Page 30 of Bloody Kingdom

The bastard just shrugs. “That may be true, but she wasn’t. She just went for a walk, Silas. I just checked the video feeds around the property. Quincey could have tried to make a run for it, she had the golden opportunity to do so, but instead, she just wandered around for a while before sitting down by the tree. She didn’t even attempt to look for the side roads or paths that could have led her away from here.” Duke shuffles closer. “I know you don’t want my opinion but I’m going to give it to you anyway. Tightening the leash on her throat isn’t going to make her fall in line, if anything it’s going to make her fight you more.”

“I had planned on giving her a taste of freedom tonight,” I remind him. The plans I’d had Duke put in motion had been for her benefit, not mine.

“I’m assuming that’s off, right?” He rubs the back of his neck with his free hand. “I need to make some calls if it is.”

I pause, pondering the events that unfolded tonight.

Quincey was right when she said I prefer to hold people’s respect instead of their fear. In my world, fear is a powerful tool, and it’s often the best way to obtain the things that I want. People don’t tend to push back or debate with you when they know you hold their lives in your hands. The business connections I have with people where there’s mutual respect are the ones that I favor. It’s not very often I’m able to have such relationships. I find I don’t hold many people in high regard.

When she first got here, I didn’t care if she respected me or not. I wanted her compliance, and I didn’t care how I got it. Maybe I was wrong in that thinking.

“No, don’t cancel it,” I finally instruct. “We leave in five minutes, go get the car ready. I’ll go collect her.”

I don’t bother knocking when I reach her door, I just allow myself entry. It’s my house, I don’t need permission to go where I please.

When I find her half dressed in the doorway of her closet, I second-guess my decision. In pure Quincey form, she simply passes me an annoyed look as she finishes pulling on a pair of faded jeans with holes in the knees.

“What can I do for you tonight,my lord?” She even goes as far as to give me a mocking bow. “Here to shackle me to the posts of my bed?” Quincey holds up her arms, crossing them at her wrists as if she’s waiting for me to place handcuffs on her.

“While the thought has occurred to me.” My admission makes her face fall and her eyes widen. She thinks I’m referring to keeping her chained in here like a princess in a tower, but really, I’m referring to the impure dreams and thoughts I’ve had of her over the past few weeks. “That is not what I’m here for…now. Finish getting dressed, we will be leaving here shortly.”

Quincey’s whole body jerks before she freezes in place. The grip she has on the black shirt she holds in her hands tightens to the point that her knuckles turn white. “Oh. I see,” she whispers. “Guess I should have seen it coming.”

Confused by her odd comment, I shake my head. “Hurry along, they’re waiting for us.”

Her powder blue eyes drop sorrowfully before she slowly turns to the closet and grabs her checkered slip-on shoes. She moves slowly as she pulls them on and then walks toward me. Just like when I walked her inside, she keeps her head down, refusing to look at me as we leave.

Idon’t know what I expected would happen when I gave him my little speech outside. It was foolish of me to believe that the man with the inky black heart would take pity on me. After basically daring him to make his move, it shouldn’t be surprising that Silas would take the bait and actually do something. He’s not a man who enjoys being challenged; it only makes sense he would be showing me exactly what I get in return for my taunting.

In the back of his luxury SUV, I can’t help but nibble on what remains of my thumbnail. A disgusting habit I only indulge in stressful situations. Like this one. If there were ever a situation where I get a free pass for chewing on my nails, it would be now as I’m undoubtedly being driven to my death.

Or worse, to Gallo.

I never thought there would be a time that I would pray for death, but I’m sitting here now praying for a swift, painless end.

I told him to make his move and I guess he’s made up his mind.

Duke has tried to meet my eye multiple times in the rearview mirror, but I can’t look at him knowing what we both know. I need to find a way to tell him to make sure Lucy knows I’m gone, that I didn’t just disappear. If she knew there was a chance I was still out there somewhere, she’d never stop looking for me. I don’t want that on her conscience.

Silas has sat across the bench seat from me like a piece of stone the entire drive, not once has he moved. I’m not even sure I’ve seen his chest move as he breathed. He’s so calm, it’s disturbing, but then again, this is a normal Thursday night for him. I doubt he’ll even lose any sleep over this.

It feels like we’ve been driving for an hour before Duke pulls up to a large white building. A man I don’t recognize stands out front. When he sees us pulling up, he hits a button, and a garage door opens that Duke drives through. The inside of the building is almost blinding due to the many fluorescent lights up above. Silas finally moves, but it’s with a silent wince as he shields his eyes.

Attempting to see what impending doom waits for me, I peek out the windows but don’t see anything but a couple other cars parked inside. There’s a door that looks comically small compared to the two-story ceilings on the far wall.

“Come along.” Silas’s voice pulls my attention away from the window. Turning in my seat, I find him waiting with the door open for me.He’s going to kill me, but at least chivalry isn’t dead, am I right?

When I climb out, I try to keep some space between us, but just like earlier tonight, Silas’s large hand wraps around my arm and he pulls me to the door I saw.

I thought I could do this with some grace and not have an outburst, but as we get closer to the white door, the panic I’ve felt since he told me we were leaving bubbles over. Grinding my heels into the ground, I frantically shake my head as I try to pull away from him. “No, no, please wait. I—I need to…”God, what do I need? Time? It appears mine is running out. “Just promise me you’ll make it fast, and you’ll tell Lucy and my mom that it was some tragic accident, so they don’t mourn too long.”

Silas recoils from me, letting me go. “Quincey—”

I don’t let him finish.

“If at all possible, can you please somehow get my body to Lucy? I don’t want to be buried in some shallow grave on the side of the road or fed to the alligators. Actually, I don’t want to be buried at all. Cremated would be ideal. I know I’m not in any position to make requests, but I don’t want to rot away in an ugly dress in a coffin—”

Cold hands placed on both of my shoulders and a not so gentle shake silences my pleading.

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