Becoming His Princess (The Dark Prince #2)

by Autumn Winchester

  I will give you updates when I can, but don’t expect them often. Don’t go looking for either of us, as we will never be found. It will only make you look unstable, which you cannot afford to do. I give you my word, I will protect Summer with my life.

  I will let you know our whereabouts when it is safe for both of you. It is the time that there are no more threats over either of your heads.

  Summer will have everything she needs to be happy while I keep her safe. She will be taught how to take care of herself in ways that she doesn’t yet understand, just in case something was ever to happen in the future. I don’t foresee anything like that happening, but it is always better to be safe than sorry, as you very well know.

  I made sure to leave her rings for you, so you can reclaim your wife when the time is right. I am sure that Sean had taken them off of her for his own sick pleasure.

  For now, she will be posing as my niece, and she will be treated like a Princess, no matter what.

  Ivan won’t answer many questions I am sure you still have, as I have not filled him in on my reasons or actions. He doesn’t need to be as I am running this on my own. I only let people know what I need them to know.

  I hope someday you can forgive me, but I know you will not be pleased with my actions.

  Take care, Chase.

  Sebastian Monroe

  Aka: Black Spy

  Chase reread the letter. Once. Twice. Three times.

  And yet, the words still bounced around in his head. So many questions about everything.

  Who was Sebastian? Who was this man that acted so protecting? Where was he now? How did he know things?

  After watching the house be engulfed by flames, Carter made sure they took their time getting back to his house and bypassing the fire personal as someone had called the blaze in.

  The house was not salvageable, the bodies burnt to dust, just like Sebastian had planned.

  “I’ll hide those,” Carter said, nodding towards the letters, stepping into the room, just inside the door.

  Chase sat at his desk, head over the letter. He had yet to get to the other parts of the package. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to know who was against him.

  “Thanks,” Chase said. “A hit list wouldn’t be good when FEDS look through here.”

  “You think?” Carter asked, humor in his voice, a black eyebrow raised.

  Chase shot him a look that said he wasn’t amused the slightest.

  “Jack was released from the hospital and settled back at home,” Chase said, letting the man know. “And he will be calling in the next hour.”

  “Of course,” Chase sighed. He didn’t expect anything less. “Anything else?”

  “Kayla is here,” Carter said, his voice quiet. He feared what this man would do next as his anger was still boiling, and it would be until his wife was back in his arms.

  “Fine,” Chase sighed heavily, knowing he wouldn’t be able to get out of seeing her. He then stood up and went in search of her.

  It didn’t take long, as she was sitting at the kitchen table, a cup of coffee in between her perfectly manicured hands.

  “Hello, mother,” Chase said in greeting.

  She glanced up at him, her eyes tired. He could see she had been crying but wasn’t sure if was because of Summer missing, or because something had happened at work. She often lost patients.

  “Chase,” she sighed, happy he was safe. Her worry never once stopped for her only son. “How are you?”

  “As well as to be expected,” he bit out, his back to her, as he poured his own cup of coffee.

  “It’s okay to be upset, Chase,” Kayla said quietly, her heart breaking at the state of her boy.

  “I’m past upset,” he said, seething as he turned around, meeting her sad eyes. “My wife is missing!”

  “She will be found,” Kayla said, knowing she was in fact, safe. It was all she knew, but it was enough to make this go easier.

  “Sebastian? She’s with him,” Chase said, glaring at her.

  “He’s great at keeping people safe,” Kayla said, giving Chase a small sad smile.

  “You lied about his death,” Chase stated.

  “Yes, I did,” Kayla said. “But he asked me too. I only did it to keep you safe. Knowing you, you’d have demanded attention from the million questions you have, giving away everything he’s been working on. Your father knows more than I do, but he won’t dare breathe a word to you or anyone about what is going on.”

  “This week would have been a lot easier knowing someone knew Summer was alive,” Chase said, the fight leaving him. He could never be mad at her for long.

  “Yes,” Kayla said, her voice calm. Once Chase took a seat in the chair across from her she continued. “But would you have listened to anything we said? Without dashing off to pick a fight or demanding where she was at?”

  “No,” he said, dropping his chin to his chest, knowing how right she was. He would have run out the door, consequences be damned, to find Summer. He felt like a child again. He hated when his mother was right.

  “That right there is the reason why no one told you,” Kayla said gently, pointing a finger at him. “I know you are tearing yourself up about what happened, but it will all work out. There is no need to be so angry, son. Be the strong man I raised. Use that brain of yours and get John taken down. I don’t care how, but just do it!

  “Bring him out of hiding,” she went on, leaning over the table slightly, her eyes wild with emotion, her hands still cupped around the coffee mug. “Bring him out in any way you can. Make him pay for what he has done.”

  Chase had never seen his mother like this. His green eyes were glued to her, lost for words. She did have a fire within her to fight. Kayla had always been quiet, not caring what went on behind closed doors. But here she sat, telling him to take charge. To bring down the son of a bitch that did this.

  “I’ll make him pay,” Chase said with a nod of his head.

  “Of course you will,” Kayla said, sitting back up like nothing had happened. “Now, we need to make sure that there is a nursery set upstairs to make the FEDs think you are a family man and not the next Don.”

  “What about Clare?” Chase asked, watching his mother.

  “Is sleeping,” Kayla stated. “But well enough. I told her that her sister was safe, and that was all she would get for the time being. It should be enough to keep her calm for at least a little while. Hopefully, it won’t be more than a month before Summer can join us again.”

  “I have a feeling it will be longer,” Peter said, barging his way in like it was his own house. “And my boy is a pain in the ass. Three hours home and all he can do are whine and complain about every goddamn thing.”

  “So you come here?” Chase asked, sitting back in his chair. “You don’t bother to knock?”

  “Yep,” Peter said, digging into the fridge. “Oh, next time I want in on the fun. That was some clean up!”

  “It was . . . blazing,” Chase said slowly, his eyes lighting as he remembered how the knife felt going into Sean’s skin. He remembered how the house practically blew up, into a million pieces as they sped away from the house. There was certainly nothing left of the place.

  “So getting in on the action next time,” Peter laughed as Kayla mumbled something about getting started upstairs and making her retreat. “Who’s next?”

  “I’ll give you the list,” Chase said, knowing that the list of people would be safe in Peter’s hands. He was, after all, picked by Sebastian to keep an eye on things in other places.

  Chase would have his wife back, and he would kill everyone who got in his way, to bring her home.

  Chapter 33

  Sebastian sat on the edge of the bed, holding Summer’s cold hand in his, trying to give her any sort of warmth that he could.

  Gabriel, his shoulder-length hair was pulled back from his round face, looked Summer over. Every inch of her was thoroughly looked over for any sort of marks or bruises. Other than the rope
marks on her wrists and ankles, there was some bruising on her in various places. Sebastian was just barely able to contain his rage at the sight of them.

  He should have gotten her out sooner.

  He didn’t feel the least bit least symphonic for leaving two of the men alive who did this to Chase. He would make them pay for how they had marked the Princess.

  The doctor was waiting on the doorstep of the apartment complex that was mostly empty and was just barely able to contain his gasp of surprise. Sebastian never ceased to amaze him, and not in a good way.

  Gabriel had expected someone hurt, as that was the normal everyday occurrence in a mafia ran the world. He hadn’t expected Summer Grace, the most sought out Princess in his brother’s arms, pale as could be.

  Before he checked her over, Gabriel quickly set up an IV, pumping fluids into her body, knowing just from seeing her with his two eyes, that she was severely dehydrated.

  “How long?” Gabriel asked, checking her eyes. Wisely, he left her oversized shirt on her, although he made sure no place was left unchecked. Her underwear had been discarded before being brought to the apartment building, knowing that the dried material would be uncomfortable when she awoke.

  “A week,” Sebastian said, his voice sounded stronger than how he felt about it all. “I don’t know what her treatment was, but I found her pretty much like this. She’s been cleaned up somewhat.”

  “I’m pretty sure it’s her mind taking a timeout from what happened,” Gabriel spoke, not taking his eyes of the limp girl. He checked her pulse, and while slow, it was strong.

  She was so little in the huge bed. Her ribs were too easily seen from a week of no food, as she was already a small thing. It didn’t help that Gabriel knew some of her histories already from Sebastian himself. Her hair was a tangled mess, which he’d bring his wife in after she woke up to get that sorted out.

  The bruising didn’t leave much to anyone’s imagination one bit. Luckily, it would all fade in a few weeks. The cut between her breasts was shallow, and would scab over in a day or two.

  “I think she’ll be okay, Sebastian; she wasn't raped,” Gabriel spoke softly. “So if she is pregnant, it would be Chase's’ without question. She needs to gain weight and strength. Knowing you as I do, you already have things in place for her to do that.” He glanced up at the man before checking her reflexes.

  Gabriel took a sample of blood to check for any infections, but wouldn’t have results for at least day, in which time Summer would be long gone from this apartment.

  "Of course,” Sebastian said, not at all upset that Gabriel knew. They had known each other for years, and Gabriel was one of the few people that knew of his plans to keep the Marcel family alive. They were brothers, after all, and Gabriel liked to help the older man when he could, not expecting anything out of it.

  “How long will you stick around? I’m assuming you won’t be here for long,” Gabriel said, content with his examination of the girl. He knew who she was, of course, as there was a high price on her head.

  “Not long. We leave when she wakes up, has had a good meal and cleaned up, then we will head to the next place,” Sebastian said, rubbing his thumb on top her hand. He had trouble moving his eyes away from her, fearing she’d disappear if he did.

  “Good,” Gabriel spoke. “John is looking everywhere still. He knows she was taken, but not by who or where she is. It’s only a matter of time.”

  “I’m not worried about him, brother,” Sebastian said with an evil smile. Let him try me, he thought to himself.

  Gabriel sent him an amused looked, knowing no one would dare get past the man. He was a trained killer. He only protected his own.

  “I’ll push him a different direction when he comes asking,” Gabriel said, knowing that John would show up wanting help sooner or later. It was only a matter of time. He couldn’t believe they were related sometimes. John was the darkest of the three, only because their mother had taken out her depression on the poor boy, as he was the oldest.

  “Thank you,” Sebastian said, relieved. He wouldn’t give out his next location, and this place would be cleaned, making it as though he never stepped foot in here by the time he was out of the town.

  “Of course,” Gabriel said with a wave of his hand. “I’d gladly take him out myself, but you know how dad would have my ass. He already loathes me for not agreeing to his terms.”

  “I’m dead as far as anyone knows,” Sebastian shrugged. “I don’t have to worry about the terms anymore. But I can make you disappear, too.” He then stood up, sitting in the chair next to the bed to not to frighten Summer if she woke up soon.

  “In due time,” Gabriel said. “Heidi wouldn’t want to start anew unless we have too. I can keep John, and in turn dad, off my back for now. I’ve gotten this far.”

  “Only because you have a doctor's degree and have ties to all mafia families,” Sebastian laughed, removing his hand from Summer’s and sitting back in the chair, propping his feet on the edge of the bed. “You get a half pass. You don’t have to join any family to keep your ass alive.”

  “You didn’t have to either,” Gabriel said, careful of his tone. He knew what Sebastian was capable of, and didn’t want to press his buttons. He’d hate to be on the receiving end of his fury.

  Sebastian shot a glare at him, not impressed. He hadn’t had much of a say in how he lived his life either but was happy enough to give him life, his pledge, to the Marcel family. They protect their own, and he protected those he cared about.

  Working with Ivan Marcel was one of the best decisions he had ever made, and he would never regret it.

  “But dad won't be not much of a concern,” Sebastian said off-handedly.

  “What do you mean?” Gabriel asked, not sure if he really wanted to know.

  “Ivan will take care of it. He had to wait until Summer was out of harm’s way,” Sebastian replied, keeping the answer as vague as possible.

  “Tony won’t see it coming, right?” Gabriel questioned.

  “Nope,” Sebastian said through a yawn. He was tired. A week of hardly any sleep always took a toll on the man.

  “Go take a nap. I’ll keep an eye on her,” Gabriel said, having sympathy for his brother.

  “You sure?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

  “Of course. Heidi is at work; I have time to waste. Plus, you’re paying me,” Gabriel said with a wink.

  “Of course. Dead men still have money,” Sebastian grumbled, but stood and made his way to the living room. There wasn’t much to it, but there was a leather couch, which is happily laid down on his back, letting his eyes slip closed. It didn’t take long for him to be asleep. He’d no doubt need it.

  ~oOo~

  Summer slowly became aware. She noticed she wasn’t nearly as cold, although her entire body was tired. Weak.

  She was laying on something soft, no longer on the cold metal table with men on top of her. Her hands were at her sides. Her heart beat was sluggish in her chest, but it was beating. She was live, at that was the best thing she could ask for right now.

  Moving her left arm slightly, she could tell she had an IV in her arm, pushing liquids into her body.

  How long had she been here? Where was here? Did she even want to know?

  Letting her senses reach outward, Summer was able to feel someone in the room with her, but the person wasn’t exactly paying attention to her. That small bit of realization gave her a small dose of calm.

  Without opening her eyes, Summer tried to think of what had happened, trying to fill in the blanks.

  She remembered gun shots. Then nothing. There was just a blank space in her mind, not giving any clues to what had happened. Nothing to give her a clue to where she was now, or with whom.

  She was safe and warm for the moment. With a deep breath, she held it in, expecting something. Anything. Surely she had to be still wherever Saul and Sean were, holding her captive.

  Opening her eyes, she noticed that the room was dark, but t
here was a light on across the room, giving off a soft glow. Above her was a ceiling, and definitely not the one of the places she had been in before.

  She blinked.

  Confusion set in, her breaths coming in closer together. She was afraid to move. What if this was a trap?

  “Hey, muñeca,” spoke a gentle voice, just barely above a whisper from beside her. The voice caused her to jump and hold her breath, waiting.

  “You are safe here,” he spoke again, just as softly. “No one will harm you, Princess.”

  Summer’s wide panicked eyes slowly met his as she turned her head slightly to the left. He sat hunched over in the wooden chair.