by Kelsie Rae
Feeling like I’ve been sucker-punched, I scratch my jaw and try to come up with a solution. But there isn’t one.
“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath.
“Yeah. And that’s just the beginning of the shitstorm we’re in right now.”
“What else?” I demand.
“Jack’s here.”
“Why?”
Scoffing, Kingston explains, “Showed up on our doorstep this morning. Believes his boss set him up to take the fall for working with Burlone. Says his name is Mr. Reed. Ever heard of him?”
I shake my head. “Not off the top of my head, no.”
“Lou’s doing some recon to see what he can find. But we think he’s the one who was asking Dominic about Q, digging for information.”
“Why?” I repeat. It doesn’t make any sense.
“We don’t know yet,” Kingston admits with defeat. “But Dominic Castello is in the basement, and we believe he has a connection to Mr. Reed. We interrogated him before the shitstorm with Dex hit, but I might have a few more questions, so I haven’t disposed of him yet.”
“It doesn’t make any sense,” I voice aloud. “She’s just a normal girl.”
“Is she?” Kingston challenges, resting his elbows on the desk and lacing his fingers in front of him.
I shake off my annoyance and change the subject because honestly? I’m not sure who Q is. The only things I’m sure about are my feelings for her and her shitty experience under Burlone’s supervision. “What do you need from me?”
“For now, I need you to stand by me and not intervene when I use your brother as an example of what happens when a soldier disobeys my order. Do you think you can do that?”
My jaw tightens as my stomach swirls with acid, but I swallow it back and look him square in the eyes.
“Family first,” I answer him.
“Always.”
“Where is he?”
Cocking his head toward the exit, he reveals, “In the shed. We’re waiting for the rest of the family to get here to hold the communal. Then we’ll get it done. Go get some rest. We’ll talk more after.”
“What are you going to do with him?”
His gaze narrows. “What needs to be done.”
Well, shit.
Mind spinning, I exit his office without another word, then find myself outside Q’s bedroom. I flex my hand at my side before knocking it against the barely-cracked door.
“Blue?” I murmur. “Can I come in?”
She doesn’t answer, but I don’t expect her to. She’s still shaken from the chaos we stumbled upon when we got here. Pushing the door open the rest of the way, I scan the room and find her lying on the mattress. She hasn’t moved since I left her there, and it feels like all the progress we’d made at Matteo’s estate has evaporated into thin air. I should’ve never brought her here.
“Hey,” I greet her.
Sensing my wariness, she studies me carefully before coming to some kind of conclusion, though I have no idea what the hell it is. Her movements are jerky, but she forces herself to push past my paralysis and approach me.
“What’s wrong?” she whispers.
Pinching the bridge of my nose, I reveal, “My brother messed up.”
“Brother?”
“Yeah. Dex,” I clarify. “We’re blood.”
Her eyes widen. “Dex? As in…the guy who worked for Burlone before accusing him of working for the Feds?”
I nod.
“What did he do?”
“Touched Kingston’s sister,” I grit out, my blood boiling. “How could he have been so stupid? I get that he loves her. I get that she loves him. But doesn’t he understand the messed-up position he put Kingston in? He should’ve been patient. He should’ve waited until Kingston gave him permission.”
She chews on her lower lip, weighing the severity of the situation before a single word slips out of her sexy mouth. “Fuck.”
With a breath of laughter—even though the situation is far from comical—I breathe, “Yeah.”
“What is Kingston going to do? I remember his warning the morning we returned from Burlone’s estate. I remember his threat. His promise. If Dex touched his sister, he’d kill him. But would he actually go through with it?” The question tumbles out of her as her entire body vibrates with concern. For my brother.
Half-brother.
The guy I never got to know.
Regret swells in the pit of my stomach as I answer her. “I dunno.”
“Is your boss a man of his word?”
My shoulders fall as I meet her worried gaze and admit, “Yeah. He is.”
“Can you talk to him? Say something?” she suggests, scrambling for a way to fix this. But it isn’t that easy.
“That’s not how the family works, Q.” Pulling her against me, I wrap my arms around her naive little body, then rest my chin on the top of her head. I need to touch her. To feel her. Because right now, she’s the only thing keeping me from getting lost in the chaos.
“Then how does it work?” she demands.
“Dex knew the rules, but he broke them anyway. Without repercussions, our world would fall into chaos. King can’t let that happen.”
“Is there another way?” she pleads, damn near breaking my heart with her concern. She’s so sweet. So soft. So innocent.
She really does belong in a Hallmark movie.
Shaking off the thought, I reply, “If there is, Kingston will have to find it. It’s not my place. And even though I look at Kingston like a brother, I won’t go head-to-head on this. It’s his call to make. I respect him, and I respect his decisions. He’s going to send someone to come find me when the communal starts. For now, let’s just…try to get some rest, okay? It was a long drive, and I’m sure you’re drained.”
“Both emotionally and physically,” she admits with a forced smile before tangling our fingers together. Then she leads me to the bed and pushes me onto the mattress before laying against me. Letting her warmth ease the ache in my chest, I pull her closer, then let the world slip away. Because in this room, with her by my side, I just might have the strength to face it all.
18
Diece
A loud knock on the door rouses me from sleep.
“It’s time. Meet us in the shed,” Lou yells. Then his footsteps echo down the hall, draping the room in silence.
“I gotta go,” I grumble, untangling myself from Q’s sleepy body. Her forehead is warm as I press a chaste kiss against it. Mumbling something in her sleep, she rolls onto her side and tucks a pillow into her chest. My mouth twitches in the corner before shaking off the contented haze I always seem to find myself in when Q’s around. As I leave the room, I keep the door cracked then head to the shed.
A sea of familiar faces greets me before we all file into the tiny space where a tied up Dex sits front and center.
I haven’t seen him since the night of the tournament. It feels like a lifetime ago. Regret pools in my hollow stomach as I watch him wait for his punishment with his head held high. The bastard doesn’t look scared. If anything, he looks resigned and ready to accept his fate.
He knew what he was getting into by messing with Regina. I just hope it was worth it. When his gaze lands on me, his shoulders fall, and he hunches further into the metal chair. I can almost taste his defeat. His regret. But it isn’t because he touched Regina. It’s because his decision cost us the time we could’ve had to get to know each other.
And now, it’s likely gone forever unless Kingston found a loophole that would still manage to keep his men in line while showing mercy to his newest soldier.
The silence is deafening as the entire room waits for Kingston to make his first move. But the bastard isn’t doing anything. He’s just standing next to the exit with his arms crossed. The pitter-patter of feet makes my ears perk with interest before Regina appears beside him. Her hair is a mess, and she’s panting from exertion as Kingston leans closer to her and whispers something in her ear. Cocking m
y head to the side, I watch their exchange, more confused than ever.
What the hell is she doing here?
He can’t be that callous. Can he? Or maybe Q’s making me soft. Then again, it could also be the damn Hallmark Channel.
The tears continue to slide down Regina’s cheeks as she listens to Kingston before she gives him a jerky nod, then squeezes her eyes shut and shrugs out of his hold.
Ushering her the rest of the way inside the shed, Kingston begins his announcement. “Gentlemen, do you know why I’ve invited you here?”
He receives a wave of nods in response, but our silence remains.
Satisfied, he continues. “Early this morning, I found evidence that a man I’ve trusted, one of our men, a man whom I welcomed into the family with open arms, disobeyed a direct order. It’s a shame,” he admits, his tone ringing with resigned disappointment. “This same man proved his loyalty only hours before when he delivered a piece of vital information to me. Something he could’ve easily kept to himself if he chose to do so. Hell, he could’ve even used it against the Romano family to cause more chaos in an already turbulent time.” Raising his hands at his sides, he faces his palms toward the ceiling while motioning to the crowd of soldiers. “The combination has put me in quite the predicament, as I’m sure you can all understand.”
We all grunt our understanding.
“But before I reach my verdict,” he continues, “it’s time for you to all show him what we do to Romano men who fail to put the family first.”
All eyes are on me, Kingston’s right-hand man, as I raise my chin and stalk toward Dex.
It’s time.
Fighting off my disappointment in my own flesh and blood, I cock my arm back and deliver a debilitating blow to the left side of Dex’s jaw. His head snaps back before he registers the pain and blinks slowly as he comes back down to earth.
“Family first, brother. Always.” I step aside for one of my fellow soldiers.
Face contorting, Dex absorbs the second hit with a low grunt before Lou steps forward to take his shot. Blood gushes from Dex’s nose as Lou delivers the next hit and states, “Family first.”
Again.
And again.
The soldiers take their turns exacting retribution for Dex’s mistake.
Another hit.
Then another.
Until Dex’s vision is bleary, and his chin rests on his chest, fighting to remain lucid when he’s seconds from passing out. His eyes are almost swollen shut from having the shit knocked out of him, and his nose sits crookedly on his face. But he doesn’t beg us to stop. My chest swells with pride.
“Dex,” Kingston announces when the last fist has connected with Dex’s bruised body. “You came here as nothing but a bastard. You were given the opportunity to make a name for yourself that holds respect instead of shame. Do you think you earned it with your actions, despite disobeying a direct order?”
The crowd is silent, but I lean a little closer, anxious for his response. Because if Kingston doesn’t believe it to be the truth, he’ll be executed. Appearing desperate, Dex searches the crowd before his gaze lands on Regina. Then an odd sense of peace transforms his features, and it’s clear he doesn’t regret his decision to be with her.
“Answer me, Dex,” Kingston orders, demanding his attention, though I know I’m not the only one who notices Dex’s response to the princess of the Romano family.
Kingston can be as pissed as he wants for Dex’s betrayal, but he can’t deny that his feelings for her are real.
Dex coughs and clears his throat but keeps his focus on Regina as he answers, “I should’ve spoken up when you first gave your orders. I knew I’d never be able to follow them. I’m your man, Boss. I promise to put this family first in every single circumstance, and I will die for my brothers if the day ever calls for it…with one exception.”
Kingston steps forward, forcing Dex to look him in the eye. “I gave you an order—”
“But you required the one thing I couldn’t give,” Dex argues. “Do your worst, Kingston. I would expect nothing less from the Dark King. But know that I’ll never regret touching your sister, and if you let me out of this room, the only promise I’ll be able to make in regard to her is that I’ll stop attempting to keep my distance. She’s mine. She always will be. That being said, if you show me mercy, you won’t regret it. I’m a Romano, and I won’t let you down.”
“Knife.” Kingston spits the word like it’s a curse before Stefan rushes forward with a wicked sharp blade cradled in his hand. After placing the handle into Kingston’s palm, he retreats into the crowd.
Then it’s just the Dark King and his victim.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I push aside my unease and wait for King to get it over with. But I can’t watch.
The seconds tick by in slow motion before Kingston’s voice rings throughout the silent room. “Men like you are hard to come by, Dex. And I’m not sure I’ve finished having you as an ally.” My head snaps up to see Kingston circling him as he runs his thumb along the end of the blade to test its sharpness. “For that, I’ll let you keep your life, but not without taking something from you first. These hands touched something they weren’t meant to touch, so I’ve decided to give you a daily reminder about what happens when you defy my orders. If you can accept my punishment without making a single sound, I’ll let you keep your life…and my sister.”
Dex’s swollen eyes widen in surprise, but he doesn’t say a word. He’s still reeling like the rest of us.
“Do we have a deal?” Kingston prods.
Riddled with disbelief, Dex nods before Kingston questions, “Are you right-handed, Dex?”
Again, Dex nods.
Like a snake, Kingston reaches for his left wrist then squeezes it. “Open your fist and spread your fingers.”
Dex’s jaw stays tight as he does what he’s told and waits for the sharp steel to do its damage.
Then Kingston dives right in, slicing the blade along the top knuckle of Dex’s left pinkie. With a soft pop, he dislocates the joint, leaving the finger to hang off the side of his hand at an awkward angle.
Dex’s face reddens with discomfort, but he doesn’t say a word as his gaze stays glued to his prize. Regina.
With a bit more work, Kingston finishes his punishment and tosses the dismembered finger into Dex’s lap as the soldiers witness their leader exact his punishment. One that none of us would like to endure.
“Remember what you saw today, gentlemen,” Kingston orders in a loud, booming voice. “Family first. Always. Next time someone disobeys an order, they lose their hand. Dismissed.”
And thanks to the display we just witnessed, we know he wouldn’t hesitate.
As the crowd disperses, I approach King and pat him on the back. “Not bad.”
“You think I made myself clear?” He smirks.
“Crystal.”
“Good. Take the rest of the day off. Tomorrow, we’ll get back to work and figure out our clusterfuck.”
“Hey, King?” I call.
He stops his retreat and looks back at me. “Yeah?”
Tilting my head toward Dex, I keep my voice low so only he can hear. “Thanks.”
He nods. “Don’t mention it.”
19
Diece
The kitchen is brightly lit as I approach the family table where Kingston, Stefan, and Jack are all sitting. With a river of cards in the center, they finish out their hand of Texas Hold Em’ while I pull out a chair across from King and watch.
“Hey, D,” King mutters before collecting the chips from the center pot. The bastard won with a pair of aces and kings.
“Hey,” I return.
“Get some rest?”
“Yeah.”
“Good. ‘Cause we’re gonna have a hell of a day.”
He shuffles the cards and deals a fresh hand but includes me this time before shoving a couple of grand’s worth of chips in front of me too. His other half, Ace, taught us all the tricks o
f poker when King was learning how to beat Burlone at his own game. But we ended up liking the easy pace along with being able to shoot the shit with each other. Therefore, the practice sessions stuck around even after everything fell apart.
However, there’s a weight in the room this time. As if we’re all waiting for the other shoe to drop. I’d been so far removed from everything that I’d almost forgotten the shitstorm we’re in.
“Took you long enough,” Stefan calls out as Dex trudges down the stairs. “We’re in here.”
He rounds the corner and finds us in the kitchen. The bastard looks like shit. His face is black and blue from the well-deserved beating in the shed, and his hand is bandaged up from where Kingston executed his punishment. And even though I’ve seen a lot of messed up shit, I’ll never forget the raw look of determination on Dex’s face as Kingston sawed off his pinky then tossed it in his lap.
But even after the doc looked him over, he still looks like he could use a few days off. If only we were awarded that luxury.
“What are you guys doing?” he asks as he takes in the poker chips strewn across the table.
“We were waiting for you,” I answer him. “Sorry about your face, by the way. I had to make a statement that I stood by Kingston’s decision regardless of what it was.”
“I figured.” He smirks. “And I would’ve done the same.”
“Good.” With the toe of my shoe, I push out the kitchen chair on my right. “Take a seat.”
Plopping down next to me, he watches the rest of the hand play out before Kingston gathers the cards and shuffles them together. Once he’s finished, he gets to the point.
“As you know, Jack has reason to believe his ex-boss was working with Burlone. We don’t know to what extent, but I think it’d be beneficial to find out. Unfortunately, he hasn’t tried to contact Dominic’s cell––yet. But that might have something to do with the fact that he was trying to frame Jack with the burner.”
“What if we pretend to be Dominic and tell him we have information on Q?” Dex offers. “Maybe he set up iMessage or something and can read the messages through a computer too?”
