Cruel Masters

by Stone, Piper

  “He’s right, Kendra. He managed to get to us because of our desire for you.” Chase gave me a nod, as if his words would make it okay.

  There was no fighting them, no possibility that I could follow them.

  “You’re safer here than anywhere else,” Sebastian added.

  “Fine. Go kill him. I don’t care any longer.” I walked away, locating the bottle of wine I’d started the night before. Now seemed like the perfect time to start drinking.

  “Keep the door locked and make certain the security system is on. Answer the door to no one. Do you understand me?” Sebastian’s voice boomed across the room.

  “Yes, sir.” I had no intention of letting the world in. I simply didn’t care.

  He inched closer, yanking a gun from his jacket. “I want you to take this. You told me you know how to use one.”

  I stared at the weapon, a lump forming in my throat, but I nodded. I’d spent enough time at one of the gun ranges that I felt confident I could pull the trigger. Who the hell was I kidding? I wasn’t certain I could kill anyone, even a monster.

  He took my hand, placing the weapon on my palm then closing my fingers around the cold steel. “Just remember to use both hands. The kickback isn’t huge, but it could throw you since you’re not used to it.”

  “What are you going to use?” I asked, as if I didn’t know the answer.

  Sebastian grinned. “Don’t worry about me, little pet. I have other weapons at my disposal.” He wrapped his hand around the back of my neck, kissing me on the forehead, his whisper full of angst. “Don’t worry. Everything is going to be all right.”

  How? How would everything be okay?

  “We need to get going,” he said to the others.

  Whatever he had to tell me was going have to wait.

  But I had a feeling I knew what it was.

  He’d found my real parents.

  * * *

  Sebastian

  “Where is this meeting?” Chase asked from the passenger seat.

  “The Port of Chicago,” I answered, gunning the accelerator. The twenty-minute trip was going to be accomplished in ten. So far since our return, the Extreme stocks had plummeted almost thirty percent based on the news that had been released regarding the Tredegar contract. Two other companies that we’d been courting backed away as if we were toxic. Gabriel had already succeeded in cutting into our wealth, but I knew he wanted more.

  “An interesting choice. I bet he’s planning on escaping on one of the commercial boats,” Dax offered.

  “That would be my guess.” The bastard had another think coming. I’d checked my rounds of ammunition, prepared to handle whatever he tossed in our direction. I shifted gears, veering around a group of cars, accelerating even more.

  “What the hell does he want?”

  I dared take a glance in Chase’s direction. “That is still to be determined.”

  “I don’t like this, Sebastian. The only plan that could end this game was our elimination.” Dax certainly made more sense than I cared to accept.

  “Then so be it. Let him try.” I was determined to end this charade today. Finding out about Kendra’s parents had been eye opening, pushing my intuition to another level. The connection between us might have been considered random at first, but the name that the US Marshal had provided to Dax had rung a bell. I’d scoured through my father’s records, confirming the name. Then I’d confronted the now retired police detective who’d been in charge of my father’s murder case. With a little encouragement, the man had told me the truth.

  Gabriel Laurent had every reason to exact revenge, at least in his mind.

  For his family.

  And for his honor.

  As I headed onto the interstate, I realized I wasn’t like my father after all.

  I was much worse.

  Another ring of my phone created a rush of adrenaline, Kendra given the number if anything out of the ordinary occurred. My muscles tensed when I saw a number I didn’t recognize. “Kendra?”

  “No, Mr. Randolph. You have to listen to me.”

  “Who the hell is this?” As soon as I asked the question, I knew, although his voice was riddled with pain. “Mr. Devon. What the hell do you want?”

  “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry but I had no choice. He was going to kill my family. There’s no time. Gabriel. He’s after that girl. I don’t know who, but some girl. That’s all he could talk about. Don’t go to that meeting. He won’t be there. It’s a setup. He’s going to assassinate her.”

  Chapter 16

  Kendra

  Dreams.

  Nightmares hadn’t been the only dreams that had consumed me as a little girl. I’d always dreamed of being a princess, living in a castle with a gloriously handsome prince who’d saved me from a dragon. As I stared at the weapon, I suddenly felt sick inside. My feet were heavy as I walked into the kitchen, placing the gun on the counter near the stove, backing away from it as if the weapon would go off on its own.

  Exhaling, I grabbed my glass of wine, refilling it. I hated the fact my hand was shaking, my heart beating rapidly. I was a stronger woman than this. After taking several deep breaths, attempting to make what they were doing all right in my mind, I walked away.

  I sipped my wine as I thought about those days. Every Halloween I’d required the same costume, even though my parents had tried to explain that fairytales weren’t real. Maybe they had every reason to try to protect me, although they hadn’t been able to say anything likely for fear of losing their lives.

  I shuddered from the realization that my pushing might have placed my sister’s life in danger. At least the nightmare might end if Gabriel was eliminated.

  They’d already been gone for at least ten minutes. I was antsy, fearful that I’d fall into the same darkness I had years before, unable to see anything but my own need to find answers. I wanted to enjoy what the future held, to shove aside my fears and anxiety. The love I felt deep inside was precious, but tenuous at best.

  At least in my mind.

  I moved back to the open door, leaning against the doorjamb as the breeze wafted across me. I had to trust what they were prepared to do, no matter the consequences. Honestly, I wasn’t certain whether I cared what happened to Gabriel. He’d done everything in his power to destroy us. Didn’t he deserve the same?

  As I leaned my head against the door, I tried to find some peace.

  The buzzing of the intercom was jarring, my heart racing immediately. I hesitated before walking toward the mechanism, pressing the button and holding my breath. “Yes?”

  “A delivery for Mr. Monroe.”

  “Okay, thank you.”

  “I can bring it up for you if you like, Ms. Sheffield. Mr. Monroe gave me explicit instructions.”

  “Okay. Just leave it outside the door.” I backed away, uncertain what to think. Then I moved closer, ensuring that the security system was still engaged. No one was getting in. I laughed softly and walked into the kitchen, pouring another glass of wine. I hated being so nervous, concerned about the three men. Jesus. This was ridiculous. Why hadn’t they gone to the police? I rolled my eyes. Of course Dax was right. There was nothing to show them.

  The knock on the door a few minutes later made me jump. I eased around the island, moving closer to the door.

  “Delivery, Ms. Sheffield.”

  Swallowing, I padded toward the door, looking out the peephole. No one was standing on the other side. The guard had done his job. The sound of the burner phone they’d given me created another horrible wave of shivers.

  As I turned, a sixth sense shifted along my spine just seconds before I heard a hard thud.

  Boom!

  The splintering sound echoed in my ears, the horror exploding in my mind. And all I could think about was there weren’t any neighbors to call for help.

  As the intruder walked in, swaggering as if he owned the place, a moment of paralyzing fear coursed through me. Gabriel. In his hands was a bouquet of black roses,
the crystal vase highlighted by the shimmers of sun gleaming in through the open French doors. His eyes were darker than I remembered, his salt and pepper hair perfectly groomed.

  Then he smiled at me before tossing his attention toward the still ringing phone. “We don’t have much time.” Moving closer, he placed the vase on the coffee table.

  I finally shifted away, inching closer to the kitchen.

  “What do you want?” I managed, attempting to keep my voice even, showing no fear.

  “Let’s see. What do I want?” He took a long stride closer, scanning the perimeter of the room. “My family.”

  I narrowed my eyes, trying to piece together what he was saying.

  “You see,” he continued, “your family ended mine.”

  “I… I don’t understand.” If I could make it to the gun, I might have a chance. “What are you talking about?”

  He laughed, the sound reverberating into the room. “Where do I begin? Did you know your parents killed my father?”

  The shock of his words pulled me into a vacuum. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  Gabriel shook his head. “That’s right. You don’t know for certain who your real parents are.”

  The chill running through my muscles was ice cold. “Abigail and Roger Sheffield are my parents.”

  “Tsk. Tsk. Lying doesn’t look good on you, especially for such the honest reporter that you are.”

  “You’re the one who gave me the tip on Extreme.”

  “Well, of course. I knew you’d go for the story after reading all those juicy articles on crime lords and drug cartels. You are very opinionated.” Gabriel moved closer.

  I took two additional small steps closer to the kitchen.

  “And you’re a liar,” I countered.

  He cocked his head. “Not with regard to my father or your real parents. You see, Janine and Michael Warden thought they could merely go against my family and live to tell about it. Then they ran away into witness protection. I have to admit that they had US Marshal handlers who were excellent at their jobs, keeping them well hidden. But they made a terrible mistake in leaving their children behind.”

  Every nightmare I’d had seemed to rush into my mind one at a time, images and sounds flashing like a movie reel. Pictures. Faces. Christmas presents. Birthdays. My mother’s laughter. My father singing. I doubled over as if punched, the ache in my stomach excruciating.

  “You really weren’t told,” he said in a quiet tone, chuckling darkly after.

  “What happened to your father?” I didn’t give a shit, but I had to keep him talking.

  Get a grip. Grab the gun. You can do it.

  The pep talk did little to stop my near hyperventilating.

  “He was sent to prison for the rest of his life for the crimes your parents say he committed. That’s where he lost his life. Do you know what being shanked does to a body?”

  I managed to scoot backwards, now only two feet away from the counter. “I’m sorry. I had nothing to do with it. What do you want?”

  “In my world, it’s all about an eye for an eye.”

  Dear God. He was planning on killing me.

  Breathe and think.

  “What do you want with Sebastian Randolph?” I inched closer to the weapon by another few inches.

  “Well,” he said as he slowly pulled a gun from his jacket pocket, then another piece. Oh, my God. He had a silencer in his hand. “Sebastian’s father owed the organization where my father worked a significant amount of money, money that was never found. I’ve been tasked to obtain what was owed, plus interest of course, in any method that I see appropriate. You see, Sebastian and his partners underestimated my abilities, as well as my business savvy. Not only am I going to take everything that’s precious to them, I’m going to destroy what they built off the family.”

  “What?” The asshole wasn’t making any sense. Family. He had to be talking about a crime syndicate. I shoved aside all the images, thinking about the mafia family that had been prevalent over twenty years before. “You’re nothing but a criminal, a disgusting murderer.”

  “I have been called many things. Assassin. Ghost. Bastard.”

  Gabriel took his time, screwing on the silencer, although he kept his eyes firmly planted on mine, the smirk on his face disgusting.

  I dared reach behind me until I heard his booming voice.

  “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Kendra. Although I would prefer to call you by your birth name. Christine Emily Warden.”

  “Christine, it’s time to come in for dinner.”

  “Christine, it’s bedtime. I’m going to read you a story.”

  “Christine, stop teasing your sister.”

  I was thrown into a black hole, the memories unlocked, my childhood unfolding. “No. No…”

  “Yyyeeesss…” Gabriel hissed as he lifted the gun, pointing it directly at my forehead.

  “Put the gun down, you motherfucking asshole,” Sebastian demanded.

  Blinking, I tried to catch my breath, every nerve standing on end.

  Gabriel simply smiled.

  Pop! Pop!

  Boom!

  Dax roared as he lunged for Gabriel, slamming him against the kitchen wall, struggling to grab the weapon out of his hand.

  Managing to grab the weapon, I slid to the floor as the fight continued. I couldn’t let anything happen to them. I refused to play the victim.

  “Ah!” Sebastian roared.

  The hard thudding sound continued, Gabriel putting up a good fight. When I heard another moan, as well as Sebastian’s agonizing snarl, I struggled to get to my feet.

  My hands were still shaking but I did exactly as I’d been told, planting the weapon in both hands, taking gasping breaths as I inched closer.

  You can do this. You can do this.

  The fight was intense, making it impossible to get off a decent shot.

  A few seconds later, Gabriel managed to grab Sebastian around the throat, pointing the barrel at Sebastian’s forehead. Both Dax and Chase flanked the asshole’s side. I inched closer, locking eyes with Sebastian. He was trying to warn me to get away.

  No. No!

  Gabriel laughed, as if this was nothing but a game. Everything moved in slow motion as Gabriel pointed the gun in my direction.

  My entire life flashed in front of my eyes, including the love shared between the three amazing men. A life I wanted. A life I would give anything to replay. A life that…

  Pop!

  As the gun went off, I struggled to remain standing, blinking several times before realizing I’d shot the asshole in the leg.

  Gabriel quickly regained his footing, prepared to fire.

  “You fucker!” Sebastian roared, swiveling, his arm firmly wrapped around Gabriel’s neck as he shoved the man.

  “Jesus Christ,” Dax yelled, diving in my direction, knocking the weapon out of my hand.

  And just before Dax shielded my body, I had a bird’s-eye view as Sebastian tossed Gabriel off the balcony.

  “Oh, my God. Are you all right?” Chase dropped to his knees.

  “I’m fine,” I whispered, even though I was anything but fine. My life would never be the same. “Sebastian. Where is he? Is he okay?”

  “He’s just fine,” Chase said.

  Seconds later, the sound of Sebastian’s boots moving closer sent a series of tingling sensations dancing into every cell and muscle.

  Sebastian’s chest heaved as he walked in, smiling only after he looked into my eyes. “It would seem Gabriel can’t swim.”

  * * *

  Sebastian

  Relief.

  That’s what I should feel after the death of Gabriel Laurent. The assassin for the Gambini crime family had weaved his way into our worlds during the course of the last nine months, attempting to bring down our empire. And he’d almost succeeded. While his death had been attributed to necessary force given the home invasion, a bitter taste remained in my mouth, especially since Kendra h
ad remained quiet the majority of the time.

  Thank God, she’d managed to shoot him in the leg, allowing me the opportunity to drag him straight to hell.

  I wasn’t a fool to think that five days would provide the healing we all needed, but as I studied her from behind the French doors of my living room, curled up in a chair, I was unable to determine the best method of handling her suffering.

  “She’s been this way for days,” Dax said quietly as he moved beside me.

  “I know.” The sadness I’d felt since tossing Gabriel over the balcony’s railing had nothing to do with his death, although the events had altered the course of my life forever. I didn’t have the same drive I once had, the need to squash our enemies when securing a deal. In truth, there was no amount of money that could provide the same level of happiness I’d experienced by simply being around Kendra. I feared we’d lost her.

  “I do have some news,” Chase said from behind me.

  When I didn’t say anything, he exhaled.

  “Go ahead and tell us,” Dax suggested.

  “The board of directors of Tredegar Industries would like to resume talks.” Chase’s tone sounded hopeful.

  I thought about what he’d said then turned just enough I could look him in the eyes. “I don’t want to dismantle the corporation. I think we should provide the needed capital to renovate the existing plants, ensuring the security of every employee.”

  Both Dax and Chase seemed surprised, my partners smiling after a few seconds.

  “I like that idea,” Dax said, nodding several times. “Very much.”

  “Later today I’ll get to work reformatting the contracts.” Chase seemed just as pleased.

  Meanwhile, my heart remained heavy.

  “Have you talked to her about her parents?” Dax asked. He’d been concerned for several days that what Gabriel had said to her hadn’t been discussed.

  “Not yet.”

  “No time like the present,” Chase said, pushing my arm.