Nick
I emptied the substance into his protein shake and swirled it slowly before returning the bottle to the fridge. Lethal. Untraceable.
Eric would have his usual workout and shake this morning—only this time, it would end in an induced heart attack.
Poison wasn’t my style.
I preferred my kills loud. Volatile. Gratuitous in every way possible.
But Eric’s status would attract the wrong kind of attention. Too much noise. Too many questions.
I slammed the fridge shut.
After one last sweep of his kitchen, I slipped out through the back door—but I didn’t leave. I crouched low in the shrubs, watching through the window as Eric switched his coffee machine on and opened the fridge.
He hadn’t even showered after exercising.
Good.
They’d rule it as just another statistic. One more heart attack in a long, boring line.
Eric was still on his phone.
Come on. Drink it all, you fuck.
I relaxed when he finally paused the conversation to take a long swallow. He looked irritated—angry enough to head upstairs mid-call and leave me waiting.
He never came back down.
I left the same way I’d entered and swung onto my bike, the engine growling beneath me as I pulled onto the road.
One down. One to go.
Ella wouldn’t miss James.
We’d make sure of it.
Only once I hit the open stretch did my thoughts drift back to her—to the slight swell at her stomach. That soft, tempting curve she suspected Alec was responsible for.
I frowned.
He needed to stop feeding her such rich food or we’d all end up with pot bellies.
If anything, I needed to be fitter than ever.
?
?
?
I stopped off at Dominion to see Rowan. He stood on the top floor, eyeing the blackjack table one floor below.
“Missing chips,” he murmured as I came to stand beside him.
I stared at the dealer.
“He’s stealing from the client. Not us.”
“Do you want me to sort it out?”
“No, security will remove him shortly,” he said, turning to look at me. “No word about Eric yet.”
“His body hasn’t been discovered yet,” I said with a shrug.
We watched as another member of staff relieved the blackjack dealer of his position. The woman was cheerful and picked up exactly where he’d left off.
“When are we telling Ella?” I asked.
His eyes flicked up. “Soon.”
“When?”
He turned to face me.
“What do you think she’ll do when she finds out about the baby?”
“What can she do?” I muttered.
The longer we waited, the more uncomfortable it made me. I wanted to acknowledge our child. We were satisfied with a pregnancy she didn’t know existed.
“They’ll be asleep tonight. We can tell her on the weekend,” he finally said.
The tension in my shoulders eased. This was the right call. Ella’s reaction could become emotional or volatile. All of us had tested her in a multitude of ways, and she hadn’t cracked—but everyone had their breaking point.
“There is no way out for Ella. Ever,” Rowan said, turning toward the wooden handrail.
“I’d rather keep her happy for all her pregnancies,” I said, thinking of our long-term future.
Our children were the future.
I rubbed my chest. Our children wouldn’t suffer emotionally or physically. They would be protected from the cruelty of this world. Ella would make a strong mother.
We’d eliminate any external threat. Hustle was about to be added to the books. Eric was gone. Fatherhood was on the horizon.
I smiled as the security guard dragged the dealer off the floor.
?
?
?
From the moment I opened the bedroom door, I could smell her. Floral, clean, soft. Home.
Riding my bike meant Rowan lost the prime spot beside Ella on the bed, but that wasn’t my problem. I stripped quickly, tossing my clothes in the general direction of the couch before washing up.
The crack of light from the bathroom was enough to outline the figures on the bed. Alec’s head lifted.
“What’s with the light?”
“Rowan’s on his way,” I said, lifting the covers.
I slid in behind Ella, resting my palm on her belly and breathing in the familiar scent of her shampoo.
“She feels like home,” I murmured, settling my head beside hers.
“Enjoy the sleep while you can,” Alec whispered—but the sadistic undertone suggested he’d enjoy the chaos.
I smiled as my chest pressed to her back, the soft curve of her arse fitting perfectly against me.
“I’m the youngest,” I added quietly. “I’ll have more stamina.”
“You’re only four years younger than me.”
“Four and a half.”
“Fuck you.”
“That’s not my jam,” I chuckled.
“You don’t know what you’re missing.”
I grinned and closed my eyes.
Ella was more than enough for me.