Page 22 of Brutal Mercy

And I usually don’t feel guilty. I do what I must for my people when I have to. And I don’t cry over it. My soul was leeched away years ago. I don’t flinch when I have to pull the trigger.

But in short order, I will crush her hope. I lie and tell myself it will be fine. That I will give her everything her heart desires.

She holds her arms out for me to pick her up because she’s already accepted that I will carry her. I don’t deserve this woman’s blind trust. She’s a lamb among wolves. If she hadn’t escaped Diego’s clutches, she’d be wishing she were dead about now.

Am I any better for what I’m about to do, the bargain I’m about to strike? And I hate that for a moment, I question if this is the right path. I shake off my doubt.

I’m decisive. I know my enemy. And I don’t back down from challenges because they might be hard and extremely risky.

Except for a heartbeat, it’s exactly what I want to do. I want to shelter her innocence. I want her to continue gazing at me like I’m her hero, because she calls to a part of me I thought I buried long ago.

I slide my arms around her. My sister used some sweet floral perfume on her that smells like jasmine. And I want to discover what perfume so I can buy her bottles of it to wear. It’s sexy as fuck. And makes me want to bury my face between her huge tits.

Holding her like she’s handspun glass, I carry her over to the chaise so she can continue to elevate her injured ankle. I set her down gently, reluctant to release her. Then I sit across from her in the chair.

“How was your day?” she asks, nervously twisting her hands in her lap. Like she can tell the upcoming conversation will change her life forever.

I hide my smile over her attempt at small talk. I think I’m going to enjoy this next stage of my life. She’ll keep me on my toes. “Productive. Yours?”

“Frustrating. Thank you, by the way, for taking charge at my house earlier today. Since our parents died, I’ve been my sister’s guardian, and nothing prepared me for something like this. And I don’t even know how I’ll get her back. It’s me he wants. And while I don’t want to go with him, I don’t know what else to do other than to trade myself in exchange for my sister’s freedom. I’ve thought of little else all afternoon. You seem like a really smart man. What do you think I should do?”

And this is where I use my leverage, my ability to sniff out any weakness, to achieve my aims and ultimately get what I want. “You won’t need to surrender to that asshole. Ever. I’ll rescue your sister.”

She presses her hands over her heart, and the grateful look in her eyes is almost my undoing. “Really? But how? He’s a monster. I don’t want you to risk yourself. You’ve already done so much for me. I can’t ask this of you.”

But she wants to. I see it in her eyes. In the hope shining through that I really am her knight in shining armor, out to rescue the damsel in distress.

Little does she know I’m the biggest monster in this neck of the woods. But she’s about to find out. “Because I know how. I already have my men searching for where he’s holed up with your sister. They will eliminate him and rescue her.”

Joy spills out of her. Her inky lashes line with unshed tears. And she clasps her hands together against her chest, drawing my gaze back to her tits. Fuck, I’m going to enjoy spending hours sucking on those beauties.

“Oh, thank you. You’ve been so wonderful to me. I don’t know how I will ever be able to repay you. But—”

I steeple my hands together as I wrap control around myself. Because this is the part where I show my hand and just how twisted I can be. “I wasn’t finished. I’ll do all that and more. You’ll never want for a thing the rest of your life. You simply have to do one tiny thing for me.”

“What? I’ll do anything.”

I know. And it’s what makes this next bit cruel. “Marry me. And it will be a real marriage, without the option of divorce. You will bear my children. You will come to me willingly each night and grant me use of your body. In exchange, I will have my men hunt down the men who took your sister. We’ll rescue her. Bring her back here. And eliminate every man who touched her. Do we have a deal?”

Her shocked expression, with her jaw dropping toward the floor, would be comical in any other situation. She sputters, “Are you serious?”

“Deadly. Diego Alvarez is the son of the Mexican cartel boss, Marco Alvarez. They deal in human trafficking. It’s how they make their fortune. And they are the worst sort of people. The moment I send my men after your sister, it’s as good as declaring war upon the cartel. Unfortunately, that doesn’t come free or cheap. You need to decide, and it must be now. Do we have a deal?”

Luna contemplates me, the earlier hope replaced by skepticism. “Are you a bad man, Hades?”

“Yes,” I say without hesitation. I lean forward and place my elbows on my knees while I stare, watching every flicker of emotion that crosses her face. “But know this: I will never harm you. That’s not the kind of man I am. My family, my people, we don’t hurt women. Ever. The only hands I will ever lay on you will be for pleasure.”

She digests my words and then nods. “Fine. If you rescue my sister, then yes, I will marry you.”

It’s sweet that she thinks she has the upper hand in our negotiations. I find it cute as hell. My lips twitch, but I hold them steady and keep my face impassive. Won’t do to let her think she can maneuver me. Not when my word is law around here. “That’s not how this works. You’ll marry me tonight. I expect payment up front. I don’t do loans.”

She crosses her arms over her chest, and the movement squeezes her boobs together. And fuck, but I am eager to make her mine. I haven’t felt this randy in years. And I’ve barely touched her. I don’t even know what her lips taste like. Yet.

“But how do I know you will follow through with your promise when you say you’re a bad man?”

Valid question. And if it was anyone else asking me this, I’d break one of their fingers just for the offense. But Luna hasn’t been in my world before. It’s evident by the hurt betrayal slashed across her face even as she tries to act like she’s not affected by what I want from her. “Because I might be an evil bastard, but I’m not a liar. If I give you my word, you can expect me to deliver. And I swear on my life, if you agree to our deal, I will find your sister and make every one of the assholes responsible pay with their lives. Furthermore, when you marry me, you become the mistress of all my houses. You will have a generous expense account. I will help you restore your old home and the store. And help you hire people to run it for you. Marry me and you will never want for another thing the rest of your life. I’m wealthy enough that our grandchildren’s children will never have to work a day in their lives. So, what’s it going to be?”

She looks down at her joined hands. They’re shaking. She clasps them tighter until I can see the whites of her knuckles and inhales deeply. But Luna finally lifts her head and gazes at me with trepidation and firm resolve. She’s wary of me, as she should be. But I don’t spy fear, which is a good thing. It means there’s a chance we can make this marriage the real deal. And I’m not sure why I want her so much. Bad enough to marry her. Because in truth, I can have my guys find her sister and have her spend a night in my bed. I’ve noticed the way she looks at me. There’s mutual interest and a startling amount of chemistry present. But it won’t give me the ammunition I need to start my war of attrition and finally eliminate the people responsible for my parents’ deaths.

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