13. Ethan
ETHAN
Ibreathed out as I stared at the door to Church’s mansion. I’d been summoned to the underground.
I had no idea what was happening, but I prayed I wasn’t going to get tossed into the depths, and I hoped I wasn’t coming to collect my brothers’ remains, if there were any left.
They’d been stuck there for over two weeks now. I hadn’t reached out to Rosalie or her guys, but I was well aware of the fact that Ryder had been injured. My first instinct was to rush to check on them, but I forced myself not to.
The truth was, I needed time to process shit. I also had every intention of telling Cole and Enzo that Fox was alive if I could negotiate with Church to get them out of there.
“Welcome,” Ashes said as a guard opened the door and let me in. “He’s waiting for you in the office.”
I said nothing and followed Ashes to the office. Inside, he was seated with Sirena on his lap.
She was a gorgeous woman, but fuck was she scary. She fit in here, though, that’s for sure.
“Luka,” Church greeted me, gesturing for me to sit.
I winced, hating the name, and took a seat.
“Specter, see to it that everything transitions smoothly,” Church murmured to Sirena.
I couldn’t help but stare at her. She had a way of commanding the room with her oddly colored eyes.
She rose to her feet like a ghost and walked to me. I tensed as she stopped and rested her hand on my shoulder.
She leaned in, her lips at my ear.
“You can punish him forever if you want. Make him bleed for every night you spent breaking apart without him. But eventually you’ll have to ask yourself a harder question.
If he died again tomorrow, would your pride comfort you more than his presence?
And that, dear, sweet Sugar Daddy, is the answer you seek.
” She placed a soft kiss on my cheek before moving past me.
My heart pounded hard in my chest. I finally looked at Church to see him staring back at me with no emotion on his face.
“You should listen to her. She doesn’t speak often, but when she does, it’s typically something worth listening to,” he finally said.
I swallowed. “What did you need to see me for?”
“I am curious as to what your plans are with my sister,” he said.
I shook my head. “I-I don’t know. I don’t have any plans.”
He raised his brows at that. “None? You don’t love her?”
“Listen, Cupid, I get you love Rosalie and want the best for her, but that’s not me, OK?
I-I have a son. I have a life now. And she has hers.
Right now, I need to focus on myself, my boy, and my brothers.
I need time. I have a lot of shit in my head I need to sort through. I ask that I get that time.”
He nodded. “Granted.”
I licked my lips. “Do you want me back with Rosalie? Knowing what you know about my life and what I’m involved in. Knowing what Fox did to save her from it. Do you want her back with the horsemen?”
“I want her to be happy, and for some reason, she’s under the impression it’s you and your two assholes. If my niece weren’t so fond of Cole, I’d have killed him already. And because she cares about him, and you two were introduced into her life, I have had to halt my plans.”
I shook my head at him. “You don’t have to be a monster, Dante. Do you remember what you told me when we were kids, struggling to survive down there?”
He stared back at me, no emotion on his face.
“Monsters only roar when you’re willing to scream for them,” he said, his voice low.
“They won’t scream for you. They’d die first. Please. Let my brothers go, and I will do anything you want,” I said. “I will sign any contract.”
He studied me wordlessly for a moment before nodding.
“Perfect.” He pushed a piece of paper at me. “You know what to do.”
I blinked, knowing I shouldn’t be confused by his contract already being drawn up. I picked it up and read it, frowning.
“I would owe you? What does that mean?”
“It means that I get one favor from you. Or I give you one command. You do it, no questions asked. If you do this, I will let your brothers go.”
“That’s it?” I asked. “I do one thing for you at your choosing, and they’re free?”
“Correct.”
“That’s too easy.”
He smirked. “Is it? Try me, Luka. You know I’m anything but easy.”
“You know what. I want their freedom.” I lifted the knife off the desk and nicked my finger before pressing it to the page. I shoved it back at Church, and he cut himself before pressing the wound to the white paper.
“Done,” he murmured.
I watched as he pushed a button on his desk. Moments later, the doors swung open, and Cole and Enzo were brought in. They didn’t look harmed. If anything, they simply looked tired and a little broken.
Asylum moved around them and sat on the edge of Church’s desk, his blue eyes fixed on me.
“Both your men are aware Fox lives. So no need to be a tattletale, Daddy.” Asylum smirked and winked at me. “My sweet former lover was here and spilled the beans to Lorenzo, and Evan personally delivered the message to the crazy one.”
“Hey, fuck you, you piece of shit,” Cole snarled at Asylum. “You’re the crazy one, prick ass fuck shit.”
Asylum laughed. “Guilty!” He grinned. “You know, when I had her alone that night, I got to put my hand up her skirt and got to touch her. How long has it been since you’ve done that?
” Asylum looked directly at me, his blue eyes sparkling.
“Oh, dirty daddy. You tried, and the crazy one put you in your place. I like it. Spicy.”
I tightened my hands into fists.
“Sylar,” Church snapped. “Enough. That’s my sister you’re talking about.”
“Who is an excellent lover,” Asylum continued. “But I digress. Is it weird that I’ve been with her more recently than you have?” He looked directly at Enzo. “Bet that’s eating you up right now to know I’ve been there. That she said my name long after she said yours.”
Enzo glared at him. “I’m going to kill you someday.”
“No, you’re not.” Asylum waved him off. “You’ll end up being my best friend and mourn my death after I die of old age.”
“Take him out of here,” Church snapped. Shadow sprang forward and grabbed Asylum’s arm.
“You always do this shit,” Shadow muttered as he dragged him out.
“What shit?” Asylum pulled a carrot from his back pocket and bit into it.
“Make shit weird, man. You need to stop.” Shadow’s voice faded away as he dragged Asylum from the room.
“Let me go,” Cole demanded. “I have shit to do.”
“OK.” Church settled back in his seat, and his men released the guys.
Cole frowned and looked around.
“You’re free. Luka is taking you home. Don’t fuck up again, or I’ll kill you next time.
Stay away from my sister unless you’re going to be a permanent fixture in her life.
If you’re not, fuck all the way off. If she’s hurt, if she cries, if she has one sad thought because of any of you, I will kill you and eat you with a side of potatoes.
Got it?” Church glared at all of us. I had no doubt that he was telling the truth.
I could still see dried blood beneath his nails from the last ones who crossed him.
“We’re… free? That’s it?” Enzo asked.
“Unless I change my mind.”
“You do realize I’m going to fucking kill Evan, right?” Enzo said, his voice low and gravelly. “Four words from me when I leave here is all it’s going to take to put him in the ground where he’s supposed to be.”
“And I do hope you try, because Evan, unlike you, has an entire army behind him. I will lay waste to your entire empire, De Luca. Fucking try me. You’re messing with my brother.
My sister. My niece. Believe me when I tell you that’s not something you’re going to want to do.
The only reason I’m letting you go right now is that my sister seems to think you’re worth saving.
Don’t make a liar out of her. Now have a good fucking day and get out of my sight.
” Church gave him a pointed look. “Luka, we’ll be in touch. ”
I stood and went to the guys, knowing Enzo was pissed. We needed to get out of here before he said anything else fucking stupid. I understood his anger because I felt it too, but threatening Dante Church and his family wasn’t the way to solve it.
“I do hope you had adequate time to think in the underground. The next time I put you down there, your quarters won’t be as comfortable.”
We paused, and Enzo nodded once to let him know we understood, before we walked out of the mansion and into the evening air. No one said a word as we got into my Range Rover.
Once we were on the road and away from the underground, Enzo spoke.
“You made a deal with him?”
“Not really.”
“Don’t fucking lie, E. What do you have to do?” Enzo demanded.
“One thing of his choosing. Anything he wants,” I murmured. “Any day. I can’t say no.”
“Fuck,” Cole groaned. “What the fuck, man? Why would you do that—”
“Because I love you and you’re my brothers,” I replied softly. “I wanted you home.”
Enzo sighed but didn’t say anything.
“So… you guys know about Evan?” I asked.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Enzo muttered. “I just want to go home and make sure my empire is still standing. If I see Evan, he’s fucking dead.”
I nodded.
I’d been handling things, so I knew it was in good standing, but I wanted to go home too.
I looked in the rearview mirror at Cole to see him staring out the window at the passing scenery, tears on his cheeks.
I didn’t need three guesses to know what he was thinking about… because it was what I was thinking about too.