32. Brady
Brady
She didn’t say it back.
She didn’t even have the fucking decency to acknowledge that I’d given her what she’d asked for, in my own stupid way. It wasn’t something I’d ever intended to tell her. It slipped out. A fucking mistake, and she let me know how idiotic I was to make it. She might as well have spat in my face.
So I thought of the cruelest thing I could say to her.
I own you. The one thing I knew would make her despise me.
I should fucking command you to say it to me.
But I didn’t. I never would. If she doesn’t love me, so be it. I can’t fucking blame her.
I’m the best because I’m unlovable. I’m ruthless and cruel, virtues I’d thought we’d recognized in each other. If Cora doesn’t want me as I am, then fuck her.
But she’s still my wife. It’s still my duty to keep her safe. And in my world, safe means making sure she hates me. Anything to keep her far away from me.
Especially given what I’m planning to do.
In my burnable clothes, I leave my wife in our penthouse. I take the elevator down, then I freeze the call signal. No one can override it but me.
I’ll need at least the day to prepare. She was right when she said I’m meticulous.
I killed Cora’s attacker, but I haven’t yet punished Seven for hurting my wife.
If he weren’t so goddamn untouchable, I’d kill him myself by way of slow torture.
As it is, I need to weaken his empire first. He’s too well-connected, too well-funded.
The entirety of his protected organization needs to be torn down, but it’s not something I can do brick by brick.
In the past, we’ve killed a few of his men, interrupted a few of his shipments.
But even the destruction of a dozen shipments wouldn’t put a dent in his business.
My next move needs to be something big. Explosive. Something at the heart of his operations. And I know exactly the shaky ground that it’s built on.
I don’t tell anyone what I’m planning. Not even Liam. It’s best for everyone that I act alone on this one. It’s too dangerous to get anyone else involved, and I need to protect my family in the same way I’m protecting Cora.
By keeping them all far away.