I look up. “Don’t hit him yet.”
“Ash?” Maksim laughs. “He’s been hit so many times, Roman helped…”
King gives him a shut the hell up look.
“What?” Maksim shrugs. “Sorry, sometimes I don’t have feelings.”
Valerian chokes on a laugh and then sobers. “Sorry, I just forget how entertaining he is. All right, princess, nay, new queen, what amazing idea do you have?”
“My uncle has been way too quiet. Too… perfect.”
Valerian rolls his eyes. “Of course he has; he finally got everything he wanted.”
As he says it, he realizes that’s not totally true.
“Except…” I throw a hand up. “His nephew-in-law on the throne, truly on the throne. Complete power.”
“He’s not that smart,” Roman calls from his spot outside the bathroom. “Sorry, eavesdropping is kind of my job.”
The room falls silent.
King looks at me, and I can almost feel my soul dying. He won’t hear me out, will he? He’s going to think I’m crazy, and then he’s going to hurt Ash.
I feel like a failure.
The guys say nothing as I nod my head and walk out of the room nearly naked, disappointed in them, myself, and the world.
Knowing full well that Ash is about to get the shit beat out of him again for being innocent and for being the only one strong enough to knock King off his throne.
Chapter Forty-Three
“I must ride with my knights to defend what was, and the dream of what could be.” —‘Excalibur’, 1981
Roman
I wait by her door. I hear her sniffling. I know she feels helpless, but she also needs to know that there’s more to this story than she could possibly imagine or comprehend.
About a half-hour later, she comes barreling out of her room. Purse in hand, makeup done, a pair of skinny jeans and a peacoat with some boots that look painful enough to kick some asses.
Shit.
She’s on the prowl.
I follow her silently.
She goes into the garage, frustration in her gaze. “I need a car.”
“They’re all yours anyway,” I say from behind her. “So pick one.”
“I need a car that doesn’t look like a spaceship.” She doesn’t even spare me a glance. “How much time do I have?”
“Things have been progressing slowly,” I say.
“Good.” She nods. “Good. Make sure they stay that way. I have an errand to run, and I can’t use my phone.”
“Because?” I ask.
“Because. I’m bringing someone back from the dead, and the FBI doesn’t really like it when we do things like that.”
I freeze, my body going completely numb. “What are you doing? Del. Think this through.”
She opens up the car door. “I have, and I realized the only person that can pull this off… is someone who no longer exists.”
“Pull what off?”
“Just pay attention; the girls are playing now.” She slams the door to the black Range Rover and starts the engine.
She peels out of the garage, leaving me still stunned, watching after her, and because it’s my job, I grab the keys to the closest vehicle, and I follow her, hoping I don’t hate what I find.
And hoping she’s here to help.
Not betray the only Family she’s ever known.
The only love she’s ever truly felt.
Chapter Forty-Four
King
“Don’t fuck with me,” I say, wiping my bloodied hands against my white t-shirt. “I’m not in the mood, not now, not ever. What.” I hold the blade of my knife against his thigh where I’ve made tiny cuts. “Do.” I slice again. “You know?”
He hisses out a curse. “You’re my brother. I would die for you.”
“We’ve been at it for two hours. And for two hours, I’ve made slow cuts down his thigh, across his wrists, I’ve done everything I’ve been taught, and he hasn’t as much as flinched. Oh, he’s screamed. He’s been in pain. But I know him. I know him like I know myself; the guy is innocent.
What the fuck do I have now? What do I do? I want to punish, I want to hurt, and yet I know it’s wrong. Am I weak? Am I the one guy who doesn’t do the hard thing?
I drop the knife on the table and lean back. “So what? I just let you go when you’re the only one I know at the scene?”
I’m ready to kill him. Draw more blood. I am ready to slit his throat in the name of Campisi.
And I will earn my family name, in this life or the next.
“My dad was there. Your parents were there.” He shakes his head. “Something’s not right, but I can’t help you fix it if you keep me tied up.”
I glare and pull out my gun, holding it to his temple. “Or I could just kill you and eliminate one more question. Sounds good to me.” I shrug. “One, two—”
“—She’s gone!” A voice yells.
Ash closes his eyes and hangs his head. “Shit.”
“Who?” I ask. “Who the hell is gone?” I put my gun on the table and wait.