Page 146 of The King of Hearts

“Lili,” I say the name quietly, still shocked at that news. The only good thing that’s come out of this awful situation is that weknow that Lili and Harper aren’t as alone as she thought. She has a brother and a mother. And I’m sure Ryker’s father would absolutely step in as a father.

“I didn’t know she was my sister. I didn’t even know I had a sister.” He pauses a moment, lifting my hand from his stomach and placing it higher up his chest, right over his heart. I feel it thump beneath my hand. “She was so fucking small, just on the other side of being a toddler. From what Rosa said, I knew where she came from wasn’t a good place, so when I took her away and dropped her off at the closest house, I called the police when I returned home. I thought they would ensure she didn’t go back there.” The muscles in his stomach tighten as his voice fills with anger. “I didn’t fucking know they wouldn’t do their job and she’d go back to that place.”

I sit up in bed and throw my leg over his waist. He’s in a partial reclining position, so when I do so, it puts our faces closer together. I palm both of his cheeks and make sure he’s looking at me. I almost flinch at the harsh features twisting his expression.

“Don’t take on that blame, Ryker. Even if you did understand the wickedness of the world, you were too young to have done anything. What happened to her after she left here was horrifying, but it was not your fault. And you protected her while she was here, made sure your aunt didn’t hurt her.”

No matter what I say, how I word it, I know it won’t change his mind. He was a child living his own nightmare. He’s not responsible for the actions of others, especially at such a young age.

His jaw remains hard as he grinds his molars. He wants to argue, but he keeps quiet.

“Tell me how you killed your aunt.”

I’m really curious about this answer. The devious part of me hopes it was bloody and painful. Did he get his wish and see the bright red blood flow from her body?

“My wife really does have a sadistic side to her. I can see the wheels turning in your head with all the ways you’re picturing her death.”

I shrug. “The bitch deserves each and every one of them.”

His lips twitch. “Unfortunately, her death was probably the least colorful one I’ve delivered. She fell and hit her head. She was knocked unconscious, and I used the opportunity to reconstruct the bones in her face.”

Not as bloody as I envisioned, but then again, he was only twelve years old and had never killed anyone before. Or at least, I hope like hell he hadn’t killed anyone before then.

“The only thing that matters is that she’s dead.” I run my hands down his neck and stop them on his shoulders. “What happened afterward?”

“I took Lili to the closest neighbor and left her on the porch, then ran home to call the police. Rosa was still upstairs in my room, her blood soaking the floor. There were only a few household staff, but they had all retired for the night, so I managed to drag her body out of the house without getting caught. I took her to the cliff and dumped her over the edge. The sharks and fish, I assume, took care of the rest.”

Jesus. A twelve-year-old not only killed a grown woman but disposed of her body. The shit this man has gone through is utterly heartbreaking and exceedingly sickening.

“You moved off of the island… why did you come back?”

“I never wanted to leave the island, but I wanted a change for my mother. When I turned eighteen, I moved her away, hoping that getting away from the place that held so much pain for her would help with her mental state.” He releases a sigh. “Unfortunately, it didn’t.”

“I don’t understand how you were able to stay with her when you were a child. I mean, after your aunt was gone. Wouldn’t they have put you in foster care?”

“As far as I know, Aunt Rosa’s disappearance was never reported, and Susie took over caring for me. I think she purposely didn’t notify the appropriate authorities because she knew I would be removed from the house and be taken from my mother. She knew how badly it would affect me.”

My respect for the older woman goes up. The last thing Ryker needed during that time was to be away from his mother. Even if she was in a catatonic state, being near her must have given him comfort.

“I’m so sorry all of that happened to you. You were so young and went through so much.” A tear trickles down my cheek, and my chest aches.

“It’s in the past,” he says, swiping away the tear. “Enough about that.” He runs his hand between my breasts and wraps his fingers around my throat, applying just a little bit of pressure. “I believe my wife implied earlier that I had a week’s worth of fucking to make up for.”

My stomach dips, but this time it’s with anticipation.

He pulls me forward with his grip, laying a scorching kiss against my lips, and of course, I melt against him. No matter the situation, he always manages to turn me into a whimpering mess with only a kiss. It’s one of the many things I love about him.

By the time our lips break apart, we’re both panting. Grabbing my waist, he hoists me up at the same time he slides down so he’s lying flat.

“Now get up here and fuck my face, Vicious.”

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

HIM

The skin along my scalp prickles, and there’s pressure against the bones in my skull, making my head pound. Every muscle and tendon in my body crackles with tension, and my jugular pulses heavily as hot blood rushes through my veins. It takes almost more willpower than I possess to keep my position against the wall. Every fucking way known to man on how to torture and eviscerate a man flashes through my mind.

It’s been a little over a week since Savina was stolen from me. One of the men responsible is dead, fish food for the sharks and critters in the ocean. Aiden lies naked on a cold slab of metal across the room. His legs are slightly parted, with his ankles attached to each corner by rope. The metal table he’s on is a surgical bed, so his arms are stretched out, crucifixion style. One of his hands is mangled from the bullet Emo plugged him with, and it looks to be infected. There’s an IV that runs from an IV pole beside the bed with the needle puncturing his skin. I wantedthe bastard kept alive, so the IV is for nutrients and to stave off infection.

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