“Hey! Don’t you wander too far off now.”
Rian’s voice echoes through the familiar underground tunnel, but I hardly hear him.
I’ve barely been out of that bloody cellar for more than a few hours now, and I’m already about to be drenched in blood again.
This must be the trap Drago was talking about. We’re walking right into it.
If I’m not careful, I’ll die right along with everyone else—it’s already clear to me that my adoptive father could care less about my safety. Hell, even my life. The ambush was clue number one.
But what I learned back in that bloody cellar, suspended from the ceiling by barbed wire, face-to-face with Ray Byrne himself, made me question more than just the worth of my life.
It made me question everything about my past too.
“Something doesn’t feel right,” I hear Maksim rumble. “Gabriel, stop there.”
There are twenty guns at my back. I counted. And while they’re all trained towards the darkness ahead of me, the implication is clear. One wrong move and I’ll be shredded to bits.
So, I do as I’m told. This is no time to die. Even if my future is in doubt, one thing is clear. I need to see Bianca again. Taste her. Fuck her. Keep her.
I haven’t stopped for long before Rian brushes past me. He has a tablet in his hand, and the white glow from the screen lights up his furrowed face.
“This signal doesn’t make any sense,” he thinks out loud. “I’ve hacked into both the city data base, and the private cloud used by the company that originally built this tunnel, but there’s nothing about what could be causing this pattern of disruption.”
Of course, I already know what he’s talking about. A few years back, Roz set up a series of hi-fi signal scramblers all around Drago’s underground lair. They allow him to use all of his surveillance gadgets and watch the world above without giving away his presence… or how much power he has hidden away down here.
It’s part of how we’ve avoided detection for so long. And the invention of the scramblers were one of Roz’s proudest moments.
Yet somehow, Rian hasn’t just locked onto our signal. He’s found the power source.
It should be impossible. Shit. Roz has said as much herself.
So, how is this brutal lion breaking through the digital haze?
I’m not knowledgeable enough about this stuff to have any idea. But one interesting thought does make me pause.
Is this the skillset that has made Drago so interested in Rian Kilpatrick?
If so, Rian’s expertise must be different than Roz’s, because I can’t imagine anyone being better at what she does than her.
“What do you think?”
It takes me a second to realize Rian is talking to me.
“You want my opinion all of a sudden?” I ask, trying to keep as much vitriol from my voice as possible.
But it’s hard. Especially with the heavy bandages wrapped around my wrists, the aching bruises on my body… and the lack of weapons I’ve been given.
If we’re really walking into a trap, I might be in big fucking trouble.
“We’re only here because your description of this Drago fucker was corroborated by the other asshole I dragged back from the docks… and he said we might find what we’re looking for down here,” Rian assures me, his tone laced with warning.
My curiosity is instantly piqued.
“The drug dealer?”
“That’s right,” Rian nods, his gaze never leaving the screen in his hands. “The drug dealer. He knew all about this guy. Dragomir Raclaw. Polish, apparently. I thought my dad and my uncles had wiped out those fuckers long ago…”
Even if Rian’s gaze is locked down at his screen, I still find it necessary to disguise my own scowl.
What the hell is going on between Drago and the Reca disciples?
If I didn’t know any better, I might think he was doing more than just using them. It almost sounds like he’s working with them.
If I didn’t know any better. Fucking hell. What do I even know about my ‘adoptive’ father anymore?
If even one thing Ray Byrne told me was true, it means Drago’s been lying to me for my entire life.
My fingers curl into fists as I think about all the betrayal I’ve already faced. I have a bad feeling there’s so much more to come.
“So, they were speaking Polish,” I mumble, still playing my part, despite everything.
“Probably,” Rian sighs before finally looking up from his screen. Those wild blue eyes of his study me for what feels like an eternity before he turns around and calls out to his uncle. “Uncle Maks. Take this tablet. Keep your eyes peeled on that blinking dot. If it goes out, you let me know.”
“Where are you going?” Maksim asks, reluctantly taking the tablet from his nephew.
“Just for a little walk up ahead. Gabriel, you come with me.” Then, looking back over his shoulder, Rian gestures for two of his men to join us. “You two follow in the flanks. Keep your weapons ready. Someone is down here. I’m just not sure who. Not yet.”
With that, the lion surges forward. There isn’t much I can do but march after him.
“Where are we going?” I ask, confused by the show of trust.
Sure, there are still two guns pointed at my back, but I’m led far enough away from the group that I could probably do some serious damage before anyone shoots me.
“The drug dealer from the docks said this Drago fucker had an underground lair tucked away in a series of abandoned subway tunnels. There was no public record of them, but I was able to hack into a few private servers and find the blue prints.”
“Did you find where the lair is?”
“Maybe. That dot I’ve got my uncle watching over seems to be a source of power for whatever operation is still running down here.”
“And you think it’s Drago?”
“There’s only one way to find out.”
Running a hand through his hair, Rian cracks his neck to each side. The prince is no fool. He’s just as ready for any trap as I am.
“And what if this is a trap?” I carefully suggest, trying to figure out just how much he already knows.
“Then at least I’ll have a human shield to protect me.”
Fuck that.
“Sounds like you don’t quite trust me yet,” I say, pushing my luck.
“This isn’t about trust,” Rian shakes his head.” This is about something deeper than that. I’m not so sure I like your face, Gabriel, let alone the words that come out of your mouth. But everything seems to be falling in your favor.”
“I don’t know if I’d put it that way,” I grumble, lifting my bandaged wrists.
To my surprise, the lion lets out a short chuckle.
“You handled the interrogation better than I expected,” he stubbornly admits. “And you put up quite a fight back at the docks.”
“I was holding back,” I can’t help but jab.
“And it cost you,” Rian points out. “If this really is a trap, then I’d like to see what you’re truly capable of.”
“Why? After this is over, aren’t you just going to put me down? I know the rules. My crew failed to protect Bianca. Everyone I trained with is dead. That means I’m next.”
“Perhaps,” the lion admits. “But who’s to say the rules can’t be tweaked?”
My fists uncurl as we come up to a fork in the tunnel.
“You don’t seem so dead set on having my head, all of a sudden,” I note.
Rian just shrugs. “After your interrogation, I had a chat with my uncle Ray. He let me know what was discussed when I left the room. I know why you were pushed through the vetting process, Gabriel. I know how you grew up and why.”
Is that a sliver of sympathy I hear in the lion’s voice?
No. It couldn’t be.
“How does that change anything?” I huff, the character I’m playing slowly merging with the real me.
“If you managed to survive all of that, and still be here, stubbornly looking for a girl you didn’t get along with in high school, then maybe you’re not so bad. Plus, I think I’ve realized something that even Uncle Ray hasn’t put together yet.”
My fingers curl back into fists and my hackles rise at the comment. I have so many secrets to hide, and if Rian has found out the wrong one, I’m dead.
“What?”
“You killed the senator’s son, didn’t you?”
“I…” Shit. I wasn’t expecting that. “He hurt Bianca.”
The admission is a gamble. But it’s one I’m forced to take.
“And your job was to protect her,” Rian nods.
“It still is.”
Another deep chuckle escapes the lion’s lips as he chooses to lead us down the left tunnel.
Fuck. We’re getting closer to Drago’s lair than I expected. If this is truly a trap, we may be in big fucking trouble.
I can only hope that Roz is taking good care of Bianca.
My chest twitches at the thought of those crystal blue eyes. My cock shifts when I picture those soft pillow lips, and that flawless little body.
Shit. It’s not just her body I miss, either.
It’s the entire fucking package.
That fire…
“You may be a twisted fucker, Gabriel, but I can relate,” Rian says, snapping me out of my dirty daydream. “I’m not on the west coast because I made a whole lot of friends back east. Sometimes, people don’t understand what it means to be a protector. You do whatever it takes… no matter how savage.”
“I understand,” I nod.
My response is genuine.
Killing the senator’s son was a lapse in judgement, but not one I regret for a single moment. He touched Bianca. He felt the blade of my knife slash through his throat. He got what he deserved.
There was no other way.
“Whatever the hell is going on between you and my cousin, whatever your history, it doesn’t matter to me. All that matters is getting her back. And for all of the bullshit I heard coming out of your mouth in the cellar earlier, I could tell one thing was genuine. You’re truly concerned about Bianca’s safety. I Believe that, even if I don’t believe much else.”
“So, you don’t trust me?”
“We’ll see.”
Stopping in his tracks, Rian turns around and calls back to his uncle.
“How’s that dot looking, Uncle Maks?”
“Still beeping away!”
“I can’t tell if that’s a good sign or not,” the lion mumbles, shaking his head. “But there’s only one way to find out.”
What little light there is in this dark tunnel glints off the barrel of his Glock as he pulls it out.
“You think we’re close?” I ask, knowing full well that we are.
“Yeah.” Reaching into his pocket, Rian pulls out a switchblade and tosses it my way. “It’s not much, but there’s no way in hell I’m giving you a gun. Not yet. Trap or not, you have to earn back your firepower privileges.”
The blade of the knife feels cool against my hot palm; it sends an unwelcome gust of comradery rustling through my aching bones.
Fuck, I hate that Rian is forcing me to form a begrudging respect for him. It’s clear that he’s a strong leader. It’s clear that he cares for Bianca. It’s clear that he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get her back.
Shit. Maybe he can be negotiated with, after all.
“Oh, fuck.”
“Shit!”
Before I can finish my thought, a flurry of panicked curses comes from the men stationed behind us.
Snapping my head around, I see the first bits of smoke billow up from the ground. It fills the stale air with an eerie silence.
The calm before a storm.
Then, in the blink of an eye, the entire tunnel is filled with a blinding flash. It’s quickly followed by a deafening round of small explosions. They seem to burst from every side as dust falls from the overgrown ceiling above and shrapnel flies past me.
“Find cover!” Rian roars through the sudden chaos. I can’t see him, but his voice is already fading into the distance, racing back towards his uncle and their men.
But I don’t trail after him.
It’s immediately obvious that this trap hasn’t been set for me. And thankfully, it doesn’t seem to involve Drago at all.
The use of smoke bombs is what tips me off. Those are Tytus’ favorite toys.
The monster is here.
Ahead, through the crackling tremors and thickening fog, I hear a loud heavy creak.
A door has been opened. A path for my escape.
Do I take it?
Keeping Rian’s knife in my hand, I take quick glance back over my shoulder, just to make sure I’m not being watched. But there’s nothing to see. Just an impenetrable mist.
For the moment, I’m all alone.
“Fucking hell,” I grumble.
Tytus couldn’t have picked a worse time… or a better one. I felt like I was finally getting somewhere with Rian.
“What the hell are you waiting for?” The hushed voice snakes through the smoke, landing on my ears just as I spot a sliver of blackness through the haze ahead.
I can feel Tytus’ hulking presence waiting for me behind the black void.
No matter what was just going through my head, I shake it all away and chase after the voice of my old friend.
“Is this on Drago’s orders?” I ask, bolting into the black doorway.
Tytus quickly slams it shut behind us.
It’s too dark in here to see, but I feel the familiar scars on the monster’s palm as we greet each other with a firm hand shake.
“No,” Tytus growls. “This is all my own doing. Drago’s trap is set up further down the way. But fuck that. Fuck him. We have a serious problem of our own.”
It’s not like Tytus to be so forward. For a second, my breath catches in my throat.
“You went behind Drago’s back? Why?”
“Promise you won’t freak out?”
My first thought is immediately on Bianca, then on Roz.
My fingers curl around the knife handle. My heart starts to pound. “You know I can’t promise that. What’s wrong, Tytus? Is Bianca alright? Roz?”
“They’re both fine. For now. But apparently Drago sent Krol after them. I guess the snake somehow managed to follow Roz to your place…”
“He fucking what?”
Slowly, my vision readjusts to the darkness. The look of concern twisting Tytus’ face punches a hole through my chest.
“He broke in.”
“That fucker was in my home?”
“And now his blood is on your carpet. Don’t worry, Roz managed to shoot him first. Caught him in the spleen with a bullet. But you know what that means. There’s no going back now. No distracting Drago. We’ve drawn a line in the sand with Krol’s blood.”
“Is the fucker dead?”
To my disappointment, Tytus shakes his head. “ Last Roz saw him, he was laying by the bed in Bianca’s room, cursing you both as she locked him in and took off with the princess.”
The rage building inside of me is infinite. So is the regret.
Bianca is mine I should be the one there to protect her. That fucking seals it. I’m leaving. Rian can figure shit out on his own. Whatever Drago wants from him, he can get himself.
It no longer concerns me.
“Where did Roz and Bianca go?” I ask. “Are they alright?”
“Physically, their fine. Apparently, the Byrne girl is a little shaken up, but she’s taking it on the chin.”
“Bianca is tougher than she looks,” I assure Tytus.
“Well, she better be, because the only place Roz could think to go was your mansion in the hills.”
A bolder of dread drops in my gut.
“No. Fuck. Drago knows all about that place, Ty!”
“That’s what I said when I picked Roz up. But when she asked me where else we could go, I drew a blank. Any suggestions?”
“No,” I admit, after a moment of thought. The grey house was the only place I had that was truly mine. No strings attached. All of my other properties are somehow tied to my partnership with the man who suddenly seems so hellbent on screwing me over.
Drago.
What the fuck has gotten into him?
Is he losing his cool or does he simply not care about dressing this shit up anymore? It’s never been more obvious to me that I’m being used.
I’m not his son. I’m just his pawn.
Fucking hell. He’ll pay for it. But only after he gives me the answers I need to take what’s mine. He should be expecting a visit from me.
First things first, though.
“Let’s get the fuck out of here,” I growl. “We’ll figure out where to go after we’re all together again.”
“There’s a chance I maybe have a line on someplace you and Bianca can hide. A place Drago doesn’t know about… but I’m still waiting on confirmation.”
“Do your magic,” I nod. I’m already turning away when I feel Tytus’ heavy hand fall onto my shoulder.
“Wait.”
“What?” I ask, not even willing to turn all the way back around to look him in the eye.
Bianca is waiting for me. She needs my help.
Roz too.
We need to get the fuck out of here.
“What do you want to do about those fuckers back in the tunnel?”
For all of the burgeoning notions of begrudging respect and possible negotiations that were swirling around in my head just a few moments ago, Rian has already completely slipped my mind.
“Leave them,” I grunt, before adding. “Or at least chase them back above ground. Rian can’t fall into Drago’s hands. Not if we’re really thinking about splitting off from our ‘adoptive’ father.”
“You don’t want to kill off the competition while they’re weak?” Tytus asks, an undercurrent of surprise lifting his words. “There’s some nitrous oxide in the smoke. We could cut down the Kilpatrick prince in one fell swoop. He’ll hardly be able to put up a fight.”
“You know I like it better when they put up a fight,” I remind him.
“Don’t tell me you’re starting to like the lion,” Tytus taunts, his hand falling from my shoulder.
“I like power,” I correct him. “And if Rian Kilpatrick can be useful to Drago, then he can be useful to us. We just need to find out exactly what Drago’s interest in the prince is.”
“And how are we going to do that if we leave them both behind?”
“We don’t all have to go into hiding.”
I can hear the air rush from Tytus’ lungs as he realizes what I’m getting at.
“You want me to go back to Drago.”
“Does he know you’ve chosen sides yet?”
“No. But I’m sure he’s guessed which way I’m leaning, especially now that Roz has shot Krol. It’ll be a huge risk for me to go back to him.”
“Are you willing to take that risk?”
Tytus hardly even hesitates. “I’m willing to do whatever it takes.”
“It’s the only way,” I nod. “Now, enough chit chat. Unless Krol is dead, there’s little doubt in my mind that he’s sent men to all of my properties. Roz is alone. Bianca isn’t safe. I’ll go help them. You stay behind and gather information. Find a place for us to hide. Then get in touch with me. Alright?”
“I’ll do my best.”
One last firm hand shake is all we share before going our separate ways.
Tytus stays behind. Turning back towards the doorway, he puts on a custom-made gas mask.
I storm into the darkness ahead.
My chest starts to pound, adrenaline pulses through my veins. Fuck this shit. I’m finally ready to cut off the dead weight.
Drago can go fuck himself. It was his orders that pulled me away from Bianca; that put Roz in danger. He tried to play me for a fool.
Fuck. Maybe Rian isn’t even important. Maybe Drago just needed me out of the picture so he could get his hands back on Bianca.
But why?
It doesn’t make any sense. None of it does. But I hardly care anymore.
Only one thing matters.
Making sure no one ever fucks with what’s mine again.
I’m coming for you, Bianca.
And I’ll kill anyone who gets in my way.
