“I love you.” Three simple words that I have never spoken aloud, not even to my own brother. Voicing those words aloud means you are giving someone else a power over you that they can use to destroy you. I just gave Knight Murdoch the power to obliterate me. Tension begins to coil inside me at the fact he hasn’t uttered a single word. I try to pull back but he tightens his arms around me, holding me in place. His eyes remain closed as he speaks.
“Say it again.” His voice is barely above a whisper. I hear a voice coming from behind him and know that the time has come for him to leave with his brother and end another family. I say it again because even if he doesn’t feel the same way, I need him to remain focused and come back to me.
“I love you.” His eyes snap open, a huge smile spreads across his handsome face.
“I love you too––”
“Knight, time to go,” King shouts, cutting him off. He sighs before placing a kiss to my lips, then dropping to his knees in front of me. He lays both his hands flat against my stomach and places a kiss to my belly. I look up to see the Bishop, King, Kiara, Ally, Gage and a few others standing around watching us. Both girls grips onto their men and stare without a care in the world.
“Look after your momma. I promise, I’ll be back.” His voice is barely above a whisper but I catch it. “You two are my redemption.” Tears cloud my eyes as he stands and stalks off toward his brothers without so much as a backward glance. Bishop claps him on the shoulder as he passes. I stiffen when Bishop and King make their way toward me. Knight spins around ready to follow but both girls and Gage stop him. The torn look on his face breaks my heart, so I fake a smile and nod, letting him know I’m okay.
Bishop and King stand before me with only a couple feet of space between us. King wears all black while Bishop is in his normal three piece suit, except his suit and tie is all black. They each run their gazes over me. I keep my head held high and stand tall. I don’t give a fuck what they think of me, it isn’t their dicks I’m riding at the end of each night.
“I had my doubts about you,” King grunts. I keep my mouth closed and wait for them to say whatever it is they came to say. “Turns out… I was wrong.” That has me reeling back in shock and he shoots me a half smirk.
“How so?” I ask. Bishop grunts drawing my attention to him.
“I know you have been the one hacking Pauly and Vinny’s accounts––” I open my mouth but he raises a hand silencing me. “You may have sent the information from Knight’s computer but I know how my brother types… That lazy little fucker doesn’t use punctuation, but you do.” I push my tongue against my cheek not wanting to lie. “Why?” I peer around him to see Knight is now being held back by Gage and three others. I smile sadly at him before facing his two brothers and speaking the truth.
“Because he is important to me and I know you are important to him. I’ll do whatever I can to help you all take down the two remaining families and then go after the Bratva. I have one condition though.” They both eye me warily for a moment before Bishop speaks.
“And that is?”
“Anya is innocent and had nothing to do with anything. She isn’t to be harmed.” Bishop narrows his dark gaze on me, the guys fucking tall and built like superman.
“I’ll keep your little friend out of it but hear me, Katarina. You fuck with my brother, I will take your punishment out on her and your brother.” I grind my teeth together in anger. King hands me a laptop. I eye it not wanting to take it in case it’s a trap.
“Luka programmed it so it’s all set up for you to watch him fight from here. I know he won’t let you come.” I snort out my annoyance which causes him to chuckle lightly. “Don’t be mad at him, he just doesn’t want you or the… babies to get hurt.” I nod my head in understanding. King’s gaze hardens and I steal my spine waiting for him to lash out. “He has spent the past few years hiding in the shadows. He has hated himself for years because of Christine.”
“Yeah, well, she’s a cunt and lucky she’s already dead.” Both Bishop and King fight their smiles from breaking free at my words.
“Regardless, it’s been years since I have seen my brother without a haunted look in his eyes and that’s all thanks to you. We all tried, even Rook tried to bring him back from wallowing in the darkness, but nothing we did worked.” I smile at King and shake my head. He doesn’t get it.
“That’s why he’s my dark Knight.”
Knight
After Bishop dropped, me, Mav, Gage and a few of the other guys off here at Chop’s, I went straight to the locker room. Gage and Mav are with me now as I get ready. Neither of us have said a word, we’re all lost in our own heads. If everything goes right tonight, we only have Vinny to take out and then we’re done. I need this fight. I need the release it will offer me. I’m so fucked up in the head over trying to find my brother, and every day my hope dwindles little by little when I find fucking nothing!
The plan is for each of us to run a part of the city. Bish, King and I all have our parts mapped out. Rook was next and then… who the fuck is the last? Gage isn’t a Murdoch so then that must mean it will go to Car?
“Let’s strap those hands, get this fight done and get you home.” I quirk a brow at Gage in question. “You won’t be staying for the final, brother, you have too much to lose now. Mav and I will… finish things after the fight.” What he means is, he and Mav will be the ones to put a bullet in AJ’s head.
“I’m no pussy,” I grit out.
“Never said you were. Shit is happening that you don’t know about. This place is packed for a reason. You win the fight, then you get the fuck out, Knight. You don’t stick around. Go home to your girl, brother.” I slick my eyes between his. I can see unease but there is something else lurking in the depths of his gaze, but I can’t pinpoint what it is exactly. Gage flicks his gaze to Mav and then back to me, my eyes widen.
No fucking way!
Gage gives me a subtle nod urging me to remain silent as he continues to tape my hands. Once he’s finished, he runs me through a few warm ups. I’m ready to fuck shit up. The announcers call out for the main event. I follow Gage and Mav out, ready to get in the ring and find out who my opponent is. I look around the crowded bar trying to spot AJ. When I can’t find him, I peer over my shoulder and shake my head at Gage and Mav. I watch as they both stalk off to go in search of him. The crowd begins to shout and scream, drawing my attention back to the center of the ring. I hide my shock when I watch a shirtless AJ jump into the ring with his hands in the air.
“Fuck,” I mutter. His eyes bore into me with a wicked smirk on his face, something is wrong. He shouldn’t be in the ring. I was supposed to be fighting the winner of last week’s match not him, which means we have a fucking rat in our midst and I’m starting to wonder if Gage’s speculations about Mav are true. I try to spot Gage in the crowd but I can’t find him. He needs to warn Bishop and King.
The announcer gives his spiel then motions for AJ and me to move into the center. I keep a blank expression on my face as I knock my fists against his. I grit my teeth as I feel the metal beneath his tap. The fucker his brass knuckles on underneath his taped hands.
The bell sounds. We circle each other for a few seconds before he goes on the attack. I dodge left and right trying to find an opening. He fakes right and I shift, big mistake. He lands a solid hit to my ribs. I hiss out in pain, then ignore the searing pain in my side. He manages to land blow after blow with me only managing to land a hit here and there. I need to take this fucker out before he fucking ends me. That’s the thing with fighting here, there are no rules. It’s kill or be killed and the look in AJ’s eyes tells me there is only one of us leaving this ring tonight.
AJ rushes me again. I allow him to get close and then at the last second sweep my leg out and land a decent blow to the side of his head. He stumbles back a few steps, but I don’t give him a chance to right himself. I tackle him to the ground and straddle him as I land hit after hit to his ribs and face. Just when I think I have the upper hand, he swings out and lands a right hook to my temple that has black spots dancing in my vision. Another hit comes to my jaw and I flop to the side. The crowd around us screams for blood. He rolls me from my side to my back and resumes the same position I was just in.