Chapter Fourteen
XADEN
I spin to the side with my gun aimed and ready to fire, the guy on the end with the man bun stands there with his gun aimed at the back of Victor’s head. The fucker fired a warning shot and shifted the focus to him.
His eyes are alight with hunger, not for sustenance but for blood.
I recognize the look, I see it every day in the mirror.
Caspian is at my side, his gun is cocked and aimed at Carnage, something about the guy in my eyesight tells me he is the true leader of the bitch’s new squad.
He holds my gaze unflinching, not an ounce of worry over all the guns trained on him, waiting for me to give the order to fire.
“I’m not a man with a lot of patience,” he begins.
“Time is money. I have plenty of the latter but not enough of the former.” His tone is controlled, it’s clear he’s used to being in control and calling the shots.
When I see the masked fuckers shift out of the corner of my eye I change my stance, keeping all of them in my line of sight.
“A conversation needs to be had. We can do that now before your fairy blows your house up or we can do it after, but either way it’s going to happen. ”
This motherfucker thinks he can come onto my turf and call the fucking shots!
I don’t give a fuck who he thinks he is. I’m the Don and this asshole will learn that quick or his lips will be in my treasure jar with the other sons of bitches who thought they could best me.
I’m not the type of guy who stands by and allows his men to do the dirty work for him. I lead by example and if this fucker thinks he is going to dangle the life of one of my guys over my head without me retaliating, then he has another fucking thing coming.
“Mark them,” I order. My men all shift their aim and point their guns at the masked fucks and the bitch that has attached himself to Toren’s tit.
I meet the bastard's stormy gaze and allow him to see the beast lurking beneath the surface, ready to rise at a moment's notice and lay waste to all of them without batting an eye or losing a wink of sleep.
“Let me tell you something,” I grit out.
“I’m not someone to underestimate.” His features remain impassive but I see the twitch in his right eye.
“You have seven of my men but there are always ten here patrolling.” My statement has his jaw locking, yeah you cocksucker, I got you by the balls.
“While you were busy capturing these ones, the other three were shutting off the gas in the house and activating our failsafe.” Toren’s growl brings a smile to my face, the smug bitch thought she could trash my apartment then blow my fucking house up.
All the spotlights around the property turn on, the light is blinding but I refuse to blink.
These cunts need to see I’m in control. I don’t give a fuck if they have a reputation and are famous across the country for what they do. Their biggest mistake was thinking I was under prepared and unequipped to take over the Cosa Nostra.
“What you failed to do was disable the security system.”
“I forgot nothing, it was left for a reason,” he fires back.
I shrug. “I have nothing to discuss with any of you and for the fucking record, Butcher. I no longer have a blind spot, her brother made sure of that,” I grit out through clenched teeth.
I turn from the fucker and stare at Toren, my enemy, the bane of my existence that needs to evaporate into thin air like she never existed.
“Now.” One word, that’s all it takes. She stiffens beside her guard dog but she knows, if she disobeys me, then they will pay the price.
“Your focus is too shifted, Devlin.” I snap my head to the side and glare at The Butcher.
“No. I know where the finish line is and I’m about to cross it.”
He shakes his head and smiles, but it’s unhinged. “You saw what she wanted you to.” I grow still. “She knew you would be watching and made sure to say the right things.” My nostrils flare.
“I told you I was coming for you.” Her voice is like a battering ram to my eardrums. I slowly turn to face her, the look of devastation and fear is gone, replaced by one of cunning satisfaction.
“I may not be your blind spot, but I sure as fuck know how to create enough rage inside you that you don’t see clearly. ”
“I’m going to slaughter you, Tink,” I warn.
“You won’t get the fucking chance if you don’t listen.” Her tone is firm and unyielding. I hate that the cunt thinks she has the upper hand.
“You want to talk?” I snarl.
“Yes.”
“Then let’s take a ride, Tink.” My tone is husky and tinged with lust.
Her lips pinch to the side, she’s debating if she should fight me or not, so I push on.
“Just me and you.” I see her intake of breath, it’s sharp and fast but I saw it.
“Fine.”
“Tor, no.” She faces the cunt at her side and places a hand on his chest. I’m going to break each of those fucking fingers!
“Carn, go back to the house. This is what we wanted, trust me.”
He eyes her silently for a second, then turns his focus to me. “Harm her and I’ll make sure your body never lays to rest next to your sister.”
I see red.
I inch forward, ready to tear his fucking head off.
“Not now,” Cas utters low enough for only me to hear as he blocks my path.
“They have men scattered around us, we don’t have the manpower for a gun fight when over half our guys are out searching for Masen and Steven.
” I know what he’s saying is true, but it doesn’t appease the beast inside me, hungering for that cunt’s blood.
“Let's go.” Her acceptance pulls me from my inner war. I shoot the cunt a wink as I grab her arm and drag her to my car.
“You have three minutes to get the fuck out of here—” Cas’s voice drowns out as the blood roars in my ears. I’m losing control, I can’t focus. There is only two things that can quiet this urge, killing or fucking.
I release her and don't need to utter a single word.
She knows, understands with brutal clarity that if she tries to defy me or attempts to run, it won't end well for her or those cunts waiting out back.
She gets in the car without a word, her silence more damning than any protest.
I say nothing as I start the engine, slam it into drive, and plant my foot on the gas. The car lurches forward with violent acceleration.
I spot her clenching her fists on top of her thighs—knuckles white, tendons standing out. She's scared but won't admit it out loud.
This bad bitch act she has going on is cute, but I can see straight through it.
She's nothing but a fucking puppet.
A toy to be played with when I can be bothered.
The world around us blurs as I keep my foot planted, the speedometer climbing dangerously high. I'm baiting her. Waiting for her to crack and beg me to slow down.
But still, the bitch remains silent beside me.
Not for long.
I yank the wheel hard left without warning. The tires screech in protest and the car slides sideways, but no scream or yelp escapes the fucking cunt.
My jaw clenches so hard it aches.
I'll break her.
I will break her.
I continue straight, the destination clear in my mind. I know exactly where to take her, the place where she'll crumble and finally give in.
I see her stiffen out of the corner of my eye a few minutes later when she registers the road we are travelling down. She shifts in her seat, her breathing changing almost imperceptibly.
I wait for her to ask why here, why this place—but still... silence.
It's fucking infuriating.
The fear should be driving her mad. She should be begging and pleading for her pathetic life. Yet she sits there like she doesn't need to.
Like she's not afraid of me.
I'm the Don of the Devlin Cosa Nostra, and the fact this fairy beside me isn't terrified does not bode well for me.
I need her to be scared. Need her out of her mind with worry. The beast within me feeds off her fear and she isn't feeding him!
I slam on the brakes.
Both of us jerk forward violently, seatbelts catching and slamming us back into place.
“What the fuck!” she screams.
Finally!
I slam the car into park and slowly turn to face her. Fury is plastered across her face like a mask, beautiful and terrible and exactly what I've been waiting for.
“You may want to kill our baby, but I don't!”
The words land with the weight of a ton of bricks on my chest. The ultrasound image in my pocket burns like fire against my skin.
I shut down that train of thought and refuse to give in to her manipulation.
“Get the fuck out of the car, Tink,” I snap, then push my door open and step out onto the road.
The same road where my sister and best friends died.
It's dark except for the pale light of the moon and the harsh glare of the headlights. A memorial for the lost lives sits at the edge of the pavement, cheap crosses and faded flowers marking the spot.
I've lost count of how many times I've destroyed those crosses every time I've traveled this road.
Why people think marking the spot someone died is a way of paying respect is fucking stupid. They're dead. They don't give a shit about a cross. Marking the place they took their last breath isn't symbolic, it's fucking disrespectful.
No one should have the place they died marked. It's not something to be remembered or gawked at. It's a place of... sadness and—
Fuck.
I turn away from the memorial and look over the hood at Toren. She stands there staring at me with a hard look on her face, all sharp edges and barely contained fury.
Her anger and rage are welcomed by the beast inside me. He wants her to fight.
This is what I live for. Her pain. Her misery. Her endless anguish.
“Why are we here?” Her voice cuts through the night.
“Got other plans?”
Her eyes narrow dangerously. “No. Why are we here, Xaden?”
I stalk around the car and don't stop until I'm standing directly in front of her. I can feel her heat through my clothes and it's redirecting all my blood flow south.
I need to remain focused, need to not think about how good her pussy feels wrapped around my cock.
She's a fucking leech. She sucks the life out of everything she touches.
She's my enemy!
“If you had grown a backbone that night and stopped your piece of shit brother, you and I would never have met.”
I reach out and cup her cheek, offering her the illusion of tenderness and she takes the bait, softening into my touch despite everything.
“Xaden—”
“You changed my destiny, and now I'll rewrite yours.” My voice drops to something dark and devastating. “I'll ruin everything you love. Destroy your family and wipe their existence from the face of the earth. Everyone will forget about them and you.”
Her breath hitches, a small, wounded sound.
“No more fairy dust, Tink. You won't fly away from me again. This war was over before it even began. I know your moves. I know theirs. And you'll never best me.”
She reaches out and grips the front of my shirt with both hands, holding on like I'm the only thing keeping her grounded.
“Besting you was never part of my plan.” Her voice cracks with emotion I don't want to acknowledge. “All I wanted was for you to see me as me. Not as a Kellar or Masen's sister. Just... Toren.”
“I see exactly who you are,” I grit out through clenched teeth.
“No.” Tears gather in her eyes but don't fall. “You see me as the person you force yourself to believe I am, not the girl who fell in love with a monster that promised her nothing but pain and misery.”
The admission hits like a gut punch.
I drop my arm back to my side and glare down at her, willing myself to feel nothing. To be the monster she's describing.
“Masen is alive, Xaden.”
The words shatter the moment like glass breaking.
Everything inside me goes completely still.
“My brother survived.” Her voice is steady now, meeting my gaze without flinching. “He's alive. And I know where he is.”
Rage and something dangerously close to hope war inside me.
Because if Masen is alive, that means I get another chance.
Another opportunity to make him pay for what he did.
To make him suffer the way Em suffered.
“Where?” The demand is raw, desperate.
She smiles, sad and knowing and absolutely devastating.
“That's the thing, Xaden. That information? It comes with a price.”
“Name it.”
“You,” she says simply. “I want you to listen. Really listen to what I have to say. No guns. No threats. No violence. Just... us. Here. Where it all began.”
I stare at her, standing in the headlights at the spot where my entire world ended, and I realize she's playing chess while I've been playing checkers.
“You manipulative little—”
“Yes,” she cuts me off. “I am. You taught me well.”
And God help me, I'm trapped.
Because I need to know where Masen is more than I need to maintain my pride.
“Fine,” I spit out. “Talk.”
She takes a deep breath, and I see her steeling herself for what comes next.
“Your sister's death wasn't an accident. But it wasn't my fault either. And everything you think you know about that night? It's wrong.”
The moonlight catches the tears finally spilling down her cheeks.
“So if you want the truth—the real truth—you're going to have to stop trying to destroy me long enough to actually hear it.”
And standing there on that cursed stretch of road with the ghosts of my sister and best friends between us, I realize I might not have a choice.
Because Toren Kellar has become the one thing I never saw coming.
My blind spot.
My weakness.
My undoing.
And I have no idea how to fight something that's already burrowed so deep inside me I can't tell where she ends and I begin anymore.