Page 152 of Nash

My poison doesn’t care she’s in a black minidress, thigh-highs, Mary Janes, and showing off her white cotton panties to all while I proudly cup handfuls of her ass.

“My sexy dickhead.” She kisses me, crying. “When can you retire from the mafia?”

“I’m notold.”

“I am.” She won’t stop kissing me. “I got my first grey hairs waiting on you.”

“How about we wait this week at the golf resort?Ourresort. You stay with Alena in her bridal villa and take a break from all this.”

I don’t tell her Turner is still alive. I don’t tell her about the victims. I don’t tell her the dozens of secrets I’ve kept over the years because they keep everyone I love safe.

Even if they eat me alive from the inside out.

My third shotof vodka takes the edge off of a long day.

We’ve secured the queens in the villas at our resort. Even The Queen is bunking with Alena and Vale. Nadine is like the mother of the bride who’s no longer with us, so I left them putting some shit on their feet that will peel their skin off in a day or two.

Far be it from me to question bridal beauty rituals.

The other kings are in their villas with their queens. I suspect Axel has his mystery woman with him, too. But once again, Jace sleeps alone. He’s like me, devoted to securing our queens.

Security holds a perimeter around the vast golf course, palatial clubhouse, and luxury resort housing, but I still don’t like it.

There are too many shadows. Too many risks. Too many ways someone can slip through.

And too many secrets.

I sit on my deck overlooking the tenth hole. Like a beacon, I left the porch light on while I wait, hoping I draw Turner my way. When he comes around, I won’t use my Beretta on him. I’ll use my teeth on his neck for what he did to those kids.

Searching the darkness, I try to find a way to tell Vale about all of it. I want to. I need to. I won’t put a ring on her finger until I reveal my secrets.

As my wife, she deserves to know everything.

As my queen, she’ll need to.

I just need more time. I need her to understand threats like Turner and believe as I do—that it was the right thing to do.

Once, I abandoned Lainey. I left her and Alena without my protection and never did it again.

Twice, still, Alena was almost taken from me by the system and then by some stranger. We found out that the man who invaded Nadine’s home was a convicted pedophile, but we never found out why he targeted Alena.

So, three times, I got into brutal fights with Axel about the best way to protect Alena. His love for her was relentless, too—it still is.

So, his suggestion was unthinkable until it made sense. I raged over it, and Axel took my beatings until I relented.

Until I saw no other way.

Until I saw it his way.

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

VALE

“Come on.”Alena straddles Loch on the sofa. “They help with puffy eyes.”

“I don’t have puffy eyes.” He laughs, not resisting as she sticks gold patches under his icy blues, blinking at the intrusion. “I only have eyes for you.”

“Aw.” She tilts her head, planting a sickeningly sweet kiss on his grinning lips. “Will you put that in our vows?”

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