly I saw him. Killion was sitting with his legs crossed, casually sipping his goddamn cognac like he didn’t have a care in the world… Maybe you didn’t, when you had no conscience.
The gun didn’t waver this time as I lifted my hand and aimed at the bastard’s head. A flicker of confusion raced through me. For a split second, I thought this was all too easy, that this was too smooth. But then I shoved the thought away and focused on him.
“You had Evans killed,” I snarled as I stepped closer. “And threatened his family.”
Killion slowly placed the glass on the table in front of him and lifted his gaze to me. The heavy thud of the music resounded. But I knew he’d heard me as those beady eyes glittered.
I sucked in a deep breath, my hand steady now as I moved closer and pressed the gun to his head. “You think you can take her from me? You think you can…steal her from me?”
This one…is ruined. The echo of his words resounded in my head. All I could see was his hands on Ryth as he drove her against the wall in that room in the Order. That mark on your face looks like the mark of a hand…like you’ve been beaten. In my head, he pinched her nipple. You like to be beaten?
My finger curled a little tighter around the trigger. “I won’t let you.”
She’s perfect…I want her…
He didn’t flinch, didn’t even look at the gun.
Movement came in the corner of my eye. And a cold shiver found me once more.
“I knew you’d come,” Killion smiled. “In fact, I was banking on it.”
Pftt…
The sudden sound came from behind me. Something bit the side of my neck, making me stumble sideways. I slapped my hand against the pain, knocking something free. It clattered to the floor, steel glinting from the projectile. But it wasn’t a bullet…not a bullet. The darkened room started to sway as I staggered. I spun and found the white-haired guard from the Order striding forward, lowering the tranq gun in his hand.
Only then did Killion uncross his legs and rise. “You see, we couldn’t get to her. No one we knew would talk to us, instead they spoke another name…the Rossis. You kept her well hidden. So well, I was rather impressed.” He stepped closer, and the darkness seemed to swirl around me. My heart was thundering, driving terror through my veins.
“No,” I whispered.
He slowly nodded. “Yes, I’m afraid. We needed another way to lure her back to us…and what better way than to push your buttons?” I stiffened as he moved close, lifted his hand, and cupped my cheek as those sinister eyes flared. “And you know how much I love to do that.” He smirked. “This way, we get a two-for-one deal…”
My brothers…
“Nick…Tobiiiiassss.” My voice slurred as the room tilted sideways. I knew I was falling, but I was unable to stop it. I wanted to stop it…I tried to stop it.
Instead, I hit the floor with a thud and my head slammed down so hard I saw stars for a second.
Black boots shone as Killion came closer. I fought, lashed out my foot, and forced a howl of rage through my teeth as I tried to fight whatever poison hummed in my veins, but the room grew colder, until the darkness wrapped itself around me.
“Your brothers…” Killion taunted as he knelt beside me. “Well, we have no need for them now, do we?”
The gloom crowded in, stealing his face from me. “Nnnoooo…”
My voice wasn’t my own, not anymore.
Just a moan.
Just a plea…
And as that last trace of consciousness slipped free, one thought screamed through my mind…what the fuck have I done?
