Chapter Forty-Five
XADEN
She’s silent beside me as I drive to Lorenzo’s.
Cas is meeting us there. He had to get rid of his new toy before joining us.
When we pull into the driveway, I see her stiffen at the sight of all the armed guards.
She jerks forward in her seat when she sees her father’s Rolls-Royce parked in front of us.
She turns to me with wide eyes which just makes me smile.
“Are you seeing the truth now, Tink?” I taunt.
Her face falls. “Where are we, Xaden?”
“Welcome to the home of the Devlin Cosa Nostra, Tink.” The color drains from her face.
I leave her to mull that shit over while I get out of the car.
I glare at the headlights of the car behind me.
Hammer, Tike and Merc all emerge with smirks on their faces.
Hatred boils inside me, those fuckers will get what’s coming to them for thinking they could jump me after the game.
Lorenzo thought sending those cocksuckers to do his dirty work would be easy but he was wrong.
They never touched my face, but they got their warning from my father across in the form of the bruises covering the parts of my body you can’t see.
“Xaden?” I tear my gaze off their retreating forms to look at Toren. “Are you okay?”
I scoff. “You’re fucked in the head, aren’t you?
” I snap, making her flinch. “I just told you I’m gonna kill you tonight and you’re concerned about how I’m doing?
Keep your fucking pity for someone who wants it.
” I grip her arm and drag her up the stairs as the sound of Cas’s bike rings out.
I don’t wait for him as I drag her ass inside.
She doesn’t fight or even beg me to let her go, she just follows like a fucking puppet.
I expect to head into Lorenzo’s office, but one of the guards standing in the foyer jerks his head to the side, telling me to head into the dining room.
I grit my teeth and head that way. This isn’t a fucking chat to be had over a meal.
This is the night we rid the fucking world of the Kellar name and finally put an end to this shit.
When I walk into the room and pull Toren behind me, I pause at the sight of Kellan and his father sitting at my fucking table.
Steven and Masen both snap their heads up and glare at me, the latter looks like he went a few rounds with Tyson.
I shoot the prick a wink. I wait for him to react instead he looks over at his sister with regret.
That look has me cutting a glance to Lorenzo and narrowing my eyes.
“You said midnight,” I clip out.
The motherfucker just scowls across the table at me and rests his forearms on top of it.
“I told you to be here at that time.” That explains why I never saw Masen or Kellan at the bonfire, because the bastards were here.
Something feels off. Lorenzo looks too comfortable, so does Steven, Frank Kyle and his son.
The only one who seems like he wants to be anywhere but here is Masen.
I feel Cas slide in beside me. I see him tense out of the corner of my eyes at the sight of the others seated at the table.
“Have a seat?” Lorenzo poses it as a question but we all know it isn’t.
I choose to sit opposite of her father and pull out the chair beside me for Toren.
She obeys. Cas sits beside her, showing them that she is ours.
I look over at Kellan and love the sight of the simmering fury in his eyes at the sight of her beside me.
“Hmmm, your father wasn’t lying. You are very nice to look at.
” Toren snaps her head up and stares at my dad in shock.
A growl or warning slips out of her brother but it’s ignored.
“She isn’t a part of this,” Masen snaps.
Steven glares over at his son. “She made her bed.”
Masen looks back at his father with disgust. “She’s your daughter!” he fires back.
Steven just shrugs. “I had a choice to make. I made it and you benefited from it.” Masen recoils and drops his gaze to the table. Toren is looking between the both of them, trying to fit the puzzle pieces together.
“You truly are valuable,” Lorenzo says in a tone that has my hackles raising as he stares at Toren.
“Wars always start over a woman, yet they are the stronger species.” Toren looks utterly horrified and for once, I don’t like the look on her.
Only I can do that shit to her. “Do you know why, my dear?”
She swallows audibly then shakes her head. “N-no.”
Lorenzo laughs but it sounds unhinged. Something is fucking going on here and the fact I’m being left out of it isn’t sitting well with me.
“They are loyal, they will never be ruled by their cock. Daughters are the true born leaders, sons are only the second options in this life.” She flinches at his answer.
“Let’s get on with this,” Frank barks, then shoots Toren a filthy look that has her frowning.
“Very well,” Lorenzo says with a sigh. “Xaden, release the girl to Kellan.” I jerk in outrage, Toren gasps beside me.
“The fuck did you just say?” I snarl.
Lorenzo’s face darkens. “Watch that fucking tone, boy. A deal was made and you will fucking honor it for the better of the family.”
“What deal?” Cas asks.
“Silence, Caspian!” Lorenzo roars.
My blood boils when Kellan snickers from across the table.
I focus on that little cocksucker. “You think you can come into my home and make a deal, then think I will honor it?” Frank’s eyes narrow, but I ignore that cunt as I deliver my final blow to his son’s ego.
“She’s mine, Kyle. Just ask her.” I recline back in my seat and sling my arm over the back of hers.
She’s sitting ramrod straight and looks pale.
She doesn’t say a word or deny my claim.
“This is my fucking house and you will do as I tell you to!” Lorenzo yells.
“Hand the fucking bitch over to her new owners. You’ve had your fun and broke her in.
” I seethe as I glare at my father. Toren whimpers beside me and I fucking hate that she’s scared.
The stupid bitch should know by now that only I get to fuck with her.
“Try and take her from me and see what happens,” I challenge my father.
The sounds of guns cocking has me smirking and Toren screaming. I slowly turn my head toward the doorway to see Hammer, Tike and Merc with their guns pointed at me. To drive my point home, I lift Toren, place her in my lap and shush her.
“Don’t worry, Tink. They just think they're strong and scary because they have guns,” I taunt the three cunts.
“Boss?” Hammer grits out, waiting for Lorenzo to give them the okay to finally kill me. He won’t do it, not in front of those fuckers across from me.
Before Lorenzo can answer, Masen cuts in.
“Mr. Devlin, can I have a moment alone with my sister? I think I can make her see reason.” Something in his tone is telling me he will do anything but that.
Lorenzo grinds his teeth, but he has to keep his composure or he risks showing these fuckers he doesn’t have control over his heir like they do.
I stand not waiting for him to answer and place her on her feet, then look over at Masen, ignoring the guns still trained on me.
“Follow me.” I grab her hand and drag her out of the room with her brother and Cas following after me.
When I look around I see all the guards and growl in frustration before leading them upstairs.
I haven’t been up here since that night.
I force my mind not to drag up those memories and focus on the present.
When we hit the landing, she speaks. “I think I’m gonna throw up.” I drag her down the hallway and shove the bathroom door open. She tears out of my hold and rushes inside, slamming the door closed.
I whirl around and face Masen. “You have thirty seconds to convince me not to fucking slit your throat,” I force out through clenched teeth.
He looks over at Cas then back at me and his shoulders slump.
“Your dad needed a lawyer. Frank is the best and offered to help him acquire properties. My dad found out and started buying up the real estate on both sides of town. Lorenzo and my dad have been locked in a bidding war with another person in the town over, Hollow Hills.”
“Your point?” Cas snaps.
“Turns out, Hollow Hills has their own set of rules. They may not be Cosa Nostra or cartel but they are powerful. They recently had a change of leadership within their organization.”
“What organization?” I snarl.
“They call themselves the Saints. They were causing problems for both our dads but then a woman took over and now they don’t exist. Lorenzo tried to make a move and grow his territory by expanding into their town, but copped blowback from a group of people called the Denver Kings.
My dad tried to do the same and was met with the same restraint.
They’ve teamed up, Xaden.” I can hear the panic in his voice but this shit still isn’t adding up for me.
“They don’t trust each other,” Cas adds.
Masen rakes a hand through his hair. “I know. I have no idea why Frank is here or why they need him as a lawyer. Frank made a deal with Lorenzo and my dad. He promised to help them expand so long as you gave up my sister to Kellan.”
“Why?” That one word is filled with the promise of my fury ready to be unleashed.
“If Kellan marries Toren, he has a hold on the Kellar fortune and everything that comes with it.”
“They want in on the cartel,” Cas hisses.
“Your father doesn’t do any of his own dirty work, he has men do it for him.” He looks shocked by my revelation. “Yeah, I know everything. He’s too fucking gutless and keeps it that way so nothing can ever be tied to him.”
“They’re hiding something and Kellan knows what it is, but he’s shut me out.”
“She isn’t going anywhere with that cunt. She remains with me,” I vow.
Masen’s nostrils flare and I see he wants to fight me on this, but he fucking knows he won’t win against me.