Page 75 of Brutal Mercy

“How did Luna take it?”

“How the fuck do you think? It destroyed her.”

“Shit. I’m sorry. I like her. She’s been good for you. I know I had my doubts when you devised this plan, but she’s changed you for the better. What do you need from me?”

It’s the truth. She’s turned my world upside down in the best of ways. But her scathing words are ripping me to shreds. And it’s because I haven’t been completely honest with her. I thought I was protecting her. But I see how I miscalculated where she is concerned.

“Get her sister. No more waiting. Take whichever men you need, use whatever means necessary, and retrieve her.”

“But the war? Everything we’ve planned?”

“Will mobilize in two days’ time. Before you leave to do your thing, gather our men in the ballroom. And then you and I will go over the plan of attack, who stays here to guard my wife, all of it.”

“What about the Russian contingent?”

“Just got off the phone with Roman. He’ll be ready to go. We may not have all the parts in place like we originally planned, but we’re out of time.”

Ares nods. “Got it. I’ll go get started.”

“Good. And once you are ready to go, I need you to text me updates as often as you can. Bring her sister back to the compound. Gabriella is getting a room ready for her on the fourth floor, and I’m ensuring Dr. Moreno is on standby. Since we don’t know what shape you will find her in, there’s a good chance she will need medical attention when you get her back here.”

“Shit. I’ll call him so I can outfit one of the vans with a hospital bed in the back. We’ll be in a hurry, so I can’t do IV fluids, but I can at least get her secured with blankets.”

“It’ll have to do.” I rub my jaw.

“What are you going to do?”

“After I address the troops, I’m taking my wife out tonight to try and distract her. I have tickets to the ballet.”

“Are you sure that’s the way to go?”

I explode and shout, “I don’t fucking know anymore. But I need to do something because she’s floundering. And if this doesn’t work, I will try something else. The one thing I won’t do is give her a divorce.”

“You love her, don’t you?”

Sighing, I nod. “Oh, I do. Not a word of this gets out. Especially since I haven’t told her.”

“I never figured you would fall in love. I figured for men like us, it is too far removed from what we deal with.”

“You’re preaching to the choir. But I’ve left her questioning me and our marriage. I know it started as the opening we needed to go after the cartel, but it’s more now.” And the thought of not being with her, of not being able to hold her or make love with her, is unfathomable.

“It sounds like you’re afraid.”

“Cause I am. I can’t lose her. You’ll understand when it happens to you.” My life before Luna was a dull imitation of living. And I don’t want to revert to that state of existence. I want to finish work each day and find her waiting for me in our room. I want to give her the world.

He snorts. “It’s not going to happen to me. You have to have a heart in order to love. And other than you and Athena, there’s nothing left of mine.”

“We’ll see. Gather the troops and notify me when they’re all assembled.”

“On it.” Ares leaves.

And I spend the next hour getting everything arranged for tonight. The text comes in from Ares.

They’re all here and waiting on you.

On my way.

Over the next two hours, I outline the plan of attack with my men. It’s going to be a multi-level approach with an assault on the fortress with combined men from my regime and Roman’s. Then, at the same time, there will be coordinated attacks on all the cartel’s holdings.

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