by KC Kean
“Okay, well, you’ll be glad to know the SUV is parked outside in one piece. Unfortunately, the other passengers are dead.”
Rico’s snarl turns into a grin as he stares down at Veronica at our feet.
“Not everyone, little girl,” he grinds out, which is all the encouragement Luna needs. I can feel it in my bones. I knew she would need to do this. Lay this bitch to rest so she’s no longer lingering behind every dark corner.
She calls out to Veronica, who whips her head around in fear, frantically trying to move away from Luna. This is Veronica at her lowest, her appearance is all she seemed to care for, and sitting before us is a broken shell of a woman who knows where this is heading.
Without a wasted moment, Luna raises the gun and pulls the trigger, hitting straight between this bitches eyes. Everyone watches as Veronica’s limp body drops to the floor, blood spraying the ground around her. The few people sitting closest to us jump back, trying to avoid the splatter.
I hear commotion continue around the room, but my mind is focused on the weight that was just lifted off Luna’s shoulders. I can’t help but wish for the same. To no longer have my father darken my path.
“Parker, come here, son. Standing beside her does not help you earn your bloodline from me,” Rico grunts, and I can feel Luna glare at him. She’s made sure to keep me away from him, so this is new to her, but not to us. She’ll finally see how he tries to control me.
I glance back over my shoulder, my eyes instantly connecting with Roman, who gives the smallest of nods.
“I’m good where I am. Thank you, Rico,” I finally say, finding strength in my family who surround me.
I see the evil glint in his eyes. I’ve seen it before, he’ll try and make me pay for this show of disobedience. This man is nothing like I once feared, I have the courage and the strength to push back at him. I’ll forever wonder how I share blood with him, especially when we look nothing alike and share no traits. A replica of my mother through and through.
“If you continue to stand there with her, you lose any right to my bloodline, and I don’t need to remind you what happens in Featherstone to people who lose their bloodline,” he threatens, and I grin, feeling his noose around my neck loosen.
I smile down at Luna, who squeezes my hand before releasing it to stand in front of me.
“I don’t need your bloodline to survive, Rico,” I say with absolute clarity.
“Have it your way, you just signed your death wish,” Rico throws back with a laugh, an actual laugh at the threat of my life. What a fucking dick.
“Nah, I don’t think he did,” Luna says with a smile of her own. I step in behind her, gently moving her hair over her shoulder, as I unfasten the clasp of her necklace and place it in her hand. “You see, he doesn’t need to be a Manetti,” she continues, looking at me to continue.
The ring from her necklace falls into her hand as I take in the room again, excitement filling my bones, because I’m finally able to say it to everyone. Dipping down the waistline of my jeans a little near my left hip, I show off my Steele bloodline tattoo. Luna slips the ring onto her delicate finger showing it off with pride to the room, along with a little sass.
My heart pounds in my chest, but not from fear of his presence like it usually would. I can’t pinpoint my exact emotion, but I know I’m fucking positive. My angel beside me, and my brothers behind me, offering their support, I know I’ve got this. Excitement bubbles up as I stare Rico down.
“Hi, my name is Parker Steele and this is my wife, Luna.”
CHAPTER FIVE
(Luna)
The room erupts in chaos at Parker’s words. Gasps bounce off the walls around us as the crowd watches this all unfold. The look in Rico’s eyes is exactly what I was hoping for. Hatred burns in his eyes as he stares me down. This motherfucker didn’t even see it coming. His face continues to turn red with anger, as his fists slam into the table in front of him. The tumbler of alcohol in front of him falls to the ground, smashing on impact.
I already know there are no more bullets in this gun. I checked on the way over here, and I knew I only had one remaining to put between Veronica’s eyes.
Looking down at her, as blood pools around her lifeless body, I feel like I could almost float away without the weight of her dark cloud hanging over me.
My gaze whips back up to Rico, at the sound of his chair crashing to the floor as he steps down from the platform, ready to charge at us. Bring it on motherfucker, let me wrap my fucking hands around your throat, watch you take your last breath.
Parker steps in front of me on instinct, as I feel the rest of my Aceholes circle around me, ready to protect me from whatever Rico plans to do. Oscar stands to my left, with Roman to my right and Kai behind me. Not wanting to be a damsel in distress, I try to get through the smallest gap between Oscar and Parker, but Oscar’s arm flies out at the last moment stopping my movement.
“Baby girl, I need you to stay where you are,” he says loudly, over the chatter that’s increasing as worry ripples through the crowd.
“Oscar, I …”
The crunch of knuckles smashing into someone’s face pauses my argument. Standing on my tiptoes with my hand gripping Parker’s shoulder for balance, I’m surprised to find it’s Rafe laying hit upon hit on Rico. Catching a glimpse of Rafe’s side profile, my heart stops at the rage I see in his near-black eyes.
Rafe hits Rico so hard he falls to the floor. With one of his giant hands wrapped around Rico’s neck, the other hits him square in the face, forcing more blood to pour from his nose.
Before it can go any further, security guards dressed in black with the red Featherstone Academy logo on their hoodies pull Rico out of Rafe’s grip.
Fuckers, I was enjoying that.
They try to restrain them both, but I refuse to let them get a hold of my Dad.
“Let me get to him,” I snap, as I try to get passed Roman’s side, but he stands firmer than Oscar. “Please, I need to stop them from taking him anywhere!” I yell in frustration, making Roman frown down at me, struggling with making the right choice.
The decision is taken out of everyone’s hands as glass shatters.
“That’s enough!” someone shouts, their voice booming around the room, forcing everyone into silence. It’s my grandmother, who is now standing on the podium along with the other members of The Ring. Juliana Gibbs, Betty Morgan, Reggie Rivera, Travis Fuse, Patrick O’Shay, and John Dietrichson. The only one with a snarl on their face is Dietrichson, which isn’t a surprise at all.
“Somebody clean that shit up off the floor.” She says, flicking her wrist in annoyance at Veronica. “I couldn’t stand the woman alive, never mind dead and staining the carpet,” Maria adds, glaring around the room.
I have to cup my hand over my mouth to stop the chuckle bursting out. As if on cue, more security guards step into the room from behind us, making quick work of picking Veronica up in a less than caring manor.
I watch as they carry her from the room. Her eyelids are open, revealing her soulless eyes, which are no different from when she was alive. The tape around her mouth only adds to her pathetic state as blood drips from her skull, leaving a trail behind them.
“Now, if you’ve quite finished, my granddaughter has been through quite an ordeal at the hands of another member of The Ring. You can bet your ass we will be investigating this further.” She clenches her hands at her sides, the only hint of the real rage she’s trying to control. “Rafe, please escort Luna and the guys to their room.”
The look she gives the security guards, holding Rafe’s hands behind his back, is enough to burn holes right in between their eyes, leaving no room to question her wrath if they don’t listen.
Reluctantly releasing him, Rafe heads straight for us, trying to search my face for clues on how I really feel, without trying to draw too much attention to our emotions.
Parker’s hand rests on the small of my back moving us towards the door we stormed in through.
“Wait a goddamn minute,” John Dietrichson growls. “She only needs escorting by her apparent husband, the other’s will fucking stay here.”
Why do these fucktards always have to underestimate me? Us?
As if in sync, we all stop and turn back in their direction, my Aceholes coming to stand beside me. Parker and Oscar to my left and Roman joins Kai to my right. All at once, raising their t-shirts, and revealing their Steele bloodline tattoos with pride.
I can’t keep the smug ass grin off my face as I note the surprise in Dietrichson’s eyes. Glancing around the room, I notice others in the crowd staring in shock.
Turning, we leave the room together as one. Leaving death and destruction in our path.
*****
Silently following behind Rafe, he takes us through the entire grounds, leading us to a separate two-story building. Pristine gardens and spotlessly clean paths are all I can see between the two buildings. I’m sure we’ll get our fill of the areas for The Games soon enough, but curiosity has me wanting to catch a glimpse now.
Rafe holds the door open for us as we step inside. The feel in here is completely different, surprisingly calm compared to the main building. Warm neutral tones coat the walls, with thick handwoven rugs scattered all over the floor.
A large stairway sits in the middle with corridors leading off in all directions underneath, but Rafe takes us up the stairs. A large golden chandelier hangs from the ceiling as he heads to the left.
“Are we fucking there yet?” Oscar mutters, making me grin.
Fuck. A lot has happened tonight, none of which we planned for, and the sound of his whining helps settle my overthinking brain.
“Stop whining, O’Shay,” Rafe grunts, continuing down the long corridor.
“Actually, I think you’ll find it’s Steele-O’Shay,” Oscar huffs in response, as I feel his fingers lace through mine. Looking up at him suddenly beside me, he winks. “Fine, I guess I’ll just hold my baby girl’s hand to get me through it,” he murmurs, bringing my hand to his lips.
Rolling my eyes at him, I notice the silence still from the other guys. Before I can glance around to check everything is okay, Rafe is stopping in front of a door at the very end of the hall.
Standing beside him, I see him enter a code into a pin pad before placing his thumb against a scanner. What the fuck? Is that on all the doors? Looking across to the opposite door, I notice the same setup there.
The sound of the security locks clicking open draws my attention back around, as Oscar pulls me through the open door.
Walking straight into the lounge there is an oversized, grey, double corner sofa in the center of the room. I want to sink into the giant cushions, but I don’t want to ruin it in my current bloody state.
Taking in the rest of the room, the walls are a dusty pink, with all the furnishings made from solid oak. A huge television hangs on the wall, lined up perfectly with the sofa, as grey curtains frame the windows.
“Obviously this is the lounge, the bedroom is through the door straight ahead, with an en-suite attached. The kitchen is to the right, while the main bathroom is through the other door.” Rafe points out, as his hands swing around the room offering direction.
“Thank you,” I mutter, and he finally turns to stare into my eyes. Stepping into my personal space, his hands come to rest on my shoulders.
“Darling, I don’t know what you’ve been through tonight. I know you need time to process everything and take care of yourself. So, I’ll give you tonight, but tomorrow I need someone to give me all the details because someone has to pay for this.” He tries to remain calm, but he’s unable to keep the growl from his voice. Grinding his jaw, he trembles with rage.
“Veronica paid for it, Dad, don’t worry.”
“No, Luna, someone has to pay at my hand. Seeing my daughter step into the room, covered in blood, after those fuckers drugged and tried to take you, nearly destroyed me.”
His hands wrap around me as he holds me tight. My arms instinctively squeeze him back, as I relax into his hold, feeling more of my anxiety slipping away. I feel him brush a quick kiss to the crown of my head as he steps back.
“This is one of the Steele rooms, Maria had it set up for you. I’ll be in the room across the hall, okay? All of your fingerprints have been registered to access the room, and the pin pad code has been set up as your wedding date, so don’t pass that information on.”
With a nod, he stalks out of the room.
The door barely clicks shut behind him, when Kai is in front of me, hands cupping my face as he searches my eyes.
“Hey, Sakura,” he whispers, the pad of his thumb caressing my cheek. I start to feel the events of tonight take their toll on my body, my eyes closing with the emotion that builds inside of me.
“Hey, handsome,” I barely offer in response, my body swaying into his, wanting to feel him close to me.
“Holy shit! Grandma Steele outdid herself!” Oscar calls from behind me. Forcing my eyes open, I see him at the doorway to the bedroom. The grin on his face forces a smile of my own. “Guys, we’re not gonna need to mess around with mattresses tonight,” he says before stepping further into the room.
Resting my head against Kai’s chest for a moment, I take a deep breath soaking in his musky scent, as I try to find my center. Before I can force myself to stand unaided again, Kai moves swiftly, wrapping an arm under my legs as he lifts me against his chest.
I continue to soak in his presence as I let him carry me towards the bedroom, where Parker and Roman have already followed after Oscar.
Casting my gaze around the room, I see what Oscar means. The biggest bed I’ve ever laid eyes on fills the space, easily able to fit the five of us, plus more if desired. Mustard and navy bedding covers the sheets, clearly tailormade to fit the frame, while plain grey walls frame the room. Little furnishings decorate the room in hints of mustard and navy too, making the space cozy and fresh.
I hear the shower turn on in the en suite before Oscar steps back into the room with us.
“Good, right?” He asks with a waggle of his eyebrows, and light chuckles fill the room. I can feel him relax, knowing he lightened the atmosphere a little. The softness in his eyes as he looks at me touches my soul. “The shower is about as big as this bed. I thought you and Parker might want to wash away the grime of tonight together?”
I nod in response, making him smile as he bounces on the bed.
I catch Roman, picking up a card from the dresser in the far end of the room, reading over whatever it says.
A smile ghosts over his lips as he looks over to us. “Maria also filled the room with fresh clothes for us.” Turning the card around to us, he shakes his head. “The note says, I hope your men are big enough to fit in these clothes, otherwise, send them back. The men, not the clothes.”
I smile along with my guys, as Oscar laughs out loud, clapping his hands like a seal in delight.
“Let’s get you cleaned up, angel,” Parker says, coming to stand in front of Kai, who slowly lowers me to my feet.
Placing my hand in Parker’s, I let him lead the way. I don’t close the door all the way, opting to leave it open slightly, before I peel out of my sticky outfit. Only then do I realize my Aceholes are still dressed as cowboys. Parker lost his hat back at the party, but I watch as he steps out of his chaps and cowboy boots.
Kicking my combat boots off, I drag my black leggings down my legs, wishing for a pair of scissors to just cut them off, it’d be easier. Pulling my black sports bra over my head, the fresh air against my bare skin sends a shiver down my spine.
Parker grabs my hand, hauling me into the shower behind him. It really is huge in here. Four showerheads hang from the ceiling, while jets shoot water from the walls too. We can definitely conserve water and shower together in the future.
Letting the water hit my skin, I will it to wash everything away. I feel Parker step up behind me as he undoes the hair tie still barely intact. My hair falls around my
shoulders, as he maneuvers me under the spray better, my eyes shutting as I relax into the heat.
I feel him step away, but he’s back within moments, as I feel a soapy cloth run along my bloodstained skin. The smell of vanilla filling the air around me, as my sweet Parker Parker, washes my body and cleanses my soul.
I can’t bring myself to move, but I manage to open my eyes, trusting him enough to let him see me vulnerable. Tilting my head back, his fingers run through my hair as he begins to wash the blood out. I tense as he lifts his hands to my head. After being knocked out in the gazebo, head butting Veronica, and smashing it against the window of the SUV, I’m nervous it’ll be sensitive. He’s so gentle though, his fingers running through my hair as he slowly lathers shampoo into my scalp over and over again, making sure to get rid of every speck of dried blood.
I know he’s done when his fingers gently wrap around my neck, stroking a comforting trail from my ear to my chin. I look down to see the cloth at our feet.
I swiftly pick it up, along with the body wash beside it. Lifting it to Parker’s skin, I return the favor, as I watch his eyes close instinctively just like mine did.
Working meticulously to ensure not a single drop of grime and blood remains. There is nothing sexual in our movements, but the moment is just as intimate. My fingers linger over his feather tattoo, and his new ink on his hip, loving the connection I feel. I notice the raw red marks around his neck, gently making sure I don’t add to his pain from where he was strangled.
Happy with my work, I lean up on my tiptoes and place a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth.
“Thank you, Parker. If you hadn’t shot that guy, I wouldn’t be standing here right now,” I whisper, watching as his eyes flicker open.
“You are my life, Luna. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you.” The determination in his eyes leaves no room for question. His hands coming to rest on my hips, as the need to touch each other takes over. “Let’s get you dry, angel. Before the guys give up on waiting patiently,” he says with a gentle smile, and I nod.
